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:
May. 30, 2000
Filed:
Aug. 25, 1998
David J Keller, Boise, ID (US);
Barbara L Casey, Meridian, ID (US);
Micron Technology, Inc., Boise, ID (US);
Applied Materials, Inc., Santa Clara, CA (US);
Abstract
A plasma-enhanced method of selectively etching silicon dielectrics, such as silicon nitride, silicon oxide, silicon oxynitride, or silicon oxime relative to photoresist in a single step. A combination of a fluorocarbon selectivity agent such as difluoromethane, and a fluorocarbon etchant gas such as carbon tetrafluoride or pentafluoroethane, is used as the source gas for the plasma etch. The source gas concentration is within the range of approximately 1:2 to 2:1 selectivity agent to etchant gas, and the resultant plasma etches silicon dielectric at a rate approximately four times as fast as photoresist. The process is particularly useful for the etching of silicon dielectric spacers, or silicon nitride layers in the initial stages of a LOCOS process.