Plasma etching apparatus

Claim 2

A magnetron plasma etching apparatus for etching a substrate by using a plasma, comprising: a chamber for containing a substrate; means for supplying an etchant to the substrate; plasma producing means for producing a plasma of the etchant, said plasma producing means including electric field generating means for generating an electric field within the chamber, magnetic field generating means for generating a magnetic field intersecting the electric field at right angles, and rotating means for rotating the magnetic field in a plane intersecting the electric field at right angles; light collecting means for collecting light emitted from the inside atmosphere of the chamber while etching the substrate, said light collecting means being constructed to mainly collect light at a region near the rotation center of the magnetic field; means for dividing the collected light into first and second parts; a spectroscope for extracting that light component of a spectrum from said first part of the collected light, which varies greatly with the progress of the etching; a first photo-sensor for converting the intensity of light of said spectrum into a first electric signal; a second photo-sensor for converting the intensity of said second part of the collected light into a second electric signal, which represents background noise; and end-point detecting means for detecting an end-point of the etching on the basis of a variation in the relative values of the first and second electric signals.

Claim 3

The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said electric field generating means includes a high-potential electrode connected to an RF power source and a low-potential electrode facing the high-potential electrode.

Claim 4

The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a mount for supporting the substrate is provided within the chamber, said high-potential electrode is provided on the mount, said low-potential electrode is provided on the chamber, and both electrodes constitute a parallel plate electrode structure which is parallel to the major surface of the substrate.

Claim 5

The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said end-point detecting means includes means for calculating a ratio of said first and second electric signals, and the end-point of the etching is detected on the basis of the ratio.

Claim 6

A magnetron plasma etching apparatus for etching a substrate by using a plasma, comprising: a chamber for containing a substrate; means for supplying an etchant to the chamber; means for exhausting the chamber; a mount for supporting the substrate in the chamber, and constituting an electrode; an RF power source connected to the mount; a counter electrode arranged opposite to the mount and constituting part of the chamber, an electric field being generated between the mount and counter electrode and in the chamber; a magnetic arranged outside the chamber and behind the counter electrode, and generating a magnetic field intersecting the electric field at right angles; rotating means for rotating the magnetic field in a plane intersecting the electric field at right angles; light collecting means for collecting light emitted from the inside atmosphere of the chamber while etching the substrate, said light collecting means being constructed to mainly collect light at a region near the rotation center of the magnetic field; means for dividing the collected light into first and second parts; a spectroscope for extracting that light component of a spectrum from said first part of the collected light, which varies greatly with the progress of the etching; a first photo-sensor for converting the intensity of light of said spectrum into a first electric signal; a second photo-sensor for converting the intensity of said second part of the collected light into a second electric signal, which represents background noise; and end-point detecting means for detecting an end-point of the etching on the basis of a variation in the relative values of the first and second electric signals.

Claim 7

A magnetron plasma etching apparatus for etching a substrate by using a plasma, comprising: a chamber for containing a substrate; means for supplying an etchant to the chamber; means for exhausting the chamber; a mount for supporting the substrate in the chamber, and constituting an electrode; an RF power source connected to the mount; a counter electrode arranged opposite to the mount and constituting part of the chamber, an electric field being generated between the mount and counter electrode and in the chamber; a magnetic arranged outside the chamber and behind the counter electrode, and generating a magnetic field intersecting the electric field at right angles; rotating means for rotating the magnetic field in a plane intersecting the electric field at right angles; light collecting means for collecting light emitted from the inside atmosphere of the chamber while etching the substrate, said light collecting means being constructed to mainly collect light at a region near the rotation center of the magnetic field; means for dividing the collected light into first and second parts; a spectroscope for extracting that light component of a spectrum from said first part of the collected light, which varies greatly with the progress of the etching; a first photo-sensor for converting the intensity of light of said spectrum into a first electric signal; a second photo-sensor for converting the intensity of said second part of the collected light into a second electric signal, which represents background noise; and end-point detecting means for detecting an end-point of the etching on the basis of a variation in the relative values of the first and second electric signals.

Claim 8

The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said light collecting means includes an optical system having a light collecting lens, and the focal point of the lens is adjusted to coincide substantially with the rotation center line of the magnetic field.

Claim 9

The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said light collecting means has a light collecting terminal disposed on the chamber on the rotation center line of the magnetic field.

Claim 10

The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein a plurality of said optical systems are arranged equidistantly in the rotational direction of the magnetic field.

Claim 11

The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said end-point detecting means further includes smoothing means for converting said first and second electric signals to third and fourth electric signals obtained by averaging the first and second electric signals with respect to one rotation of the magnetic field, and said end-point detecting means detects the end-point of the etching on the basis of a variation in the relative values of the third and fourth signals.

Claim 12

The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said end-point detecting means includes means for calculating a ratio of the third and fourth electric signals, and the end-point of the etching is detected on the basis of the ratio.

Claim 13

A plasma etching apparatus for etching a substrate by using a plasma, comprising: a chamber for containing a substrate; means for supplying an etchant to the substrate; plasma producing means for producing a plasma of the etchant, light collecting means for collecting light emitted from the inside atmosphere of the chamber while etching the substrate; means for dividing the collected light into first and second parts; a spectroscope for extracting that light component of a spectrum from said first part of the collected light, which varies greatly with the progress of the etching; a first photo-sensor for converting the intensity of light of said spectrum into a first electric signal; a second photo-sensor for converting the intensity of said second part of the collected light into a second electric signal, which represents background noise; and end-point detecting means for detecting an end-point of the etching on the basis of a variation in the relative values of the first and second electric signals, wherein said end-point detecting means includes means for calculating a ratio of the first and second electric signals, and the end-point of the etching is detected on the basis of said ratio.

Claim 14

A plasma etching apparatus for etching a substrate by using a plasma, comprising: a chamber for containing a substrate; means for supplying an etchant to the substrate; plasma producing means for producing a plasma of the etchant, light collecting means for collecting light emitted from the inside atmosphere of the chamber while etching the substrate; means for dividing the collected light into first and second parts; a spectroscope for extracting that light component of a spectrum from said first part of the collected light, which varies greatly with the progress of the etching; a first photo-sensor for converting the intensity of light of said spectrum into a first electric signal; a second photo-sensor for converting the intensity of said second part of the collected light into a second electric signal, which represents background noise; and end-point detecting means for detecting an end-point of the etching on the basis of a variation in the relative values of the first and second electric signals, wherein said end-point detecting means includes means for calculating a ratio of the first and second electric signals, and the end-point of the etching is detected on the basis of said ratio.

Claim 15

The apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the light collecting means includes an optical system having a light collecting lens, and the focal point of the lens is adjusted to coincide substantially with the rotation center line of the magnetic field.

Claim 16

The apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said plasma producing means includes an electric field generating means for generating an electric field within the chamber.

Claim 17

The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein said plasma producing means includes magnetic field generating means for generating a magnetic field intersecting the electric field at right angles, and rotating means for rotating said magnetic field in a plane intersecting said electric field at right angles.

Claim 18

The apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the light collecting means is constructed to mainly collect light at a region near the rotation center of the magnetic field.

Claim 19

The apparatus according to claim 14, wherein said end-point detecting means further includes smoothing means for converting said first and second electric signals to third and fourth electric signals obtained by averaging the first and second electric signals with respect to one rotation of the magnetic field, and said end-point detecting means detects the end-point of the etching on the basis of a variation in the relative values of the third and fourth signals.

Claim 20

The apparatus according to claim 16, wherein said end-point detecting means includes means for calculating a ratio of the third and fourth electric signals, and the end-point of the etching is detected on the basis of the ratio.

Claim 21

The apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the lens is arranged at a side of the chamber.

Claim 22

The apparatus according to claim 5, wherein light collecting means has a light collecting terminal disposed on the chamber on the rotation center line of the magnetic field.