Method for etching low K dielectric layers

An etching process for etching an organic dielectric layer on a substrate, the etching process comprising the steps of:

• (a) placing the substrate in a process zone, the substrate comprising an organic dielectric layer comprising a dielectric constant of less than about 3.2 and the organic dielectric layer having an overlying mask;
• and
• (b) providing in the process zone, an energized process gas comprising reactive gas and non-reactive gas, wherein the reactive gas comprises oxygen and the non-reactive gas comprises one or more of nitrogen, argon, xenon, neon, krypton, or helium,
• the process gas comprising a volumetric flow ratio of reactive gas to non-reactive gas that is sufficiently high to etch the dielectric layer at an etch rate of at least about 500 nm/min.

An etching process for etching a substrate, the etching process comprising the steps of:

• (a) placing the substrate in a process zone, the substrate comprising a dielectric layer having a dielectric constant less than about 3.2 and an overlying mask;
• (b) providing in the process zone, an energized process gas comprising oxygen and non-reactive gas comprising one or more of nitrogen, argon, xenon, neon, krypton, and helium to etch the dielectric layer;
• and
• (c) maintaining the substrate at a temperature of less than about 40° C.

An etching process for etching a dielectric layer on a substrate, the etching process comprising the steps of:

• (a) placing the substrate in a process zone, the substrate comprising a dielectric layer having an overlying mask, the dielectric layer comprising a dielectric constant of less than about 3.2;
• (b) providing in the process zone, an energized process gas to etch the dielectric layer on the substrate, the energized process gas comprising (i) oxygen, (ii) a non-reactive gas, and (iii) a passivating gas comprising one or more of CO, CO2, NH3 and H2;
• and
• (c) maintaing the substrate at a temperature of less than about 40° C.