Multi-state RF pulsing in cycling recipes to reduce charging induced defects

A method for multi-state RF pulsing in plasma processing, comprising:

• providing an etching chemistry to a plasma chamber;
• and
• continually rotating between a first state configured for negative ion transportation for charge neutralization of a feature, a second state, and a third state configured to etch the feature in a masked substrate including a stack of a plurality of layers and a mask layer that is patterned on top of the stack,
• wherein during the second state, the etching chemistry, a high frequency radio frequency (RF) power, and a low frequency RF bias power are tuned to provide passivation to the feature in the masked substrate,
• wherein during the third state, the etching chemistry, the high frequency RF power, and the low frequency RF bias power are tuned to etch the feature in the masked substrate,
• wherein during the first state, a low frequency RF power generator is set to a first off-state to prevent delivery of the low frequency RF power to the masked substrate,
• wherein during the first state, a high frequency RF power generator is set to a second off-state to prevent delivery of the high frequency RF power to the masked substrate.

A method for multi-state RF pulsing in plasma processing, comprising:

• providing an etching chemistry to a plasma chamber;
• and
• continually rotating between a first state configured for negative ion transportation for charge neutralization of a feature, a second state, and a third state configured to etch the feature in a masked substrate, and a fourth state configured for additional negative ion transportation for charge neutralization of the feature,
• wherein during the second state, the etching chemistry, a high frequency radio frequency (RF) power, and a low frequency RF bias power are tuned to provide passivation to the feature in the masked substrate including a stack of a plurality of layers and a mask layer that is patterned on top of the stack,
• wherein during the third state, the etching chemistry, the high frequency RF power, and the low frequency RF bias power are tuned to etch the feature in the masked substrate,
• wherein during the first state (S0), a low frequency RF power generator is set to a first off-state to prevent delivery of the low frequency RF power to the masked substrate,
• wherein during the first state (S0) or the fourth state, a high frequency RF power generator is set to a second off-state to prevent delivery of the high frequency RF power to the masked substrate.