Focus ring, plasma etching apparatus and plasma etching method

• US 8,192,577 B2
• Filed: 06/25/2009
• Issued: 06/05/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/15/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
• Original Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
• Inventors: Satoh, Daiki, Kobayashi, Hideyuki, Horiguchi, Masato
• Primary Examiner(s): Kackar, Ram
• Assistant Examiner(s): Crowell, Anna
• Application Number:
  US12/491,962
• Publication Number:
  US 20090255902A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,076 Days
• Field of Search: 118/723.R, 156/915
• US Class Current: 156/345.51
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/32642 Focus rings
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67069 for drying etching
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 156/915 Differential etching apparatus including focus ring surrounding a wafer for plasma apparatus

Abstract

In a plasma etching apparatus for performing a plasma etching on a surface of a substrate mounted on a susceptor in a processing vessel, a focus ring is installed to surround the substrate and has a first region at an inner side on a surface thereof, in which an average surface roughness is small such that a reaction product produced during an etching processing is not captured to be deposited, and a second region at an outer side from the first region, in which an average surface roughness is large such that a reaction product produced during the etching process is captured to be deposited. A boundary between the first and the second region is a part where an etching amount is relatively significantly changed compared to other parts while the focus ring is equipped in the plasma etching apparatus and the plasma etching is performed on the substrate.

Claims

1. A focus ring for use in a plasma etching apparatus for performing an etching by using a plasma on a surface of a substrate mounted on a susceptor in an airtight processing vessel, the focus ring being provided to surround a periphery of the substrate, comprising:

a lower step portion formed at an inner peripheral side of the focus ring; and

an upper step portion surrounding the lower step portion,

wherein a top surface of the upper step portion is divided into a first region at an inner side on the top surface of the upper step portion and a second region surrounding the first region,

wherein an average surface roughness Ra of the first region is small such that a reaction product produced during an etching processing is not captured to be deposited on a corresponding region and an average surface roughness Ra of the second region is large such that a reaction product is captured to be deposited on a corresponding region and

wherein the average surface roughness Ra of the first region is 0.1 um or less.

2. The focus ring of claim 1, wherein the average surface roughness Ra of the second region is 0.36 um or less.

3. The focus ring of claim 1, wherein a boundary between the first and the second region is a part where an etching amount is significantly changed while the focus ring is equipped in the plasma etching apparatus and an etching is carried out by using a plasma on the substrate.

4. A plasma etching apparatus for performing an etching by using a plasma on a surface of a substrate mounted on a susceptor in an airtight processing vessel, the plasma etching apparatus having the focus ring of claim 1 to surround a periphery of the substrate.

5. A focus ring for use in a plasma etching apparatus for performing an etching by using a plasma on a surface of a substrate mounted on a susceptor in an airtight processing vessel, the focus ring being provided to surround a periphery of the substrate, comprising:

a lower step portion formed at an inner peripheral side of the focus ring; and

an upper step portion surrounding the lower step portion,

wherein a top surface of the upper step portion is divided into a first region having a first average surface roughness at an inner side on the top surface of the upper step portion; and

a second region having a second average surface roughness, which is greater than the first average surface roughness, surrounding the first region, and

wherein the first average surface roughness is 0.1 um or less.

6. The focus ring of claim 5, wherein the second average surface roughness is 0.36 um or less.

7. The focus ring of claim 5, wherein a boundary between the first and the second region is a part where an etching amount is relatively significantly changed compared to other parts while the focus ring is equipped in the plasma etching apparatus and an etching is carried out by using a plasma on the substrate.

8. The focus ring of claim 5, wherein a boundary between the first and the second region is about a half of a width of the focus ring.