Patent ID: 8262801

Claim:
A vacuum processing method using a vacuum processing apparatus comprising a processing chamber disposed inside a vacuum reactor and having plasma formed therein; a sample stage arranged at a lower portion within the processing chamber and having a sample to be processed placed on an upper plane thereof; and a gas introduction mechanism positioned at an upper portion of the processing chamber and having introduction holes for introducing processing gas into the processing chamber; a means for carrying a dummy sample onto the sample stage within the vacuum reactor and placing the dummy sample on the sample stage; an electrostatic chuck means for fixing the sample to be processed on the sample stage; a means for introducing a thermal conductance gas between the sample stage and the sample to be processed for controlling the temperature of the sample to be processed; a means for introducing a dust removal gas between the sample stage and the dummy sample; and a means for switching between introducing thermal conductance gas and introducing dust removal gas; the vacuum processing method comprising: placing a dummy sample on the sample stage; fixing the dummy sample to the sample stage via the electrostatic chuck; introducing dust removal gas between the sample stage and the dummy sample; and removing particles attached to the sample stage via the flow of dust removal gas.