US 2012/0256299 A1 · ARC RESIDUE-FREE ETCHING

Abstract

Antireflective residues during pattern transfer and consequential short circuiting are eliminated by employing an underlying sacrificial layer to ensure complete removal of the antireflective layer. Embodiments include forming a hard mask layer over a conductive layer, e.g., a silicon substrate, forming the sacrificial layer over the hard mask layer, forming an optical dispersive layer over the sacrificial layer, forming a silicon anti-reflective coating layer over the optical dispersive layer, forming a photoresist layer over the silicon anti-reflective coating layer, where the photoresist layer defines a pattern, etching to transfer the pattern to the hard mask layer, and stripping at least the optical dispersive layer and the sacrificial layer.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A method comprising:

forming a hard mask layer over a silicon substrate;
forming a sacrificial layer over the hard mask layer;
forming an optical dispersive layer over the sacrificial layer;
forming a silicon anti-reflective coating layer over the optical dispersive layer;
forming a photoresist layer over the silicon anti-reflective coating layer, the photoresist layer defining a pattern;
etching to transfer the pattern to the hard mask layer;
and
stripping at least the optical dispersive layer and the sacrificial layer.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Arc residue-free etching

Life of this patent

Arc residue-free etching

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20