Lam Research Corporation

Gladys So-Wan Lo

David W Mytton

Anthony L Chen

Gregory James Goldspring

Greg Goldspring

H O vapor is used as a processing gas for stripping photoresist material from a substrate having a patterned photoresist layer previously used as an ion implantation mask, wherein the patterned photoresist layer is defined by a photoresist crust covering a bulk photoresist portion. Broadly speaking, the H O vapor is demonstrated to more efficiently strip the photoresist material having a cross-linked photoresist crust without causing the photoresist crust to pop and without causing the bulk photoresist to be undercut. Thus, H O vapor provides a safe, efficient, and economical processing gas for stripping photoresist material having a photoresist crust resulting from an ion implantation process.

H2O vapor as a processing gas for crust, resist, and residue removal for post ion implant resist strip

Disclosed is an inventive method for etching a gold metallization in a plasma processing chamber. The method includes introducing a substrate having a gold layer and an overlying titanium hardmask layer into the plasma processing chamber. The hardmask is first etched using conventional etching techniques. Then a plasma is formed in the chamber from an oxidizing gas and an etching gas. The etching gas is preferably a hydrochloric acid containing gas which may contain a chlorine containing gas. In addition, N may be provided. The plasma is then used to etch the gold layer through the titanium hardmask.

Method and apparatus for etching a gold metal layer using a titanium hardmask

Disclosed is an inventive method for etching a gold metallization in a plasma processing chamber. The method includes introducing a substrate having a gold layer and an overlying titanium hardmask layer into the plasma processing chamber. The hardmask is first etched using conventional etching techniques. Then a plasma is formed in the chamber from an oxidizing gas and an etching gas. The etching gas is preferably a hydrochloric acid containing gas which may contain a chlorine containing gas. In addition, N,may be provided. The plasma is then used to etch the gold layer through the TiN or TiW hardmask.

Growing community of inventors

Fremont, CA, United States of America

Gladys So-Wan Lo