System level in-situ integrated dielectric etch process particularly useful for copper dual damascene

Abstract

An integrated in situ etch process performed in a multichamber substrate processing system having first and second etching chambers. The process includes transferring a substrate having formed thereon in a downward direction a patterned photoresist mask, a dielectric layer, a stop layer and a feature in the substrate to be contacted into the first etching chamber to etch the dielectric layer. The substrate is then transferred from the first etching chamber to the second etching chamber under vacuum conditions and, in the second etching chamber, is exposed to an oxygen plasma or similar environment to strip away the photoresist mask deposited over the substrate. After the photoresist mask is stripped, the stop layer is etched through to the feature to be contacted in either the second or a third etching chamber of said multichamber substrate processing system. All three etching steps are performed in a system level in situ process so that the substrate is not exposed to an ambient between steps.