METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MONITORING ETCHING

摘要

(i) regulating gas pressure in a treating chamber, where a sample is being dry etched at a pressure at which a clear emission line spectrum can be contained; (ii) converting the gas to a plasma; and (iii) monitoring the etching state of the sample from the change of intensity of the emission line spectrum of the plasma with time. The monitoring apparatus comprises (a) an wxhaust discharging gas from the treating chamber to a subchamber; (b) a plasma generator converting the discharged gas to a plasma; (c) a pressure regulator regulating fag pressure in the subchamber; and (d) a spectrum detector for detecting the emission line spectrum of the plasma and changes in its intensity with time.