The effect of wall temperature, from 50 to 200 degrees C, on gas phase chemistry and substrate etching rates has been studied in inductively coupled CF4 plasma under two distinctive initial wall conditions, namely "clean" and "seasoned." During plasma etching, we found that the gas phase chemistry exhibits a weak dependence on the initial wall cleanliness when the wall is either cold (50 degrees C) or hot (200 degrees C). In the mid-temperature range, the wall cleanliness can strongly affect gas phase chemistry. The study of temperature dependence of the fluorocarbon film deposition on the substrate indicates that ion-assisted incorporation, direct ion incorporation and ion-assisted desorption are the major factors determining film growth and removal. Ion-assisted incorporation and desorption are surface-temperature-dependent, while direct ion incorporation is independent of the surface temperature. (c) 2005 American Vacuum Society.