Chartered Semiconductor Manufacturing Ltd (Corporation)

Chet Ping Lim

Ron-Fu Chu

Sheau-Tan Loong

Ron F Chu

An antireflection mask and method of using the antireflection mask to form contact holes for an integrated circuit wafer are described. The antireflection mask has a patterned opaque layer formed on a transparent mask substrate. The patterned opaque layer has first openings for exposing photoresist in regions where the photoresist is thicker and second openings for exposing photoresist in regions where the photoresist is thinner. A patterned layer of antireflection material having a light transmittance of less than 100% is formed over the second openings but not over the first openings. Light is passed through the mask to expose a layer of photoresist. The light exposing the thinner photoresist regions is attenuated by the antireflection material thereby compensating for variations in photoresist thickness. In addition the antireflection material reduces reflections from the patterned opaque layer of the mask.

Antireflection mask for contact hole opening

A Reactive Ion Etch (RIE) plasma method for removing from semiconductor substrates oxidized organic residues such as oxidized photoresist residues, and the Reactive Ion Etch (RIE) plasma which is employed within the Reactive Ion Etch (RIE) plasma method. A semiconductor substrate upon whose surface resides an oxidized organic residue such as an oxidized photoresist residue is provided into a Reactive Ion Etch (RIE) plasma chamber. Also provided into the chamber is a concentration of oxygen and a concentration of moisture. Finally, a radio frequency excitation of sufficient magnitude is provided to the concentration of oxygen and the concentration of moisture to form a plasma. The oxidized organic residue which resides upon the semiconductor substrate is then removed through etching in the Reactive Ion Etch (RIE) plasma. The concentration of moisture may be introduced into the Reactive Ion Etch (RIE) chamber through desorbtion of moisture within and upon the surface of an oxidized photoresist residue residing upon a semiconductor substrate.

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Chet Ping Lim