Hardmask of amorphous carbon-hydrogen (a-C:H) layers with tunable etch resistivity
AssigneeInfineon Technologies North America Corp.
InventorMatthias Lipinski
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Abstract
A process of using a-C:H layer as a hardmask material with tunable etch resistivity in a RIE process that alleviates the addition of a layer forming gas to the etchant when making a semiconductor device, comprising: a) providing a semiconductor substrate; b) forming a hardmask of amorphous carbon-hydrogen (a-C:H) layer by plasma enhancement over the semiconductor substrate; c) forming an opening in the hardmask layer to form an exposed surface portion of the hardmask layer; and d) etching the exposed surface portion of the hardmask layer without the addition of a layer forming gas using RIE to form a trench feature with sufficient masking and side wall protection.
Claims11
A process of using an a-C:H layer as a hardmask material with tunable etch resistivity in a RIE process that alleviates the addition of a layer forming gas to the etchant when making a semiconductor device, comprising:
- a) providing a semiconductor substrate;
- b) forming a hardmask of amorphous carbon-hydrogen (aC:H) layer by plasma enhancement over said semiconductor substrate;
- c) forming an opening in the hardmask layer to form an exposed surface portion of the hardmask layer;
- and
- d) etching the exposed surface portion of the hardmask layer without the addition of a layer forming gas using RIE to form a trench feature with sufficient masking and side wall protection.
The process of claim 9 wherein acetylene is admixed with said argon.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.