Damage free metal conductor formation

A method of etching a semiconductor substrate, the method comprising:

• flowing an etchant precursor into a processing region of a semiconductor processing chamber, wherein the processing region houses a substrate having a conductive material, wherein the conductive material is characterized by a first surface and an edge region of the conductive material;
• contacting the edge region of the conductive material with the etchant precursor;
• etching in a first etching operation the edge region of the conductive material, wherein the conductive material is at least partially maintained during the first etching operation;
• and
• sputtering the conductive material that is at least partially maintained in a second etching operation.

A method of etching a semiconductor substrate, the method comprising:

• flowing an etchant precursor into a processing region of a first semiconductor processing chamber, wherein the processing region houses a substrate having a conductive material;
• contacting an edge region of the conductive material with the etchant precursor;
• etching in a first etching operation the edge region of the conductive material, wherein the conductive material is at least partially maintained during the first etching operation;
• transferring the substrate from the first semiconductor processing chamber to a second semiconductor processing chamber;
• and
• removing the conductive material that is at least partially maintained in a second etching operation in the second semiconductor processing chamber.