Plasma processing apparatus and plasma processing method

Abstract

A plasma processing apparatus includes a processing chamber arranged in a vacuum vessel. A wafer placed on a sample stage in the processing chamber is processed using a plasma formed in the processing chamber. Before etching the film layers provided on the wafer composed of a metal substance and an underlying oxide film or a material having a high dielectric constant, another wafer, provided on surface thereof a film composed of a metal of the same kind as the metal substance, processed and particles of the metal are deposited on an inner wall of said processing chamber.

1 - 16 . (canceled) 
     
     
         17 . A plasma processing method for plasma etching a first wafer by a plasma formed in a processing chamber, the first wafer being provided with a film including a metal substance, and an oxide film beneath the film including the metal substance or a film including a high dielectric constant material beneath the film including the metal substance, the method comprising steps of:
 plasma processing a second wafer to provide a film on a surface thereof, the film including a metal of the same kind as the metal substance; and   after plasma processing the second wafer, etching the first wafer.   
     
     
         18 . The plasma processing method according to  claim 17 , wherein said plasma processing of said second wafer is adjusted such that, by detecting an amount of the metal substance deposited in said processing chamber using a light emission in said processing chamber, the detected amount of said metal substance reaches an amount necessary to stabilize an etching rate of the first wafer. 
     
     
         19 . The plasma processing method according to  claim 17 , wherein said processing of said second wafer comprises:
 plasma processing by using a gas equivalent to a gas used for etching said film including the metal substance; and   plasma processing by using a gas equivalent to a gas used for etching said film including the high dielectric constant material.   
     
     
         20 . The plasma processing method according to  claim 17 , wherein said film including said metal substance includes TiN, said material having a high dielectric constant is HfO 2  and the HfO 2  is etched using BCl 3  gas. 
     
     
         21 . A plasma processing method for plasma etching a first wafer by a plasma formed in a processing chamber, the first wafer being provided with a film including a metal substance, the method comprising steps of:
 plasma processing a second wafer to provide a film on a surface thereof, the film including a metal of the same kind as the metal substance; and   after plasma processing the second wafer, etching the first wafer.