Patent ID: 8187485

Claim:
A plasma processing method for use with a plasma processing apparatus comprising an etching processing apparatus including an etching mounting stage for mounting and for holding in a vacuum processing chamber an objective item to be processed, the etching mounting stage having a diameter less than a diameter of the objective item, and a plasma generating unit for generating plasma in the vacuum processing chamber and an ashing processing apparatus including an ashing mounting stage for mounting and for holding the objective item in the vacuum processing chamber, the ashing mounting stage having a diameter less than that of the etching mounting stage and a plasma generating unit for generating plasma in the vacuum processing chamber, the method comprising the steps of: mounting the objective item on the etching mounting stage and conducting etching processing for the objective item; transporting from the etching stage the objective item for which the etching processing is finished and mounting the objective item on the ashing mounting stage; and removing, during resist ashing processing by the ashing processing apparatus, deposited substance fixed onto a periphery of a rear surface of the objective item during the etching processing by the etching processing apparatus.