The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Mar. 10, 2026
Filed:
Jan. 18, 2023
Tokyo Electron Limited, Tokyo, JP;
Noriaki Okabe, Tokyo, JP;
Naoki Shindo, Yamanashi, JP;
Gen You, Yamanashi, JP;
Takuya Seino, Tokyo, JP;
TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED, Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
An etching method includes a preparing step and a removing step. In the preparing step, a substrate is prepared which includes a first film, a second film stacked on the first film, and a hard mask stacked on the second film, such that the second film is etched with the hard mask having a formed pattern as a mask until the first film is exposed. In the removing step, the hard mask is removed using a fluorine-containing gas. Further, the removing step is executed for a time longer than a first time from a start of a supply of the fluorine-containing gas to a start of an etching of the hard mask, and shorter than a second time from the start of the supply of the fluorine-containing gas to a start of an etching of the first film.