Etching apparatus and method therefor

An etching method for etching an insulation film formed on an object to be processed by means of an etching apparatus comprising:

• a first chamber into which an inert gas is introduced;
• means for making said inert gas into a plasma in said first chamber;
• a second chamber, communicating with said first chamber, into which a reactive gas for etching said insulating film is introduced;
• supporting means for supporting the object in said second chamber;
• and
• attracting means for attracting ions in the plasma of the inert gas to said object supported by said supporting means;
• said method comprising the steps of:
• introducing said inert gas into said first chamber;
• making said inert gas into the plasma in said first chamber;
• introducing said reactive gas into said second chamber;
• generating radicals by exciting reactive gas in said second chamber by the plasma of the inert gas diffused to said second chamber;
• and
• attracting ions in the plasma in said inert gas to said object and making the insulating film and the radicals react with each other by the assist of the ions of the inert gas;
• wherein a pressure on said first chamber is set higher than that in said second chamber while etching.

An etching apparatus for etching an insulating film formed on an object to be processed, comprising:

• a first chamber;
• means for supplying an inert gas into said first chamber;
• means for converting the inert gas into a plasma in the first chamber;
• a second chamber communicating with said first chamber;
• means for supplying a reactive gas for etching said insulating film, into said second chamber;
• supporting means for supporting the object in said second chamber;
• attracting means for attracting ions in the plasma of the inert gas to said objects supported by said supporting means;
• and
• control means for controlling pressure in said first and second chambers such that a pressure in said first chamber is set higher than that in said second chamber while etching:
• wherein radicals are generated when the reactive gas introduced into said second chamber is excited by the plasma of the inert gas diffused from said first chamber to said second chamber, and the insulating film and the radicals react with each other by the assist of the ions of the inert gas, thereby etching the insulating film.

An apparatus for etching an insulating film of an object to be process having the insulating film, comprising:

• means for converting an inert gas to a plasma in a first chamber separate from the object to be processed;
• means for generating radicals by exciting a reactive gas by the plasma of the inert gas in a second chamber separate from said first chamber, said second chamber including auxiliary exciting means for exciting the reactive gas in said second chamber;
• and
• a third chamber communicating with said second chamber, said third chamber including electrode means for attracting ions in the plasma of the inert gas to the object to be processed and causing a reaction between the insulating film and the active species by the assist of the ions.