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:
Oct. 23, 2001
Filed:
Jun. 30, 1999
Gladys So-Wan Lo, Fremont, CA (US);
David W. Mytton, Palo Alto, CA (US);
Gregory James Goldspring, Alameda, CA (US);
Lam Research Corporation, Fremont, CA (US);
Abstract
Disclosed is an inventive method for etching a gold metallization in a plasma processing chamber. The method includes introducing a substrate having a gold layer and an overlying titanium hardmask layer into the plasma processing chamber. The hardmask is first etched using conventional etching techniques. Then a plasma is formed in the chamber from an oxidizing gas and an etching gas. The etching gas is preferably a hydrochloric acid containing gas which may contain a chlorine containing gas. In addition, N,may be provided. The plasma is then used to etch the gold layer through the TiN or TiW hardmask.