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:
Feb. 16, 1999
Filed:
Jan. 13, 1997
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd., Hsin-Chu, TW;
Abstract
A method for monitoring and controlling a plasma etch method for forming a patterned layer. There is first provided a substrate having a blanket layer formed thereover, the blanket layer having a patterned photoresist layer formed thereupon. There is then etched through a plasma etch method while employing the patterned photoresist layer as a patterned photoresist etch mask layer the blanket layer to form a patterned layer. The plasma etch method is monitored through an optical emission spectroscopy (OES) method which monitors a minimum of a first plasma etchant component which relates to a chemical etching of the blanket layer and a second plasma etchant component which relates to a physical sputter etching of the blanket layer and the patterned photoresist layer. While etching through the plasma etch method there is adjusted at least one of a first control parameter which controls the first plasma etchant component concentration and a second control parameter which controls the second plasma etchant component concentration to provide through the plasma etch method from the blanket layer a patterned layer with a pre-determined blanket layer to patterned photoresist layer plasma etch selectivity. There is also disclosed an apparatus through which the method may be practiced.