Semiconductor device manufacturing: process – Chemical etching – Vapor phase etching
Reexamination Certificate
2005-01-11
2005-01-11
Chen, Kin-Chan (Department: 1765)
Semiconductor device manufacturing: process
Chemical etching
Vapor phase etching
C438S714000, C438S723000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06841483
ABSTRACT:
Method for etching a feature in an integrated circuit wafer with minimized effect of micromasking. The method introduces a flow of etchant gas including a fluorocarbon gas to the wafer, and uses the etchant gas to form a plasma in proximity with at least a portion of the wafer. The plasma is used to etch at least a portion of the feature in the wafer. Disassociation of the fluorocarbon into fluorine and hydrocarbon species performs two functions. The fluorine species prevents or significantly reduces sputtered hardmask components from depositing on the floor of the etched feature during etching. The hydrocarbon species acts to form a passivation layer on the sidewalls of the feature.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5741396 (1998-04-01), Loewenstein
patent: 5970376 (1999-10-01), Chen
patent: 6037255 (2000-03-01), Hussein et al.
patent: 6040248 (2000-03-01), Chen et al.
patent: 6080529 (2000-06-01), Ye et al.
patent: 6153511 (2000-11-01), Watatani
patent: 6174796 (2001-01-01), Takagi et al.
patent: 6194128 (2001-02-01), Tao et al.
patent: 6245663 (2001-06-01), Zhao et al.
patent: 6352918 (2002-03-01), Huang et al.
patent: 20010024769 (2001-09-01), Donoghue et al.
patent: 20020081855 (2002-06-01), Jiang et al.
patent: 09036089 (1997-02-01), None
Plummer et al. “Silicon VLSI Technology”, Prentice Hall, 2000, p. 639.*
U.S. Appl. No. 09/782,678, entitled “Post-Etch Photoresist Strip with O2 and NH3 for Organosilicate Glass Low-K Dielectric Etch Applications”, filed Feb. 12, 2001.
U.S. Appl. No. 09/782,446, entitled “Use of Ammonia for Etching Organic Low-K Dielectrics”, filed Feb. 12, 2001.
U.S. Appl. No. 09/782,437, entitled “Use of Hydrocarbon Addition for the Elimination of Micromasking during Etching of Organic Low-K Dielectrics”, filed Feb. 12, 2001.
Eto et al., “High Selectivity Photoresist Ashing by the Addition of NH3to CF4/O2or CHF3/O2”, SID 99 Digest, pp. 844-847.
Delsol et al., “Transformer Coupled Plasma Dielectric Etch for 0.25 μm Technologies”, Elsevier, Microelectronic Engineering 50 (2000), pp. 75-80.
International Search Report, Nov. 20, 2002.
Babie Wayne
Bowers James R.
Goss Michael
Morey Ian J.
Zhu Helen H.
Beyer Weaver & Thomas LLP
Lam Research Corporation
LandOfFree
Unique process chemistry for etching organic low-k materials does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Unique process chemistry for etching organic low-k materials, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Unique process chemistry for etching organic low-k materials will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-3372572