PLASMA SPUTTER ETCHING SYSTEM WITH REDUCED PARTICLE CONTAMINATION

摘要

A plasma processing system for sputter etching a substrate with reduced particle contamination comprises processing chamber (10) having an interior surface (18) which defines a processing space (19). An electrical element (24) couples energy into the processing space (19) for etching a substrate (20). A heating device (44) is coupled to the reactor for controllably heating the processing chamber interior surface (18) to a selected temperature. The heating device (44) is controlled by a temperature control circuit (48) which turns the heating device (44) to an ON state to heat the processing chamber (10) to a selected temperature when the plasma is extinguished. The selected temperature is related to the temperature of the processing chamber (10) during plasma generation such that the interior surface is maintained at a relatively constant temperature before, during and after processing to prevent flaking of sputter material from the interior surface and generation of contamination particles within the processing space.