US6008135A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Method for etching metal layer of a semiconductor device using hard mask
Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co Ltd
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Filing: 1998-08-26
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Granted: 1999-12-28
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Expires: 2018-08-26
Abstract
Abstract A method for etching a metal layer of a semiconductor device is provided. A metal layer formed on a substrate is etched using a hard mask and a mixed etching gas containing chlorine and oxygen in which the ratio of oxygen gas is preferably about 0.5-0.8. Under such conditions, a metal layer pattern of a fine profile is formed. Since the hard mask is thin, it is possible to prevent etch reactants generated in a process of etching the metal layer from being deposited on the side surface of the resultant formed of the metal layer pattern and the hard mask. As a result, no additional processing is required to remove the etch reactants from the side surfaces and the metal layer etching process is simplified.
Inventors
- 👤 Sang-Jeong Oh
- 👤 Yong-Tak Lee
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-30 08:39
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10P; H10P50/00; H10P50/60; H10P50/61; H10P50/613; H10P50/71; H10P50/20; H10P50/26; H10P50/264; H10P50/266; H10P50/267
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 8
Claim 1
Independent Claim
81 words
A method for etching a metal layer of a semiconductor device, comprising the steps of: (a) forming a first metal layer on a substrate; (b) forming a hard mask on the first metal layer; (c) forming a hard mask pattern on the first metal layer; and (d) etching the first metal layer using a mixed etching gas containing oxygen gas and chlorine gas or chloride gas, in which the ratio of oxygen to the total mixed etching gas is about 0.2-0.8.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
81 words
A method for etching a metal layer of a semiconductor device, comprising the steps of: (a) forming a first metal layer on a substrate; (b) forming a hard mask on the first metal layer; (c) forming a hard mask pattern on the first metal layer; and (d) etching the first metal layer using a mixed etching gas containing oxygen gas and chlorine gas or chloride gas, in which the ratio of oxygen to the total mixed etching gas is about 0.2-0.8.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
51 words
The method of claim 1, wherein the step (c) comprises the steps of: forming a soft mask which is softer than the hard mask on the hard mask; patterning the soft mask; patterning the hard mask using the patterned soft mask as an etching mask; and removing the patterned soft mask.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 1, wherein the hard mask has an etch selectivity of more than about 10:1 with respect to the first metal layer.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 1, wherein the hard mask is a TiO 2 film.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of claim 1, wherein the oxygen ratio in the mixed etching gas is about 0.4.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
59 words
The method of claim 1, after the step (d), further comprising the steps of: (e) removing the hard mask pattern; (f) forming a dielectric layer on the first metal layer; (g) forming a second metal layer on the dielectric layer; and (h) etching the second metal layer by forming a second hard mask pattern on the second metal layer.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
45 words
The method of claim 6, wherein the first and second metal layers are each selected from the group consisting of a Pt film, an Ir film, a Rh film, a Ru film, an IrO 2 film, a RuO 2 film, and a RhO 2 film.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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