Patent ID: 8128831

Claim:
A plasma etching method for etching a substrate by using a plasma processing apparatus including an evacuable processing chamber that forms a process space to accommodate the substrate; an exhaust unit connected to an exhaust port of the processing chamber to vacuum-exhaust gas from inside the processing chamber; an exhaust plate interposed between the process space and the exhaust port to rectify a flow of exhaust gas; a first and a second electrode disposed to face each other in the processing chamber, the second electrode supporting the substrate; and a processing gas supply unit for supplying a processing gas into the processing chamber, the method comprising the steps of: etching an organic film or an amorphous carbon film on the substrate by using a silicon-containing mask wherein the etching is performed by applying a DC voltage to the first electrode from a DC power supply and applying a first and a second radio frequency power to the second electrode to convert the processing gas supplied from the processing gas supply unit into a plasma, the processing gas containing no CF-based gas and being supplied through gas injection holes in the first electrode being DC-floated with respect to a ground potential; and releasing a current caused by the DC voltage to a grounded conductive member provided in the processing chamber via the plasma.