Stage having electrostatic chuck and plasma processing apparatus using same

Claim 1

A plasma processing apparatus for processing a substrate having a main surface to be processed, and a rear surface opposite to said main surface, by use of plasma of a process gas, while attracting and holding said substrate on a stage having an electrostatic chuck by an electrostatic attractive force, comprising: (a) a process chamber for enclosing said substrate; (b) means for supplying said process gas to said process chamber; (c) means for evacuating said process chamber and creating a vacuum state; (d) means for making said process gas into plasma in said process chamber; and (e) said stage provided in said process chamber, said stage comprising: a main body having a supporting surface for supporting said substrate via said rear surface thereof; the electrostatic chuck having a first electrode and a second electrode, said first and second electrodes of said electrostatic chuck arranged to face said supporting surface, said first and second electrodes being insulated from each other; first power supply means for selectively applying a first potential to said first and second electrodes; second power supply means for selectively applying a second potential different from said first potential to said second electrode; switch means for selectively connecting said first and second electrodes; and first and second resistive layers for covering said first and second electrodes, respectively, said first and second resistive layers being insulated from each other, each having a surface brought into contact with said rear surface of said substrate when said substrate is supported by said supporting surface, and each exhibiting an electric resistivity of 1×10 10 Ω·cm to 1×10 12 Ω·cm in a temperature range when attracting and holding said substrate, wherein while said first and second potentials are applied to said first and second electrodes, respectively, a closed loop from said first power supply means via said substrate to said second power supply means is formed, a contact potential difference is created between said surface of each of said first and second resistive layers and said rear surface of said substrate, and said substrate is attracted and held by said first and second resistive layers, and while said first potential is applied to said first and second electrodes, and a third potential different from said first potential is applied to said substrate via said plasma, a contact potential difference is created between said surface of each of said first and second resistive layers and said rear surface of said substrate, and said substrate is attracted and held by said first and second resistive layers; the apparatus further including control means for controlling said first and second power supply means such that said first potential is applied to said first and second electrodes when plasma is generated in said process chamber.