ETCHING EQUIPMENT AND METHOD

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide equipment for etching a silicon containing object, capable of eliminating the need for a separating and collecting device and an abatement device to reduce facility cost.SOLUTION: Etching equipment comprises: a decomposing unit 20 for decomposing a fluorine-containing component by applying high-frequency or heat energy to a material gas containing the fluorine-containing component; a unit for generating an etching gas containing hydrogen fluoride by contacting the material gas under or after decomposition with a hydrogen-containing component; a unit for spraying the etching gas to an object to be processed 9 in a processing tank 10 to etch a silicon containing object 9a; and exhaust means 5 for sucking and discharging the gas in the processing tank 10. A supply flow rate of the material gas and supply power or a supply frequency to the decomposing unit 20 are set so that an etching rate of the silicon containing object 9a is greater than or equal to a predetermined value, and a flow rate of the fluorine-containing component in an exhaust gas is less than or equal to a discharging allowable value.