Patent ID: 7909933

Claim:
A plasma processing method carried out in a plasma processing apparatus having a processing chamber for subjecting a sample to plasma processing, a transfer chamber connected to the processing chamber for transferring the sample, and a supply system for feeding gas, which is a same gas as a transferring gas supplied to the transfer chamber, to both the processing chamber and the transfer chamber, or to only the processing chamber when transferring the sample from the transfer chamber to the processing chamber; the plasma processing method comprising: a step of changing gases supplied to the processing chamber from a processing gas to the transferring gas while continuing plasma processing of the sample by a plasma of the processing gas, thereby generating a plasma of the transferring gas; a step of terminating the plasma of the transferring gas; and a step of transferring the sample from the processing chamber to the transfer chamber while continuing to supply transferring gas after terminating the plasma of the transferring gas.