| 摘要 |
The present invention provides an upper electrode used in an etching apparatus and the etching apparatus including the upper electrode, both of which can properly reduce intensity of electric field of plasma around a central portion of a substrate to be processed, thus enhancing in-plane uniformity of a plasma process. In this apparatus, a recess, serving as a space for allowing a dielectric to be injected therein, is provided around a central portion of the upper electrode. A dielectric supply passage configured for supplying the dielectric into the space and a dielectric discharge passage configured for discharging the dielectric from the space are connected with the space, respectively. With such configuration, the dielectric can be controllably supplied into the recess, such that in-plane distribution of the intensity of the electric field can be uniformed, corresponding to in-plane distribution of the intensity of the electric field of the plasma generated under various process conditions, such as a kind of each wafer that will be etched, each processing gas that will be used, and the like. |
