Plasma etching apparatus and plasma etching method

Abstract

In performing plasma etching with the aim to form a gate electrode on a large-diameter substrate, it is difficult according to prior art methods to ensure the in-plane uniformity of CD shift of the gate electrode. The present invention solves the problem by supplying processing gases having different flow rates and compositions respectively through openings formed at positions opposing to the substrate and at the upper corner or side wall of the processing chamber.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of the plasma etching apparatus according to embodiment 1 of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a horizontal cross-sectional view of the plasma etching apparatus according to embodiment 1 of the present invention, taken at the C-C cross-section of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional side view of the plasma etching apparatus according to embodiment 1 of the present invention, showing an enlarged view of the area around the circumference-side gas supply port;

FIGS. 4A and 4B are horizontal cross-sectional views showing the plasma etching apparatus of embodiment 1 of the present invention, wherein 4A is a horizontal cross-sectional view passing point A of FIG. 3, and 4B is a horizontal cross-sectional view passing point B of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a graph showing the CD shift distribution of the surface of the substrate processed by the plasma etching apparatus according to embodiment 1 of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view showing the plasma etching apparatus according to embodiment 2 of the present invention;

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional side view of the plasma etching apparatus according to embodiment 2 of the present invention, showing an enlarged view of the area around the circumference-side gas supply port;

FIGS. 8A and 8B are horizontal cross-sectional views showing the plasma etching apparatus of embodiment 2 of the present invention, wherein 8A is a horizontal cross-sectional view passing point D of FIG. 7, and 8B is a horizontal cross-sectional view passing point E of FIG. 7;

FIGS. 9A and 9B are cross-sectional side views of the substrate, showing states prior to gate etching and after gate etching;

FIGS. 10A and 10B are upper and cross-sectional side views of the plasma etching apparatus according to the prior art example; and

FIG. 11 is a graph showing the CD shift distribution of the surface of the substrate processed by the plasma etching apparatus according to the prior art example.

Claims

1. A plasma etching apparatus comprising: a substantially cylindrical processing chamber for performing a plasma process to a substrate;a substrate stage for supporting the substrate;at least two gas feed sources for feeding processing gas to the processing chamber;a first gas supply port for supplying the processing gas into the processing chamber;a second gas supply port for supplying the processing gas into the processing chamber disposed separately from the first gas supply port;a vacuum pump for reducing the pressure within the processing chamber; andan electromagnetic wave feeding means for feeding electromagnetic waves to the processing chamber;wherein the first gas supply port is disposed at a position opposing to the substrate and the second gas supply port is disposed so as to form uniform openings along a circumferential direction on either an upper corner portion of the processing chamber or a side wall of the processing chamber, by which, an axisymmetric processing gas flow is created in the processing chamber.

2. The plasma etching apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the second gas supply port is disposed on the upper corner portion of the processing chamber and at an intermediate height between the first gas supply port and the substrate.

3. The plasma etching apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the second gas supply port is disposed on the side wall of the processing chamber and at an intermediate height between the first gas supply port and the substrate.

4. The plasma etching apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the second gas supply port is composed of a gas supply groove for guiding the processing gas to the whole circumference of the processing chamber in the circumferential direction, a plurality of holes connected to the gas supply groove, and openings uniform in the circumferential direction and connected to the plurality of holes, which are formed within the side wall of the substantially cylindrical processing chamber.

5. The plasma etching apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the second gas supply port is composed of a gas supply groove for guiding the processing gas to the whole circumference of the processing chamber in the circumferential direction, a plurality of holes connected to the gas supply groove, and openings uniform in the circumferential direction and connected to the plurality of holes, which are formed within the side wall of the substantially cylindrical processing chamber; and a conductance of the circumferential flow of the gas supply groove is made greater than a conductance of the flow of the plurality of holes.

6. The plasma etching apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the second gas supply port is composed of a gas supply groove for guiding the processing gas to the whole circumference of the processing chamber in the circumferential direction, a plurality of holes connected to the gas supply groove, and openings uniform in the circumferential direction and connected to the plurality of holes, which are formed within the side wall of the substantially cylindrical processing chamber; a conductance of the circumferential flow of the gas supply groove is made greater than a conductance of the flow of the plurality of holes; anda gap uniform in the circumferential direction is formed between the plurality of holes and the circumferentially uniform openings by which a conductance of the flow within the gap is made greater than the conductance of the flow of the plurality of holes.

7. The plasma etching apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a round antenna or waveguide is disposed on the upper portion of the processing chamber, and the center axis of the round antenna or waveguide is disposed to correspond to the center axis of a ring-shaped magnetic field forming coil and the center axis of the wall of the substantially cylindrical processing chamber.

8. The plasma etching apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a control unit for supplying processing gas through both the first gas supply port and the second gas supply port.

9. The plasma etching apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a control unit supplies gases through the first gas supply port and the second gas supply port, independently controlling the respective compositions or the flow rates or both the compositions and the flow rates of the gases.

10. The plasma etching apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a control unit for supplying a non-corrosive gas through the second gas supply port.

11. A plasma etching method using a plasma etching apparatus comprising: a substantially cylindrical processing chamber for performing a plasma process to a substrate;a substrate stage for supporting the substrate;at least two gas feed sources for feeding processing gas to the processing chamber;a first gas supply port for supplying the processing gas into the processing chamber;a second gas supply port for supplying the processing gas into the processing chamber disposed separately from the first gas supply port;a vacuum pump for reducing the pressure within the processing chamber; andan electromagnetic wave feeding means for feeding electromagnetic waves to the processing chamber;the method comprising supplying gas through a first gas supply port disposed at a position opposing to the substrate and supplying gas through a second gas supply port disposed so as to form uniform openings along a circumferential direction on either an upper corner portion of the processing chamber or a side wall of the processing chamber, so as to create an axisymmetric processing gas flow in the processing chamber.

12. The plasma etching method according to claim 11, wherein the processing gas is supplied through both the first gas supply port and the second gas supply port.

13. The plasma etching method according to claim 11, further comprising supplying the gases through the first gas supply port and the second gas supply port while independently controlling the respective compositions or the flow rates or both the compositions and the flow rates of the gases.

14. The plasma etching method according to claim 11, further comprising supplying a non-corrosive gas through the second gas supply port.