Applied Materials, Inc.

Lam Research Corporation

Zhigang Mao

Ajay Kumar

Xiaoyi Chen

Amitabh Sabharwal

Shenjian Liu

Embodiments of the present invention provides methods to etching a mask layer, e.g., an absorber layer, disposed in a film stack for manufacturing a photomask in EUV applications and phase shift and binary photomask applications. In one embodiment, a method of etching an absorber layer disposed on a photomask includes transferring a film stack into an etching chamber, the film stack having a chromium containing layer partially exposed through a patterned photoresist layer, providing an etching gas mixture including Cl, Oand at least one hydrocarbon gas in to a processing chamber, wherein the Cland Ois supplied at a Cl:Oratio greater than about 9, supplying a RF source power to form a plasma from the etching gas mixture, and etching the chromium containing layer through the patterned photoresist layer in the presence of the plasma.

Method for improving CD micro-loading in photomask plasma etching

A method of forming conductive connections for semiconductor devices is provided. An organic low-k dielectric layer is formed over a wafer. A conductive aluminum containing layer is formed over the organic low-k dielectric layer. The wafer is placed in an etch chamber. An etch gas comprising HBr is provided into the etch chamber. A plasma is formed from the etch gas comprising HBr. The plasma from the etch gas comprising HBr is used to selectively etch the conductive aluminum containing layer with respect to the low-k dielectric layer.

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Zhigang Mao