摘要 |
A substrate processing apparatus includes an electrostatic chuck enclosing an electrostatic electrode plate and a chamber having a ground potential and housing the electrostatic chuck. DC discharge is generated between a wafer and the chamber by setting the potential of the electrostatic electrode plate of the electrostatic chuck which is maintained at a first predetermined potential during a plasma etching process to a ground potential after the plasma etching process to increase the absolute value of the potential difference between the wafer and the chamber. DC discharge is then re-generated by applying, to the electrostatic electrode plate, DC voltage having the same potential as a second predetermined potential which is generated at the wafer after the DC discharge is generated, and by increasing the absolute value of the potential difference between the wafer and the chamber. The wafer is then easily removed from the electrostatic chuck. |