Plasma processing apparatus and the method of the same

摘要

A plasma processing apparatus performs a sample processing and cleaning processing. The sample processing is carried out by generating a reaction gas plasma within a vacuum vessel of the apparatus using an electron cyclotron resonance excitation. The cleaning processing is carried out to clean the inner wall of the vacuum vessel by generating a cleaning gas plasma within the vacuum vessel. Generation of the cleaning gas plasma takes place by using either one of the following processes: (1) The plasma diameter during the cleaning processing is made larger than that during the sample processing. The end of the plasma during cleaning processing is made to reach the inside wall of the vacuum vessel. (2) The cleaning gas plasma is scanned within the vacuum vessel.