Plasma etch method for forming residue free fluorine containing plasma

Abstract

A method for forming a patterned fluorine containing plasma etched layer within a microelectronics fabrication. There is first provided a substrate employed within a microelectronics fabrication. There is then formed over the substrate a fluorine containing plasma etchable layer. There is then formed upon the fluorine containing plasma etchable layer a patterned photoresist layer. There is then etched through a fluorine containing plasma etching method while employing the patterned photoresist layer as a photoresist etch mask layer the fluorine containing plasma etchable layer to form a patterned fluorine containing plasma etched layer. The patterned fluorine containing plasma etched layer has a fluoropolymer residue layer formed thereupon. The fluorine containing plasma etch method employs a first etchant gas composition comprising a nitrogen trifluoride etchant gas. Finally, there is stripped through an oxygen containing plasma stripping method the patterned photoresist layer and the fluoropolymer residue layer from the patterned fluorine containing plasma etched layer. The oxygen containing plasma stripping method employs a second etchant gas composition comprising a fluorine containing etchant gas and an oxygen containing etchant gas.