Plasma etch method incorporating inert gas purge

Abstract

Within a method for forming a plasma etched layer, there is first provided a substrate. There is then formed over the substrate a microelectronic layer. There is then etched within a plasma reactor chamber, and while employing a plasma etch method, the microelectronic layer to form a plasma etched microelectronic layer. Finally, there is then purged the plasma reactor chamber with an inert purge gas, without subsequently evacuating the plasma reactor chamber, prior to removing the substrate having formed thereover the plasma etched microelectronic layer from the plasma reactor chamber. In an alternative there is purged a load lock chamber integral to the plasma reactor chamber with an inert purge gas, without subsequently evacuating the load lock chamber, prior to removing the substrate having formed thereover the plasma etched microelectronic layer from the load lock chamber.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.