US 2006/0138085 A1 · Plasma etching method with reduced particles production

Abstract

A plasma etching method, wherein less particles is produced, for forming trenches in a substrate is provided. The method includes performing a first etching step on a substrate using a first etching condition and then performing a second etching step on the substrate using a second etching condition. Between the first and the second etching step, a transition step is carried out in which the variation of each reaction chamber parameters is adjusted below a specific percentage, such as, 15%. By so doing, the number of particles is substantially reduced. An oxygen plasma-cleaning operation is also performed at a pressure between 40 mTorr to 80 mTorr inside the reaction chamber to reduce the number of defects.

Claims16

Dependent claims

A plasma etching method, wherein less particles is produced, comprising the steps of:

performing a first etching step to etch a substrate under a first condition with a plurality of parameters;
and
performing a transition step under a second condition with the parameters, wherein a variation between each parameters of the second condition from the corresponding parameters to the first condition is below 15%;
and
performing a second etching step to etch the substrate under a third condition with the parameters, the variation of each parameter of the third condition from the corresponding parameter of the second condition is below 15%.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Plasma etching method with reduced particles production

Life of this patent

Plasma etching method with reduced particles production

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims16