Mask trimming
AssigneeLam Research Corporation
InventorsSupriya GOYAL, Dongho HEO, Jisoo KIM, S.M. Reza SADJADI
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method for etching a dielectric layer is provided. A patterned mask with mask features is formed over a dielectric layer. The mask has isolated areas and dense areas of the mask features. The mask is trimmed by a plurality of cycles, where each cycle includes depositing a deposition layer, and selectively etching the deposition layer and the patterned mask. The selective etching selectively trims the isolated areas of the mask with respect to the dense areas of the mask. The dielectric layer is etched using the thus trimmed mask. The mask is removed.
Claims5
1-16. (canceled)
An apparatus for etching a dielectric layer formed under a patterned mask with mask features, the mask having isolated areas and dense areas of the mask features, the apparatus comprising:
- means for trimming the mask, comprising:
- means for depositing a deposition layer on the patterned mask formed on the dielectric layer using a deposition plasma;
- means for selectively etching the deposition layer and the patterned mask using a mask-trimming etch plasma, wherein the means for selective etching selectively trims the isolated areas of the mask with respect to the dense areas of the mask;
- and
- means for alternately operating the means for depositing and the means for selectively etching for a plurality of cycles;
- and
- means for etching the dielectric layer using the trimmed mask using a dielectric layer etch plasma.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.