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.

Date of Patent:
Feb. 21, 2006

Filed:

Mar. 27, 2003
Applicants:

Taejoon Han, Pleasanton, CA (US);

Xiaoqiang Yao, San Jose, CA (US);

Inventors:

Taejoon Han, Pleasanton, CA (US);

Xiaoqiang Yao, San Jose, CA (US);

Assignee:

Lam Research Corporation, Fremont, CA (US);

Attorney:
Primary Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
H01L 21/00 (2006.01);
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
Abstract

A method for controlling a photoresist etch step in a plasma processing chamber is disclosed. The photoresist etch step being configured to etch back a photoresist layer deposited on a substrate surface to a thinner photoresist layer having predefined photoresist thickness. The method includes etching the photoresist layer using a plasma etch process and detecting interference patterns coming from the photoresist layer. The method further includes terminating the photoresist etch step when an analysis of the interference patterns indicates that the predefined photoresist thickness is achieved, whereby the predefined photoresist thickness is greater than zero.


Find Patent Forward Citations

Loading…