Patent ID: 6162323
Filing Date: 2000-12-19
Classification: H01J,H01L

Abstract:
An apparatus for subjecting a target object to an etching process by using a plasma, comprising:an airtight processing chamber;a grid electrode that divides said processing chamber into a plasma generating space and a processing space, said grid electrode having a plurality of through holes for allowing said plasma generating space and said processing space to communicate with each other;a potential applying mechanism configured to apply a potential to said grid electrode;an exciting mechanism configured to excite a gas in said plasma generating space to convert the gas into a plasma;a support member configured to support the target object in said processing space;a gas supply system having a plurality of gas sources of a reactive gas and an inert gas for performing said etching process, said gas supply system comprising first and second gas supply lines connected to said plasma generating space and said processing space, respectively, and said first and second gas supply lines being connected to said gas sources through first and second flow control valve mechanisms, respectively, which provide a mixture of said reactive gas and said inert gas to each of said first and second gas supply lines;a controller configured to control opening degrees of said first and second flow control valve mechanisms in order to flow first and second feed gases, each containing said reactive gas and said inert gas, to said first and second gas supply lines, said controller further configured to change compositions and flow rates of the first and second feed gases separately; andan exhaust system configured to evacuate an interior of said processing chamber and setting said interior of said processing chamber at a vacuum,wherein said controller sets compositions and flow rates of the first and second feed gases by controlling the opening degrees of said first and second flow control valve mechanisms, respectively, in accordance with an etching property for said etching process.