Plasma processing with energy supplied

Claim 2

A plasma processing method comprising: generating a plasma in response to a high frequency signal using a process gas; injecting an electron beam into said plasma to control an electron energy distribution in said plasma; and processing a substrate using said plasma with controlled electron energy distribution.

Claim 3

A plasma processing method according to claim 1 , wherein said plasma is generated by said high frequency signal of 300 MHz or above.

Claim 4

A plasma processing method according to claim 1 , wherein halogen radicals and halogen ions can be generated from said process gas in said plasma.

Claim 5

A plasma processing method according to claim 3 , wherein said process gas contains at least one gas selected from the group consisting of CF 4 , C 4 F 8 , CHF 3 , C 2 F 6 , Cl 2 , HBr and BCl 3 .

Claim 6

A plasma processing method according to claim 3 , wherein said process gas further contains a gas selected to control and enhance the generation rates and densities of said halogen radicals and halogen ions to be generated.

Claim 7

A plasma processing method according to claim 5 , wherein said process gas further contains at least one gas selected from the group consisting of O 2 , H 2 , N 2 , He, Ar and Xe.

Claim 8

A plasma processing method according to claim 1 , wherein said process gas is a gas, from which radicals as precursor can be generated.

Claim 9

A plasma processing method according to claim 7 , wherein said process gas contains at least one gas selected from the group consisting of CH 4 , C 2 F 4 , SiH 4 , AlCl 3 , TiCl 4 and WF 4 .

Claim 10

A plasma processing method according to claim 1 , wherein said plasma is one of UHF plasma, ECR plasma, induction coupling plasma and helicon wave plasma.

Claim 11

A plasma processing method according to claim 1 , wherein an energy of said electron beam is controlled to enhance the generation rate of a selected active species to be generated.

Claim 12

A plasma processing method according to claim 1 , wherein said electron beam has energy in a range of 1 to 100 eV.

Claim 13

A plasma processing method according to claim 1 , wherein said electron beam is modulated with respect to time.

Claim 14

A plasma processing method according to claim 1 , wherein said electron beam is pulse-modulated, wherein a pulse energy height of the modulated electron beam is controlled to enhance the generation rate of a selected first active species to be generated, and wherein a time period of a pulse is shorter than a lifetime of a second active species, which should exist together with said first active species.

Claim 15

A plasma processing method according to claim 1 , wherein said electron beam includes first and second types of electron beams, wherein said first and second types of electron beams are pulse-modulated, wherein a pulse energy height of the first type of modulated electron beam is controlled to enhance the generation rate of a selected first active species to be generated, and a time period of a pulse is shorter than a lifetime of a second active species, which should exist together with said first active species, and wherein a pulse energy height of the second type of modulated electron beam is controlled to enhance the generation rate of a selected third active species to be generated, and a time period of a pulse is shorter than a lifetime of said second active species and a lifetime of a fourth active species, whereby said first to fourth active species coexist together in said plasma.

Claim 16

A plasma processing method comprising: generating plasma in response to a high frequency signal using a process gas; and injecting an electron beam into said plasma to produce desired active species in said plasma, wherein said desired active species are used for processing a substrate.

Claim 17

A plasma processing method comprising: generating plasma in response to a high frequency signal using a process gas; and injecting an electron beam into said plasma to produce desired active species in said plasma, wherein said desired active species are used for processing a substrate.