1. A dry etching method, comprising:
placing a processing object in a vacuum container, the processing object being provided with a etching stop layer on which an etched layer made of a silicon material is formed, and a mask being formed on a surface of the etched layer;
supplying etching gas into the vacuum container, the etching gas containing a first gas component for generating etching seeds of the etched layer when plasma is generated and a second gas component which is a fluorocarbon gas; and
generating plasma in the vacuum container to etch a portion of the surface of the etched layer exposed through the mask by the etching seeds generated by the first gas component.
2. The dry etching method according to claim 1, wherein the second gas component contains at least one of C4F8, CHF3, C5F8 and C4F6.
3. The dry etching method according to claim 1, wherein the first gas component is SF6.
4. The dry etching method according to claim 1, wherein the etched layer is Si and the etching stop layer is SiO2.
5. A dry etching method, comprising:
placing a processing object in a vacuum container, the processing object being provided with a etching stop layer on which an etched layer made of a silicon material is formed, and a mask being formed on a surface of the etched layer;
supplying a first etching gas into the vacuum container, the first etching gas containing a first gas component for generating etching seeds of the etched layer when plasma is generated and a second gas component for generating an adsorption product by reacting with atoms of the silicon material constituting the etched layer;
generating plasma in the vacuum container to etch a portion of the surface of the etched layer exposed through the mask by the etching seeds generated by the first gas component;
supplying a second etching gas after stopping the etching by the first etching gas, the second etching gas containing the first gas component and a third gas component which is a fluorocarbon gas; and
generating plasma in the vacuum container to etch a portion of the surface of the etched layer exposed through the mask by the etching seeds generated by the first gas component.
6. The dry etching method according to claim 5, wherein the gas used for the etching is switched from the first etching gas to the second etching gas after an etching depth of the etched layer reaches 50% or more of a thickness of the etched layer and before the etching depth reaches an interface between the etched layer and the etching stop layer.
7. The dry etching method according to claim 5, wherein the third gas component contains at least one of C4F8, CHF3, C5H8 and C4F6.
8. The dry etching method according to claim 5, wherein the first gas component is SF6.
9. The dry etching method according to claim 5, wherein the etched layer is Si and the etching stop layer is SiO2.
10. A dry etching apparatus, comprising:
a vacuum container in which a processing object is placed, the processing object being provided with a etching stop layer on which an etched layer made of a silicon material is formed, and a mask being formed on a surface of the etched layer
a first etching gas supply adapted to supply a first etching gas into the vacuum container, the first etching gas containing a first gas component for generating etching seeds of the etched layer and a second gas component for generating an adsorption product by reacting with atoms of the silicon material constituting the etched layer;
a second etching gas supply adapted to supply a second etching gas into the vacuum container, the second etching gas containing the first gas component and a third gas component which is a fluorocarbon gas;
a plasma generation source for generating plasma in the vacuum container; and
a controller for controlling the first and second etching gas supplies and the plasma generation source so as to continue a status where the first etching gas supply supplies the first etching gas into the vacuum container and the plasma generation source generates plasma in the vacuum container for a predetermined first time, and then to continue a status where the second etching gas supply supplies the second etching gas into the vacuum container and the plasma generation source generates plasma in the vacuum container for a predetermined second time.
11. The dry etching apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the first time is equal to or greater than a time in which an etching depth of the etched layer reaches 50% of the thickness of the etched layer, and is less than a time in which the etching depth reaches an interface between the etched layer and the etching stop layer.
12. The dry etching apparatus according to claim 10, further comprising a guide element for holding the processing object, wherein the guide element is made of fluororesin.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A device for sampling body fluid, comprising:
a) a main body defining a capillary channel;
b) a lancet disposed within said capillary channel and defining an annular space between said lancet and said main body;
c) wherein said lancet is selectively advancable and retractable;
wherein said capillary channel is dimensioned to draw a body fluid into said annular space through capillary action:
at least one testing element in communication with said annular space;
wherein said testing element is a test strip; and
wherein said test strip is radially mounted around said lancet.
2. A system for sampling and testing a body fluid, comprising:
a) a main body defining a capillary channel;
b) a lancet disposed within said capillary channel and defining an annular space between said lancet and said main body;
c) wherein said lancet is selectively advancable and retractable;
d) wherein said capillary channel is dimensioned to draw a body fluid into said annular space through capillary action;
e) a testing means for testing the body fluid drawn into said annular space; and
a holder holding said testing means in said annular space.
3. The system of claim 2 wherein said testing means comprises at least one test element in communication with said annular space.
4. The system of claim 2 wherein said testing means comprises analysis equipment operable to test the body fluid in said annular space.
5. The system of claim 4 wherein said testing means further comprises electrochemical sensors mounted within said annular space and in communication with said analysis equipment.
6. The system of claim 4 wherein said main body is placed in said analysis equipment after a body fluid sample is collected.
7. The system of claim 6 wherein said testing device tests the body fluid using optical transmittance, reflectance or flourescence.
8. The system of claim 6 wherein said testing device tests the body fluid using electrochemical sensors situated to communicate with said annular space.
9. The system of claim 2, wherein said holder includes an opening defined in said main body.
10. The system of claim 2, further comprising a retraction mechanism configured to retract said lancer.
11. The system of claim 10, wherein said retraction mechanism includes a spring disposed in said annular space.
12. The system of claim 2, wherein said annular space is between 10 and 500 \u03bcm.
13. The system of claim 2, wherein said annular space is between 20 and 200 \u03bcm to optimize fill time.
14. The system of claim 2, wherein said lancet is hydrophilic.
15. The system of claim 14, wherein said lancer is coated with a hydrophilic material.
16. The system of claim 2, wherein:
said main body has an interior surface defining said capillary channel; and
said interior surface is hydrophilic.
17. A method of obtaining a fluid sample from the body of a person, comprising the steps of:
a) placing an apparatus having a defined capillary channel and a lancet disposed in said capillary channel that together define a capillary space adjacent tissue at a desired sample location;
b) advancing the lancet disposed within said capillary channel so that said lancet incises tissue at an incision point in the desired sample location;
c) retracting said lancet into said capillary channel; and,
d) acquiring body fluid expressed from the body at the incision point into said capillary space through capillary action.
18. The method of claim 17 further comprising the step of testing the acquired body fluid while the fluid is contained in said capillary channel.
19. The method of claim 18 further comprising the step of testing the acquired body fluid for a blood glucose level.
20. The method of claim 17 further comprising the step of transferring the fluid from said capillary channel to a testing element and thereafter testing the fluid.
21. The method of claim 17 further comprising the step of testing the acquired body fluid with testing means communicating with said capillary channel.
22. The method of claim 18, wherein said testing the acquired body fluid includes optically testing the acquired body fluid.
23. A body fluid sampling device, comprising:
a body;
a lancet slidably received in the body to lance an incision in skin, wherein the lancet and the body define a capillary space that is sized to draw the body fluid via capillary action; and
a test means disposed in the capillary space to test the body fluid drawn by the capillary space.
24. The device of claim 23, wherein the test means includes a test strip.
25. The device of claim 23, further comprising a holder holding the test means in the capillary space.
26. The device of claim 25, wherein the holder includes an opening defined in the body.
27. The device of claim 23, further comprising a retraction mechanism configured to retract the lancet.
28. The device of claim 27, wherein the retraction mechanism includes a spring surrounding the lancer.
29. The device of claim 23, wherein the capillary space is sized between 10 and 500 \u03bcm.
30. The device of claim 23, wherein the capillary space is sized between 20 and 200 \u03bcm.
31. The device of claim 23, wherein the lancet is hydrophilic.
32. The device of claim 31, wherein the lancet is coated with a hydrophilic material.
33. The device of claim 23, wherein the body is hydrophilic.
34. The device of claim 33, wherein the body is coated with a hydrophilic material around the capillary space.
35. The device of claim 23, wherein the body has a generally cylindrical shape.
36. The device of claim 23, wherein the lancet has a generally cylindrical shape.
37. The device of claim 23, wherein the body is made of a bio-compatible plastic.
38. The device of claim 23, wherein the test means is optically reactive.
39. The device of claim 23, wherein at least a portion of the body adjacent the test means is transparent.
40. The device of claim 23, wherein the body is transparent.
41. The device of claim 23, wherein the lancet is adapted to advance from the body a distance between approximately 0.05 mm and 3 mm.
42. The device of claim 23, further comprising a sealing member enclosing an end of the capillary space.
43. The device of claim 42, wherein the sealing member includes a safety cap covering the lancet.
44. The device of claim 23, the test means includes a membrane.
45. The device of claim 23, wherein the test means includes two or more testing elements.
46. The device of claim 23, wherein the test means includes one or more electrochemical sensors disposed within the capillary space.
47. A system for sampling and testing a body fluid, comprising:
a main body defining a capillary channel;
a lancet disposed within said capillary channel and defining an annular space between said lancet and said main body;
wherein said lancet is selectively advancable and retractable;
wherein said capillary channel is dimensioned to draw a body fluid into said annular space through capillary action;
a testing means for resting the body fluid drawn into said annular space; and
a retraction mechanism configured to retract said lancer, wherein said retraction mechanism includes a spring disposed in said annular space.