Patent ID: 6299722
Filing Date: 2001-10-09
Classification: H01L,Y10S

Abstract:
Etching equipment comprising:an etching apparatus for main etching an object having a resist film as an etching mask with a plasma produced by an etching gas;a post-processing apparatus for removing a resist film remaining on the object after the main etching step, a polymer deposited on the surface of the object, and a damage layer formed by the main etching treatment; andtransfer means for transferring the object from the etching apparatus to the post-processing apparatus,wherein:the post-processing apparatus includes a processing chamber, first gas supply means for supplying an O.sub.2 gas or a mixture of an O.sub.2 gas and an inert gas into the processing chamber, second gas supply means for supplying a halogen-containing gas or a mixture of a halogen-containing gas and an inert gas into the processing chamber, and switching means for switching supply by the first gas supply means to a gas supply by the second gas supply means;the object, after the main etching treatment, is treated with a plasma treatment produced by the gas supply by the first gas supply means and consisting essentially of an O.sub.2 gas or a mixture of an O.sub.2 and an inert gas so as to remove a resist film remaining on the object and a polymer deposited on the surface of the object; andafter substantially completing the plasma treatment, the gas supply through the first and second gas supply means is switched by the switching means to perform a plasma treatment with a plasma produced by a gas mixture consisting essentially of a halogen-containing gas and an O.sub.2 gas or a halogen-containing gas, an O.sub.2 gas, and an inert gas so as to remove an impurity layer formed by the main etching.