Etching method

An etching method of etching a first film, a second film and a third film of a substrate, the third film being provided on an underlying region, the second film being provided on the third film, the first film being provided on the second film, the second film containing silicon and nitrogen, and a mask provided with an opening being provided on the first film, the etching method comprising:

• etching the first film by plasma etching to form in the first film a first opening continuous with the opening of the mask;
• etching the second film by plasma etching to form in the second film a second opening continuous with the first opening;
• and
• etching the third film by plasma etching to form in the third film a third opening continuous with the second opening,
• wherein, to allow a width of the third opening to be smaller than a width of the first opening and allow the second opening to have a taper shape such that a width of the second opening at a third opening side is smaller than a width of the second opening at a first opening side, plasma of a processing gas containing fluorine and hydrogen is used in the plasma etching of each of the etching of the first film, the etching of the second film and the etching of the third film, and a temperature of the substrate is set to be equal to or less than 20° C. at least in the etching of the second film,
• the taper shape of the second opening is formed by a deposit of ammonium fluorosilicate that is generated from the fluorine and hydrogen in the processing gas and the silicon and nitrogen in the second film, and adheres to a surface of the second opening, and
• the processing gas is a mixed gas including a fluorine-containing gas and a hydrogen-containing gas,
• the fluorine-containing gas does not contain carbon, and
• the hydrogen-containing gas is a hydrogen gas.