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:
Feb. 03, 2004
Filed:
May. 10, 2002
Yunsang Kim, San Jose, CA (US);
Kenny L. Doan, San Jose, CA (US);
Claes H. Björkman, Mountain View, CA (US);
Hongqing Shan, Cupertino, CA (US);
Applied Materials, Inc, Santa Clara, CA (US);
Abstract
Disclosed herein is a method of etching a trench in a silicon-containing dielectric material, in the absence of a trench etch-stop layer, where the silicon-containing dielectric material has a dielectric constant of about 4 or less. The method comprises exposing the dielectric material to a plasma generated from a source gas comprising a fluorine-containing etchant gas and an additive gas selected from the group consisting of carbon monoxide (CO), argon, and combinations thereof. A volumetric flow ratio of the additive gas to the fluorine-containing etchant gas is within the range of about 1.25:1 to about 20:1 (more typically, about 2.5:1 to about 20:1), depending on the particular fluorine-containing etchant gas used. The method provides good control over critical dimensions and etch profile during trench etching. Also disclosed herein is a method of forming a dual damascene structure, without the need for an intermediate etch stop layer.