Patent ID: 6514378
Filing Date: 2003-02-04
Classification: H01J,H01L

Abstract:
A method of consecutively processing individual semiconductor substrates with minimal plasma etch rate variation following cleaning with a fluorine-containing gas and/or seasoning of the plasma etching chamber using the plasma etching apparatus according to claim 10, the method comprising the steps of:(a) placing a semiconductor substrate on the substrate support in the plasma etching chamber such that the edge ring is separated from the substrate by a clearance gap which is just large enough to allow the substrate to be lowered onto and raised off of the substrate support without contacting the inner periphery of the edge ring; (b) maintaining a vacuum in the chamber; (c) etching an exposed polysilicon surface of the polysilicon layer of the substrate by supplying the HBr-containing etching gas to the chamber and energizing the etching gas using the antenna to form a plasma in the chamber; (d) removing the substrate from the chamber, and (e) consecutively etching additional substrates in the chamber by repeating steps (a-d), the etching step being carried out by minimizing a recombination rate of H and Br on a member surrounding the substrate at a rate sufficient to offset a rate at which Br is consumed across the substrate.