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. 14, 2012
Filed:
Jun. 19, 2008
Wesley P. Graff, Alexandria, VA (US);
Wesley P. Graff, Alexandria, VA (US);
Novellus Systems, Inc., San Jose, CA (US);
Abstract
A method of etching or removing an amorphous carbon organic hardmask overlying a low dielectric constant film in a lithographic process. The method includes providing a dielectric film having thereover an amorphous carbon organic hardmask to be removed, the dielectric film having a dielectric constant no greater than about 4.0, introducing over the amorphous carbon organic hardmask an ionizable gas comprising a mixture of hydrogen and an oxidizing gas, and applying energy to the mixture to create a plasma of the mixture. The method further includes contacting the amorphous carbon organic hardmask with the plasma, with the amorphous carbon organic hardmask being at a temperature in excess of 200° C., to remove the amorphous carbon organic hardmask without substantially harming the underlying substrate.