Apparatus for plasma etching

Abstract

An apparatus for the implementation of plasma etching processes providing a process chamber, an upper electrode, and a lower electrode. The upper electrode comprises an anode member, movable with respect to the process chamber, and provides a gas shower for delivering a highly reactive gas, such as a gas containing fluorine or chlorine, into the process chamber. The lower electrode provides a surface for holding a substrate to be etched, the lower electrode being supplied with a high-frequency negative voltage and cooled by an outside source. The process chamber is shaped to press the substrate to the lower electrode when the process chamber is lowered upon the substrate in preparation for operation. The process chamber presses the substrate around a continuous periphery of the substrate. The process chamber is provided with exhaust gas export holes which can be progressively aligned with matching holes in a perforated disk rotatably mounted to an outside surface of the process chamber. An accordion bellows seals the interface between the first electrode stem and process chamber, to prevent penetration of particles into the process chamber. The above-described apparatus is all preferably situated in a vacuum chamber.