METHOD FOR ETCHING DIAMOND THIN FILM

摘要

PURPOSE:To enhance the etching rate of a diamond thin film and remarkably improve etching productivity by irradiating the aforementioned thin film with electron beams and simultaneously bringing the resultant plasmatic gas produced with the above-mentioned electron beams into contact with the aforementioned thin film. CONSTITUTION:A diamond thin film 4 is provided in close contact with a substrate 3 thereon and arranged in a reaction chamber 1. A voltage is applied across electrodes 2 and 5 in an atmosphere containing O2 or/and H2. The thin film 4 is then irradiated with electron beams produced by DC discharge. Thereby, the atmospheric gas is converted into a plasma with the above-mentioned electron beams and brought into contact also with the aforementioned irradiating part to etch the thin film 4. The relation between the temperature of the substrate 3 and the amount of etching (decrement of film thickness of the thin film 4) is as shown in the figure in carrying out the etching by changing the above-mentioned temperature of the substrate 3 with a heater 19 for heating the substrate. That is the amount of etching is increased with increasing substrate temperature.