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. 14, 2002
Filed:
Apr. 29, 1998
Min Yu, San Jose, CA (US);
Applied Materials, Inc., Santa Clara, CA (US);
Abstract
A method of etching an organic dielectric layer on a substrate with a high etching rate and a high etching selectivity ratio. The organic dielectric layer comprises a low k dielectric material, such as a silicon-containing organic polymer, for example, benzocyclobutene. A patterned mask layer is formed on the organic dielectric layer , and the substrate is placed in a process zone of a process chamber . An energized process gas introduced into the process zone , comprises an oxygen-containing gas for etching the organic dielectric layer , a non-reactive gas for removing dissociated material to enhance the etching rate, and optionally, passivating gas for forming passivating deposits on sidewalls of freshly etched features to promote anisotropic etching. Preferably, during etching, the temperature of substrate is maintained at a low temperature of from about 15° C. of 80° C. to enhance the rate of etching of the dielectric layer. The etching method is particularly useful for forming interconnect plugs in vias etched through the organic dielectric layer by a dual damascene process.