Carbon film hardmask stress reduction by hydrogen ion implantation

A method of a hydrogen implanted amorphous carbon layer, comprising:

• (a) providing a substrate having a material layer disposed thereon;
• (b) forming an amorphous carbon layer on the material layer;
• and
• (c) ion implanting hydrogen ions from a hydrogen containing gas into the amorphous carbon layer to form a hydrogen implanted amorphous carbon layer, wherein the hydrogen implanted amorphous carbon layer has a stress between about 800 mega-pascal (MPa) compressive and about 100 mega-pascal (MPa) compressive.

A method of a hydrogen implanted amorphous carbon layer, comprising:

• (a) providing a substrate having a material layer disposed thereon;
• (b) forming an amorphous carbon layer on the material layer;
• and
• (c) ion implanting hydrogen ions from a hydrogen containing gas into the amorphous carbon layer to form a hydrogen implanted amorphous carbon layer;
• and
• (d) etching the material layer using the hydrogen implanted amorphous carbon layer as a hardmask layer.