Etching method and plasma processing apparatus

Abstract

An etching method includes (a) disposing a substrate having a silicon oxide film on a substrate support in a chamber. The substrate includes a plurality of etching stop layers arranged inside the silicon oxide film. The plurality of etching stop layers are arranged at different positions in a thickness direction of the silicon oxide film. Each of the plurality of etching stop layers is formed of at least one of tungsten and molybdenum. The etching method (b) supplying a processing gas into the chamber, the processing gas including a gas containing at least one of tungsten and molybdenum, a gas containing carbon and fluoride, and an oxygen-containing gas; and (c) generating plasma from the processing gas to etch the silicon oxide film, thereby forming a plurality of recesses that reach the plurality of etching stop layers, respectively, in the silicon oxide film.