Plasma ashing method and apparatus therefor

Claim 2

A plasma ashing method for removing a resist film on a coated substrate comprising the steps of: placing the substrate coated with said resist film in a vacuum chamber; simultaneously ashing the resist film by an oxygen plasma while heating the substrate to remove said resist film; initially maintaining a temperature of the substrate during said step of ashing at a temperature below that at which explosion of said resist film occurs until a surface portion of said resist film has been removed; and thereafter increasing the temperature during said step of ashing to remove remaining portions of said resist film.

Claim 3

A plasma ashing apparatus comprising: a vacuum treatment chamber for receiving a substrate coated with a resist film; a vacuum exhaust port in open communication with the vacuum treatment chamber; heating means located within the vacuum treatment chamber for heating the substrate; a plurality of pins for supporting a rear surface of the substrate a distance away from the heating means; introducing port means for introducing reactive gas radicals to said vacuum treatment chamber, the reactive gas radicals being formed from an oxygen-containing gas and being capable of removing the resist film from the substrate by ashing; and means for generating reactive gas radicals to be introduced into said vacuum treatment chamber with said introducing port means.

Claim 4

A plasma ashing apparatus comprising: a vacuum treatment chamber for receiving a substrate coated with a resist film; a vacuum exhaust port in open communication with the vacuum treatment chamber; heating means located within the vacuum treatment chamber for heating the substrate; a plurality of pins for supporting a rear surface of the substrate a distance away from the heating means; introducing port means for introducing reactive gas radicals to said vacuum treatment chamber, the reactive gas radicals being formed from an oxygen-containing gas and being capable of removing the resist film from the substrate by ashing; and means for generating reactive gas radicals to be introduced into said vacuum treatment chamber with said introducing port means.

Claim 5

A plasma ashing apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said plurality of pins are movably disposed between an advanced position and a retracted position, the advanced position being such that a distance is formed between a rear surface of the substrate and said heating means, the retracted position being such that the rear surface of the substrate contacts said heating means.

Claim 6

A plasma ashing apparatus comprising: a vacuum treatment chamber for receiving a substrate coated with a resist film; a vacuum exhaust port in open communication with said vacuum treatment chamber; heating means located within said vacuum treatment chamber for heating the substrate; means for introducing reaction gas radicals to said vacuum treatment chamber, the reaction gas radicals formed from an oxygen-containing gas and being capable of removing the resist film from the substrate by ashing; means associated with said introducing means for generating the reaction gas radicals; a front electrode disposed in front of the substrate, in an opposed relation thereto, at a distance capable of generating a plasma; a rear electrode disposed on a rear side of the substrate in an opposed relationship thereto, said rear electrode being disposed at a narrow distance relative to the rear side of the substrate whereby a plasma is incapable of being generated; and a high-frequency power source and a ground, said front and rear electrodes selectively connected to said power source and ground.

Claim 7

A plasma ashing apparatus comprising: a vacuum treatment chamber for receiving a substrate coated with a resist film; a vacuum exhaust port in open communication with said vacuum treatment chamber; heating means located within said vacuum treatment chamber for heating the substrate; means for introducing reaction gas radicals to said vacuum treatment chamber, the reaction gas radicals formed from an oxygen-containing gas and being capable of removing the resist film from the substrate by ashing; means associated with said introducing means for generating the reaction gas radicals; a front electrode disposed in front of the substrate, in an opposed relation thereto, at a distance capable of generating a plasma; a rear electrode disposed on a rear side of the substrate in an opposed relationship thereto, said rear electrode being disposed at a narrow distance relative to the rear side of the substrate whereby a plasma is incapable of being generated; and a high-frequency power source and a ground, said front and rear electrodes selectively connected to said power source and ground.

Claim 8

A plasma ashing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said front electrode is a plate having a plurality of perforations.

Claim 9

A plasma ashing apparatus comprising: a vacuum treatment chamber for receiving a substrate coated with a photo resist film on a surface thereof, said vacuum treatment chamber having therein heating means to heat said substrate; a reactive gas introduction pipe for conveying a reactive gas to said vacuum treatment chamber and having, in an intermediate portion of said reactive gas introduction pipe, a plasma applicator to generate plasma of the reactive gas; and a vacuum exhaust pipe having, at a first end, a vacuum exhaust port in open communication with said vacuum treatment chamber and having a second end connected to a vacuum pump, an inside of said vacuum treatment chamber being divided into two chambers by a shower plate, the shower plate including a perforated plate provided along a surface of the substrate, and further the shower plate having defined thereon a plurality of small holes on a majority of its surface and a hole of larger diameter relative to the plurality of small holes, located on the surface of the shower plate in a position which faces the surface of the substrate at a central portion thereof, said vacuum exhaust pipe being connected to a first side of the two chambers in which the substrate is located, and said reactive gas introduction pipe being connected to a second side of the two chambers whereby reactive gas introduced from said reactive gas introduction pipe, in an ionized condition, is caused to flow along a surface of the substrate to ash the resist film on the surface of the substrate.

Claim 10

A plasma ashing apparatus comprising: a vacuum treatment chamber for receiving a substrate coated with a photo resist film on a surface thereof, said vacuum treatment chamber having therein heating means to heat said substrate; a reactive gas introduction pipe for conveying a reactive gas to said vacuum treatment chamber and having, in an intermediate portion of said reactive gas introduction pipe, a plasma applicator to generate plasma of the reactive gas; and a vacuum exhaust pipe having, at a first end, a vacuum exhaust port in open communication with said vacuum treatment chamber and having a second end connected to a vacuum pump, an inside of said vacuum treatment chamber being divided into two chambers by a shower plate, the shower plate including a perforated plate provided along a surface of the substrate, and further the shower plate having defined thereon a plurality of small holes on a majority of its surface and a hole of larger diameter relative to the plurality of small holes, located on the surface of the shower plate in a position which faces the surface of the substrate at a central portion thereof, said vacuum exhaust pipe being connected to a first side of the two chambers in which the substrate is located, and said reactive gas introduction pipe being connected to a second side of the two chambers whereby reactive gas introduced from said reactive gas introduction pipe, in an ionized condition, is caused to flow along a surface of the substrate to ash the resist film on the surface of the substrate.

Claim 11

A plasma ashing apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said vacuum exhaust port opens into a position facing a rear surface of the substrate.

Claim 12

A plasma ashing apparatus according to claim 6 further comprising: a thermometer in association with said vacuum treatment chamber to measure a temperature of the surface of the substrate through the large diameter hole in the shower plate.