A method for forming a semiconductor device structure is provided. The method includes placing a substrate including a material layer thereon in a plasma chamber. The plasma chamber includes a housing, a first electrode array including a plurality of first sub-electrodes, a plurality of first matching units each electrically connected to one of the first sub-electrodes, and a second electrode array disposed in the housing, the second electrode array including a plurality of second sub-electrodes. The method also includes supplying an etching gas into the plasma chamber and applying a first RF power source to the first sub-electrodes of the first electrode array by the first matching units to form an etching plasma from the etching gas. The method further includes adjusting a distance between each of the first sub-electrodes and the substrate to generate a plasma density distribution across the substrate.

According to one embodiment, a substrate supporting apparatus includes a mounting plate that is configured by including ceramics and has a mounting surface on which the substrate is to be mounted; a power supply plate that is built in the mounting plate and electrostatically attracts the substrate to the mounting plate; a plurality of protruding portions which internally includes an electrically conductive member respectively, is arranged on at least a central region and outer edge region of the mounting plate, and protrudes from the mounting surface; and a plurality of elastic members which is embedded in the mounting plate to correspond to the plurality of protruding portions, supports the plurality of protruding portions while protruding the protruding portions from the mounting surface, and electrically connects the power supply plate and the electrically conductive members included in the plurality of protruding portions to each other.

The electrostatic chuck includes an insulating substrate having a placement surface on which a suction target object is placed and an opposite surface provided on an opposite side to the placement surface; and a gas hole penetrating from the opposite surface to the placement surface. The gas hole has a first hole portion extending from the opposite surface toward the placement surface, a second hole portion extending from the placement surface toward the opposite surface, and a third hole portion provided between the first hole portion and the second hole portion and formed to communicate the first hole portion and the second hole portion each other. The first hole portion is provided not to overlap with the second hole portion in a plan view.

An electrostatic chuck includes a base having a surface on which an object is to be placed, and a through hole extending through the base, wherein a porous material containing angular ceramic particles is disposed in the through hole.

A method includes detecting a location of a particle on a bottom surface of an electrostatic chuck; moving a platform to a position under the bottom surface of the electrostatic chuck and right under the particle; and rotating the platform about a center of the platform to remove the particle from the bottom surface of the electrostatic chuck.

Methods and apparatus for preventing or reducing arcing of an electrostatic chuck in a process chamber. In some embodiments, a method of preventing or reducing arcing of an electrostatic chuck includes forming a first recess in at least a portion of a sidewall of the electrostatic chuck and filling the first recess with a conformable dielectric material that remains conformable (elastic) over a temperature range of at least approximately zero degrees Celsius to approximately 80 degrees Celsius. In some embodiments, the first recess is filled with the conformable dielectric material such that the conformable dielectric material does not bond to at least one surface of the first recess. The conformable dielectric material may also be used to fill a second recess in a dielectric sleeve adjacent to the electrostatic chuck.

A method for making a component for use in a semiconductor processing chamber is provided. A component body is formed from a conductive material having a coefficient of thermal expansion of less than 10.0×10.sup.−6/K. A metal oxide layer is then disposed over a surface of the component body.

A baseplate for a substrate support in a substrate processing system includes at least one coolant channel formed within the baseplate. The at least one coolant channel defines a volume within the baseplate configured to retain a coolant and follows a path configured to distribute the coolant in the volume throughout the baseplate. At least one fin is provided within the at least one coolant channel The at least one fin extends from at least one of a top, a bottom, and a sidewall of the at least one coolant channel into the volume to increase a surface area of the at least one coolant channel.

An etching method includes (a) providing a substrate. The substrate includes a first region and a second region. The second region contains silicon oxide, and the first region contains a material different from a material for the second region. The etching method further includes (b) forming a deposit preferentially on the first region with first plasma generated from a first process gas containing a carbon monoxide gas. The etching method further includes (c) etching the second region.

There is provided a plasma processing apparatus comprising: a plasma processing chamber; a substrate support disposed in the plasma processing chamber, the substrate support including: a base, a ceramic member disposed on the base and having a substrate support surface and a ring support surface, one more annular members disposed on the ring support surface to surround a substrate on the substrate support surface, first and second central electrodes inserted into the ceramic member, first to fourth vertical connectors inserted into the ceramic member, first and second annular connectors inserted into the ceramic member, and a central heater electrode inserted into the ceramic member; a DC power source electrically connected to an outer region of the first annular connector through the third vertical connector; and a voltage pulse generator electrically connected to an outer region of the second annular connector through the fourth vertical connector.