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. 27, 2001
Filed:
Dec. 10, 1997
Michael D. Armacost, Wallkill, NY (US);
Willard E. Conley, Cornwall, NY (US);
Tina J. Cotler-Wagner, Newburgh, NY (US);
Ronald A. DellaGuardia, Poughkeepsie, NY (US);
David M. Dobuzinsky, Hopewell Junction, NY (US);
Michael L. Passow, Pleasant Valley, NY (US);
William C. Wille, Red Hook, NY (US);
International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY (US);
Abstract
A resist formulation minimizes blistering during reactive ion etching processes resulting in an increased amount of polymer by-product deposition. Such processes involve exciting a gaseous fluorocarbon etchant with sufficient energy to form a high-density plasma, and the use of an etchant having a carbon-to-fluorine ratio of at least 0.33. In addition to a conventional photoactive component, resists which minimize blistering under these conditions include a resin binder which is a terpolymer having: (a) units that contain acid-labile groups; (b) units that are free of reactive groups and hydroxyl groups; and (c) units that contribute to aqueous developability of the photoresist. After the photoresist is patterned on the silicon oxide layer and the high-density plasma is formed, the high-density plasma is introduced to the silicon oxide layer to etch at least one opening in the silicon oxide layer. Preferably, the terpolymer is made up of about 70% 4-hydroxystyrene, about 20% styrene, and about 10% t-butylacrylate.