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:
Apr. 10, 2001
Filed:
Feb. 05, 1999
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Hsin-chu, TW;
Abstract
A method of etching a metal layer on a semiconductor device using an in-situ plasma cleaning step following the metal etch. The process begins by forming a metal layer over a semiconductor substrate. A photoresist mask is formed over the metal layer. The metal layer is patterned by dry etching unmasked areas of the metal layer in a plasma etching chamber. Polymer formations are formed during etching on the metal sidewalls and the walls of the plasma etching chamber. A novel plasma cleaning step is performed in-situ to partially remove the photoresist and to soften and partially remove the polymer formations formed on the metal sidewalls during etching. The plasma cleaning also partially removes polymer from the walls of the plasma etching chamber. The substrate is removed from the plasma etching chamber, and placed in an ashing chamber, and the remaining photoresist is removed. The substrate is removed from the ashing chamber and the remaining polymer formations are removed in a wet etch process.