Plasma etching device and process

Claim 2

In a plasma etching device: a housing defining a chamber having a first region of sufficient size to receive material to be etched and a second region separate from the first region, means for introducing an etching gas into the chamber, means for exciting the gas in the second region to produce a plasma of said gas, and means including a perforated member separating the first and second regions for confining the glow discharge of the plasma to the second region and permitting active species of the plasma to pass from the second region to the first region to effect etching of the material in the first region.

Claim 3

The plasma etching device of claim 1 wherein the perforated member is thermally conductive.

Claim 4

The plasma etching device of claim 1 wherein the perforated member is electrically conductive.

Claim 5

The plasma etching device of claim 1 wherein the perforated member is of aluminum.

Claim 6

The plasma etching device of claim 1 wherein the perforated member surrounds the first region.

Claim 7

The plasma etching device of claim 1 wherein the housing and perforated member are generally cylindrical and the perforated member is disposed coaxially of the housing.

Claim 8

In a plasma etching process utilizing a chamber divided into first and second regions by a perforated member, the steps of: introducing material to be etched into the first region, introducing an etching gas into the chamber, exciting the gas to form a plasma in the second region, and confining the glow discharge of the plasma to the second region while permitting active species of the plasma to pass through the perforated member to effect etching of the material in the first region.

Claim 9

In a plasma etching process utilizing a chamber divided into first and second regions by a perforated member, the steps of: introducing material to be etched into the first region, introducing an etching gas into the chamber, exciting the gas to form a plasma in the second region, and confining the glow discharge of the plasma to the second region while permitting active species of the plasma to pass through the perforated member to effect etching of the material in the first region.

Claim 10

The process of claim 7 together with the additional step of heating the material in the first region.

Claim 11

A plasma etching device comprising: a cylinder having an end wall and an opposing front opening, at least one electrode surrounding said cylinder and connected to a source of radio frequency energy; a perforated cylinder of electrically conductive metal within, concentric to, and spaced from the wall of said cylinder; said perforated metal cylinder being large enough in diameter to contain within it the material to be etched and serving to isolate the material from the glow discharge of the plasma to pass to the material to effect etching of the same.

Claim 12

A plasma etching device comprising: a cylinder having an end wall and an opposing front opening, at least one electrode surrounding said cylinder and connected to a source of radio frequency energy; a perforated cylinder of electrically conductive metal within, concentric to, and spaced from the wall of said cylinder; said perforated metal cylinder being large enough in diameter to contain within it the material to be etched and serving to isolate the material from the glow discharge of the plasma to pass to the material to effect etching of the same.

Claim 13

A plasma etching device comprising: a cylinder having an end wall and an opposing front opening; at least one electrode surrounding said cylinder and connected to a source of radio frequency energy; a perforated enclosing structure of electrically conductive metal within and spaced from the wall of said cylinder, said perforated metal enclosing structure being large enough to contain within it the material to be etched and serving to isolate the material from the glow discharge of the plasma while permitting active species of the plasma to pass to the material to effect etching of the same.

Claim 14

A plasma etching device comprising: a cylinder having an end wall and an opposing front opening; at least one electrode surrounding said cylinder and connected to a source of radio frequency energy; a perforated enclosing structure of electrically conductive metal within and spaced from the wall of said cylinder, said perforated metal enclosing structure being large enough to contain within it the material to be etched and serving to isolate the material from the glow discharge of the plasma while permitting active species of the plasma to pass to the material to effect etching of the same.

Claim 15

In a plasma etching device: a housing having a first region of sufficient size to receive material to be etched and a second region separate from the first region, means for heating the material within the first region, means for introducing gas into the chamber, means for exciting the gas in the second region to produce a plasma of said gas, and means including a perforated member for confining the glow discharge of the plasma to the second region while permitting active species of the plasma to pass from the second region to the first region to effect etching of the material in the first region.

Claim 16

In a plasma etching device: a housing having a first region of sufficient size to receive material to be etched and a second region separate from the first region, means for heating the material within the first region, means for introducing gas into the chamber, means for exciting the gas in the second region to produce a plasma of said gas, and means including a perforated member for confining the glow discharge of the plasma to the second region while permitting active species of the plasma to pass from the second region to the first region to effect etching of the material in the first region.

Claim 17

The plasma etching device of claim 11 wherein the means for heating the material comprises an infrared source disposed externally of the housing.

Claim 18

In a plasma etching system: a housing having at least one wall defining a reaction chamber, a perforated cylinder open at both ends positioned within the chamber for receiving material to be etched therin, means for introducing an etching gas into the chamber, and means for energizing the gas to form a plasma in the region between the cylinder and the housing wall, the perforated cylinder serving to confine the glow discharge of the plasma to said region while permitting active species of the plasma to pass to the interior of the cylinder to effect etching of the material positioned there.

Claim 19

In a plasma etching system: a housing having at least one wall defining a reaction chamber, a perforated cylinder open at both ends positioned within the chamber for receiving material to be etched therin, means for introducing an etching gas into the chamber, and means for energizing the gas to form a plasma in the region between the cylinder and the housing wall, the perforated cylinder serving to confine the glow discharge of the plasma to said region while permitting active species of the plasma to pass to the interior of the cylinder to effect etching of the material positioned there.

Claim 20

The system of claim 13 wherein the housing wall is cylindrical and the perforated cylinder is disposed coaxially of the chamber.

Claim 21

In a process for removing photoresist from a wafer, the steps of: dividing a chamber into first and second regions with a perforated member, placing the wafer in the first region, generating an oxygen-containing plasma in the second region, confining the glow discharge of the plasma to the second region with the perforated member, and allowing active species of the plasma to pass through the perforated member to effect removal of the photoresist from the wafer in the first region.

Claim 22

In a process for removing photoresist from a wafer, the steps of: dividing a chamber into first and second regions with a perforated member, placing the wafer in the first region, generating an oxygen-containing plasma in the second region, confining the glow discharge of the plasma to the second region with the perforated member, and allowing active species of the plasma to pass through the perforated member to effect removal of the photoresist from the wafer in the first region.

Claim 23

The process of claim 15 including the step of heating the wafer.

Claim 24

The process of claim 16 wherein the wafer is heated by radiating the wafer with energy from an infrared lamp.

Claim 25

In a plasma etching and photoresist removal process, the steps of: dividing a chamber into first and second regions with a perforated member, placing a wafer having photoresist defining a pattern thereon in the first region, generating a plasma of active species in the second region for effecting removal of material not protected by the photoresist from the wafer, confining the glow discharge of the plasma to the second region with the perforated member, allowing the active species to pass through the perforated member to effect removal of the material from the wafer, and thereafter heating the wafer and exposing the wafer to an oxygen-containing plasma in the first region to effect removal of the photoresist from the wafer.

Claim 26

In a plasma etching and photoresist removal process, the steps of: dividing a chamber into first and second regions with a perforated member, placing a wafer having photoresist defining a pattern thereon in the first region, generating a plasma of active species in the second region for effecting removal of material not protected by the photoresist from the wafer, confining the glow discharge of the plasma to the second region with the perforated member, allowing the active species to pass through the perforated member to effect removal of the material from the wafer, and thereafter heating the wafer and exposing the wafer to an oxygen-containing plasma in the first region to effect removal of the photoresist from the wafer.

Claim 27

The process of claim 18 wherein oxygen for generating the oxygen-containing plasma is evolved during the removal of the material which is not protected by the photoresist.

Claim 28

The process of claim 18 including the step of introducing oxygen into the second region for the oxygen-containing plasma.

Claim 29

The process of claim 18 wherein the wafer is heated by radiating the wafer with energy from an infrared lamp.