Etching a substrate: processes – Forming or treating electrical conductor article – Forming or treating resistive material
Patent
1997-03-20
1999-10-19
Breneman, R. Bruce
Etching a substrate: processes
Forming or treating electrical conductor article
Forming or treating resistive material
216 41, 156345, 438725, H01B 1300, B44C 122
Patent
active
059683740
ABSTRACT:
A method in a variable-gap plasma processing chamber for controlled removal of at least a portion of an upper crust of a photoresist layer disposed above a substrate. The upper crust represents a hardened upper layer of the photoresist layer. The method includes loading the substrate into the variable-gap plasma processing chamber. The method further includes flowing an ash source gas comprising O.sub.2 into the variable-gap plasma processing chamber. The ash source gas is substantially free of an O.sub.2 bombarding gas. The method further includes performing the controlled removal of at least the portion of the upper crust of the photoresist layer with a plasma struck from the ash source gas while a gap between an upper surface of the substrate and an upper electrode of the variable-gap plasma processing chamber is maintained at a predefined wide gap distance. Preferably, the predefined wide gap distance represents a distance sufficiently wide for the substrate to be loaded into the variable-gap plasma chamber without having to alter the gap.
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Breneman R. Bruce
Lam Research Corporation
Powell Alva C
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