Etching method and apparatus

Abstract

An etching apparatus comprises a workpiece holder () for holding a workpiece (X), a plasma generator () for generating a plasma () in a vacuum chamber (), an orifice electrode () disposed between the workpiece holder () and the plasma generator (), and a grid electrode () disposed upstream of the orifice electrode () in the vacuum chamber (). The orifice electrode () has orifices () defined therein. The etching apparatus further comprises a voltage applying unit () for applying a voltage between the orifice electrode () and the grid electrode () to accelerate ions from the plasma () generated by the plasma generator () and to pass the extracted ions through the orifices () in the orifice electrode (). A first collimated neutral particle beam is generated and applied to the workpiece (X) for etching a surface of a processing layer () of the workpiece (X). A second collimated neutral particle beam is generated, and a mask () for covering at least a portion of the surface of the processing layer () is sputtered by the second neutral particle beam to form a protecting film () on a sidewall () of the processing layer () for protecting the sidewall () of the processing layer () from being etched by the first neutral particle beam.