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. 02, 2016
Filed:
Nov. 13, 2014
International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY (US);
Stmicroelectronics, Inc., Coppell, TX (US);
Joe Lee, Albany, NY (US);
Yann Mignot, Slingerlands, NY (US);
Douglas M. Trickett, Altamont, NY (US);
INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION, Armonk, NY (US);
STMICROELECTRONICS, INC., Coppell, TX (US);
Abstract
After completely etching through a material stack comprising an oxide hard mask layer and an underlying interlevel dielectric (ILD) layer formed on a substrate to provide at least one opening, top corners of the at least one opening are rounded by performing a plasma etch employing a combination of an etching gas and a deposition gas comprising a hydrofluorocarbon compound. The hydrofluorocarbon compound forms a hydrofluorocarbon polymer layer on sidewalls of the at least one opening and helps to preserve the profile of the at least one opening.