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:
May. 30, 2017
Filed:
Oct. 12, 2012
Applied Materials, Inc., Santa Clara, CA (US);
Dmitry Lubomirsky, Cupertino, CA (US);
Srinivas Nemani, Sunnyvale, CA (US);
Ellie Yieh, San Jose, CA (US);
Sergey G. Belostotskiy, Sunnyvale, CA (US);
APPLIED MATERIALS, INC., Santa Clara, CA (US);
Abstract
Methods and process chambers for etching of low-k and other dielectric films are described. For example, a method includes modifying portions of the low-k dielectric layer with a plasma process. The modified portions of the low-k dielectric layer are etched selectively over a mask layer and unmodified portions of the low-k dielectric layer. Etch chambers having multiple chamber regions for alternately generating distinct plasmas are described. In embodiments, a first charge coupled plasma source is provided to generate an ion flux to a workpiece in one operational mode, while a secondary plasma source is provided to provide reactive species flux without significant ion flux to the workpiece in another operational mode. A controller operates to cycle the operational modes repeatedly over time to remove a desired cumulative amount of the dielectric material.