Method for etching metal line covered by polymer protection film
AssigneesTsmc China Company Limited, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
InventorsLin MA, Chengjin LI, Yong Hong LUO, Lei CHEN, Jian Xin TAN
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Abstract
A method includes depositing a metal layer over a substrate. A photoresist pattern is formed over the metal layer. The metal layer is patterned to be a metal line by using the photoresist pattern as an etching mask. A polymer protection film is formed to cover a top surface of the photoresist pattern after patterning the metal layer. A first dry etching process is performed to remove the polymer protection film. A second dry etching process is performed to remove the photoresist pattern.
Claims20
A method comprising:
- depositing a metal layer over a substrate;
- forming a photoresist pattern over the metal layer;
- patterning the metal layer to be a metal line by using the photoresist pattern as an etching mask, wherein a polymer protection film is formed to cover a top surface of the photoresist pattern after patterning the metal layer;
- performing a first dry etching process to remove the polymer protection film;
- and
- performing a second dry etching process to remove the photoresist pattern.
A method comprising:
- transporting a wafer into a first processing apparatus of a wafer processing system, wherein the wafer comprises:
- a substrate;
- an interconnect structure over the substrate;
- a metal layer over the interconnect structure;
- and
- a photoresist pattern over the metal layer;
- patterning the metal layer to be a metal line in the first processing apparatus;
- transporting the wafer from the first processing apparatus to a second processing apparatus of the wafer processing system;
- removing a polymer protection film formed over the wafer while patterning the metal layer in the second processing apparatus to expose a top surface of the photoresist pattern;
- transporting the wafer from the second processing apparatus to a third processing apparatus of the wafer processing system;
- removing the photoresist pattern in the third processing apparatus;
- and
- transporting the wafer from the third processing apparatus to a load lock chamber of the wafer processing system.
A method comprising:
- providing a wafer comprising:
- an ultra-thick metal (UTM) line over a substrate;
- a photoresist pattern over the UTM line;
- a sidewall polymer layer on a sidewall of the photoresist pattern;
- and
- a polymer protection film in contact with the photoresist pattern and the sidewall polymer layer;
- performing a first dry etching process to remove the polymer protection film;
- after removing the polymer protection film, performing a second dry etching process different from the first dry etching process to remove the photoresist pattern;
- and
- after removing the photoresist pattern, performing a wet strip process to remove the sidewall polymer layer.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.