Magnetic field enhanced plasma etch reactor

A magnetic field enhanced single wafer plasma etch reactor (60) is disclosed. The features of the reactor include an electrically-controlled stepped magnetic field for providing high rate uniform etching at high pressures; temperature controlled reactor surfaces including heated anode surfaces (walls and gas manifold) and a cooled wafer supporting pedestal/cathode (70,72); and a unitary wafer exchange mechanism (74) comprising wafer lift pins (79) which extend through the pedestal and a wafer clamp ring (78). The lift pins and clamp ring are moved vertically by a one-axis lift mechanism (140) to accept the wafer from a co-operating external robot blade (76), clamp the wafer to the pedestal and return the wafer to the blade. The electrode cooling combines water cooling for the body of the electrode (70) and a thermal conductivity-enhancing gas interface between the wafer and electrode for keeping the wafer surface cooled despite the high power densities applied to the electrode. A gas feed-through device (114, 175, 176) applies the cooling gas to the RF powered electrode (72) without breakdown of the gas. Protective coatings/layers (81,83) of materials such as quartz are provided for surfaces such as the clamp ring and gas manifold. The combination of these features provides a wide pressure regime, high etch rate, high throughput single wafer etcher wich provides uniformity, directionality and selectivity at high gas pressure, operates cleanly and incorporates in-situ self-cleaning capability.