Dry etching apparatus comprising etching chambers of different etching

Abstract

In a dry etching apparatus comprising a plurality of etching chambers each of which comprises a first and a second electrode member opposite to each other, an object is successively etched in each etching chamber, with the object supported on either the first or the second electrode member, under different distributions of etching rate. When the object is placed on the first electrode member in each etching chamber and a gas is introduced through an aperture formed on the second electrode member, each distribution of etching rate can be varied by changing a position of the aperture. A side wall member may be extended from a periphery of the second electrode member towards the first electrode member in each etching chamber to confine plasma within a space defined by the first and the second electrode members and the side wall member. The side wall member is varied in length and/or diameter from an etching chamber to another to realize the different distributions of etching rate. Alternatively, a ring member may be arranged in a space between the first and the second electrode members in each etching chamber. The different distributions are established by changing a distance between the first and the second electrode members from an etching chamber to another. Electric power for the first and the second electrode members may be varied in each etching chamber.