Patent ID: 7025855
Filing Date: 2006-04-11
Classification: H01L

Abstract:
1. An insulation-film etching system that etches an insulation film on a substrate by a species produced in plasma, comprising: a process chamber in which the etching process is carried out; a substrate holder that is provided in the process chamber and holds the substrate; a gas introduction line to introduce a gas having etching function into the process chamber; a plasma generator to generate plasma of the introduced gas; a transfer mechanism to transfer the substrate into the process chamber and transfer the substrate out of the process chamber; and a compulsorily-cooled cold trap for capturing a species having depositing function; wherein the process chamber comprises a pumping line to pump the process chamber; the plasma generator comprises an opposite electrode facing the substrate holder and forming a discharge space therebetween; the gas introduction line is capable of introducing a gas having cleaning function to remove a deposited film on an exposed surface in the process chamber, instead of the gas for the etching; a control unit connected to the pumping line, the gas introduction line, the plasma generator and the transfer mechanism is provided; the control unit carries out the sequence control where; after the etching, the process chamber is pumped by the pumping line, the substrate is transferred out of the process chamber by the transfer mechanism, the gas having the cleaning function is introduced into the process chamber by the gas introduction line and, then plasma of the gas is generated by the plasma generator; the cold trap is provided at a level lower than the substrate; the cold trap is ring-shaped and surrounds the substrate holder; a space between the cold trap and a wall of the process chamber is open; an exhaust slot is provided on the wall of the process chamber; and the exhaust slot is located where the discharge space between the substrate holder and the opposite electrode is evacuated through the open space between the cold trap and the wall of the process chamber.