Plasma etching apparatus

A plasma etching method by using a plasma etching apparatus having a depressurizable processing chamber;

• a lower electrode for mounting thereon a substrate to be processed in the processing chamber;
• an upper electrode facing the lower electrode in the processing chamber with a plasma generation region formed therebetween;
• a radio frequency power supply unit for applying a radio frequency power between the upper electrode and the lower electrode to thereby form a radio frequency electric field in the plasma generation region, the method comprising:
• supplying a second gas including dilution gas to an upper central gas inlet to introduce the second gas through a central portion of the upper electrode into the plasma generation region;
• feeding a first gas including etchant gas to an upper peripheral gas inlet to introduce the first gas through a peripheral portion provided at an outside of the central portion of the upper electrode along its radial direction into the plasma generation region;
• and
• supplying the second gas including dilution gas to a side gas inlet to introduce the second gas through a sidewall of the processing chamber into the plasma generation region.

A plasma etching method by using a plasma etching apparatus having a depressurizable processing chamber;

• a lower electrode for mounting thereon a substrate to be processed in the processing chamber;
• an upper electrode facing the lower electrode in the processing chamber with a plasma generation region formed therebetween;
• a radio frequency power supply unit for applying a radio frequency power between the upper electrode and the lower electrode to thereby form a radio frequency electric field in the plasma generation region, the method comprising:
• supplying a second gas including dilution gas to a first gas inlet to introduce the second gas through a first region containing a central portion of the upper electrode into the plasma generation region;
• feeding a first gas including etchant gas to a second gas inlet to introduce the first gas through a second region of the upper electrode provided at an outside of the first region along its radial direction into the plasma generation region;
• and
• supplying the second gas including dilution gas to a third gas inlet to introduce the second gas through a third region of the upper electrode provided at an outside of the second region along its radial direction into the plasma generation region.