Patent ID: 7354525

Claim:
A sample surface processing method comprising: etching a sample having a mask material on a surface thereof by generating a first plasma for etching the sample mounted on a sample stage provided in a vacuum chamber, applying a high frequency bias to the sample stage, and performing the surface processing of the sample on the sample stage by the first plasma, and then removing a cured layer of the mask material on the sample resulting from heat input from the first plasma in the same vacuum chamber in which the etching is performed by generating a second plasma of a mixed gas of an oxygen gas and a fluorine-containing gas introduced into the vacuum chamber, applying a high frequency bias to the sample and removing the cured layer of the mask material by the second plasma, and then ashing the sample in the same vacuum chamber in which the etching is performed by generating a third plasma of an oxygen gas introduced into the vacuum chamber, stopping the high frequency bias, and removing the mask material left after removal of the cured layer by the third plasma.