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US 7,611,986 B2Granted
Dual damascene patterning method
AssigneeImec
InventorsJan Van Olmen, Marleen Van Hove, Herbert Struyf, Dirk Hendrickx, Serge Vanhaelemeersch, Werner Boullart
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Abstract
A method for patterning a dual damascene structure in a semiconductor substrate is disclosed. The patterning is a metal hardmask based pattering eliminating at least resist poisoning and further avoiding or at least minimizing low-k damage. The method can be used as a full-via-first patterning method or a partial-via-first patterning method.
Claims25
A method for patterning a dual damascene structure, the method comprising the steps of:
- depositing a dielectric layer on a substrate;
- depositing a capping layer on the dielectric layer;
- etching a first hole in the capping layer and the dielectric layer;
- depositing a gap filling material such that the first hole is completely filled;
- removing a part of the gap filling material such that the gap filling material is level with the capping layer;
- depositing a metal hardmask layer on the capping layer;
- depositing at least one imaging material on the metal hardmask layer;
- forming at least one first pattern in the imaging material;
- transferring the first pattern to the metal hardmask layer;
- removing the imaging material;
- removing all remaining gap filling material;
- and thereafter
- etching a second hole over the first hole using an oxygen-free plasma containing fluorocarbon compound as an etchant, whereby a dual damascene structure is patterned.
10 more elements
A method for patterning a dual damascene structure, the method comprising the steps of:
- depositing a dielectric layer on a substrate;
- etching a first hole in the dielectric layer;
- depositing a gap filling material such that the first hole is completely filled;
- removing a part of the gap filling material such that the gap filling material is level with the dielectric layer;
- depositing a metal hardmask layer on the dielectric layer;
- depositing at least one imaging material on the metal hardmask layer;
- forming at least one first pattern in the imaging material;
- transferring the first pattern to the metal hardmask layer;
- removing the imaging material;
- removing all remaining gap filling material;
- and thereafter
- etching a second hole over the first hole using an oxygen-free plasma containing fluorocarbon compound as an etchant, whereby a dual damascene structure is patterned.
9 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.