Apparatus and method for plasma-assisted etching of wafers
AssigneeBell Telephone Laboratories, Incorporated
InventorJoseph M. Moran
Life of this patent
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Abstract
In a plasma-assisted etching apparatus and method, surfaces in the reaction chamber are covered with a layer of a polyarylate polymer. Contamination of wafers during the etching process is thereby substantially reduced. In practice, this leads to a significant increase in the yield of acceptable chips per wafer.
Claims32
Apparatus for plasma-assisted dry etching of a layer formed on a wafer, said apparatus comprising
- a reaction chamber,
- means for establishing an etching plasma within said chamber,
- said chamber including surfaces exposed to said plasma,
- and a covering of a polyarylate polymer on at least some of said surfaces.
Apparatus for plasma-assisted dry etching of a layer on a wafer that is to be processed to form multiple integrated circuits, said apparatus comprising
- a reaction chamber,
- means for establishing an etching plasma within said chamber,
- means within said chamber for holding a number of wafers to be etched,
- said chamber having internal surfaces including surfaces of said holding means in the immediate vicinity of said wafers to be etched,
- and a layer of a high-temperature-tolerant polyarylate polymer formed on internal surfaces including at least the surfaces of said holding means in the immediate vicinity of said wafers.
A method for fabricating VLSI devices by delineating fine-line patterns on a wafer in accordance with a process sequence that includes plasma-assisted dry etching, said method comprising the steps of
- mounting said wafer to be etched in a reaction chamber at least some of whose surfaces are covered with a layer of a polyarylate polymer,
- and establishing an etching plasma within said chamber.
Apparatus for plasma-assisted dry etching of a layer formed on a wafer, said apparatus comprising
- a reaction chamber,
- means for establishing an etching plasma within said chamber,
- said chamber including surfaces exposed to said plasma,
- and a covering of Ekonol Polymer on at least some of said surfaces.
A method for fabricating VLSI devices by delineating fine-line features on a wafer in accordance with a process sequence that includes plasma-assisted dry etching, said method comprising the steps of
- mounting said wafer to be etched in a reaction chamber at least some of whose surfaces are covered with a layer of Ekonol Polymer,
- and establishing an etching plasma within said chamber.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.