US6939808B2
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Undoped and fluorinated amorphous carbon film as pattern mask for metal etch
Assignee: Applied Materials Inc
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Filing: 2002-08-02
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Granted: 2005-09-06
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Expires: 2022-08-02
Abstract
Abstract A method for etching a metal layer formed on a substrate to form a metal line, using an amorphous carbon layer as a pattern mask. One embodiment of the method of the invention etches a metal layer formed on a substrate, for forming a metal line, by depositing an amorphous carbon layer on the metal layer, patterning the amorphous carbon layer to provide a pattern mask on the metal layer, thus exposing portions of said metal layer; and etching the exposed portions of the metal layer, to form a metal line. In an embodiment, the metal layer comprises a copper layer.
Inventors
- 👤 Eugene Tzou
- 👤 Jie Yuan
- 👤 Yan Ye
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-29 00:19
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10P; H10P14/00; H10P14/60; H10P14/69; H10P14/6902; C; C23; C23F; C23F1/00; C23F1/02; C23F1/10; C23F1/12; H10P14/63; H10P14/6326; H10P14/6328; H10P14/6334; H10P14/6336; H10P14/65; H10P14/6516; H10P14/6529; H10P50/00; H10P50/71; H10P76/00; H10P76/40; H10P76/405
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 22
Claim 1
Independent Claim
110 words
A method of etching a copper layer formed on a substrate, for forming a copper line, comprising: depositing a stack of layers consisting of an amorphous carbon layer and one or more silicon-containing layers directly on said copper layer; forming a photoresist layer directly on said stack of layers; using said photoresist layer to pattern one or more layers in said stack of layers; using said stack of layers as a pattern mask to pattern said amorphous carbon layer and expose portions of said copper layer; and using said amorphous carbon layer as a pattern mask to etch said exposed portions of said copper layer to form said copper line.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
110 words
A method of etching a copper layer formed on a substrate, for forming a copper line, comprising: depositing a stack of layers consisting of an amorphous carbon layer and one or more silicon-containing layers directly on said copper layer; forming a photoresist layer directly on said stack of layers; using said photoresist layer to pattern one or more layers in said stack of layers; using said stack of layers as a pattern mask to pattern said amorphous carbon layer and expose portions of said copper layer; and using said amorphous carbon layer as a pattern mask to etch said exposed portions of said copper layer to form said copper line.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
55 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said depositing an amorphous carbon layer further comprises: introducing a substrate into a process chamber and positioning the substrate on a support member; introducing a carbon source gas into said process chamber; and delivering a source of power to said chamber sufficient to strike a plasma in said chamber.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 2 wherein said delivering a source of power comprises providing an inductively coupled RF power source between 500 and 4000 watts.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 2 wherein said delivering a source of power comprises providing a capacitively coupled RE power source between 500 and 4000 watts.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
38 words
The method of claim 2 wherein said introducing a carbon source gas comprises introducing a gas selected from the group consisting of CH 4, C 2 H 6, C 2 H 2 and C 6 H 6 .
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method of claim 2 further comprising annealing said amorphous carbon layer at a temperature between approximately 300° C. and 450° C. for approximately 30 minutes.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
33 words
The method of claim 6 wherein said annealing further comprises maintaining a near vacuum environment, wherein a near vacuum environment is an environment having pressure in the range between 5 and 30 millitorr.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 6 wherein said annealing further comprises maintaining an inert environment.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 2 further comprising introducing a fluorine source gas said process chamber to form a fluorine doped amorphous carbon film.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
45 words
The method of claim 9 wherein said introducing a fluorine gas source comprises providing a source gas selected from the group consisting of CF 4, C 2 F 6, C 3 F 8, C 4 F 8, CHF 3 and C 6 F 6 .
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
71 words
The method of claim 9 wherein said etching includes the etching of said amorphous carbon layer and wherein said etching of the amorphous carbon layer is adjustable by adjusting the fluorine doping level, whereby an increase in the fluorine doping level results in an increase in said amorphous carbon layer's etch rate and a decrease in the fluorine doping level results in a decrease in said amorphous carbon layer's etch rate.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
65 words
The method of claim 9 further comprising delivering said fluorine source gas and said carbon source gas at a flow ratio of said fluorine source gas to said carbon source gas in range between 0.2 and 2 when said support member is not connected to a bias power source, and between 0.7 and 1.3 when said support member is connected to a bias power source.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
33 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said depositing an amorphous carbon layer comprises depositing an amorphous carbon layer having a thickness variation that is less than 4 percent of the average layer thickness.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said depositing of said amorphous carbon layer comprises maintaining said substrate's surface temperature below 450 ° C. during said depositing.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said depositing an amorphous carbon layer comprises depositing an amorphous carbon layer that is thermally stable up to 400 ° C.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said stack of layers comprises a silicon-containing liner layer below said amorphous carbon layer.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 16 wherein said amorphous carbon layer is doped with fluorine.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said stack of layers comprises a silicon-containing liner layer above said amorphous carbon layer.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method of claim 16 or 18 wherein said silicon-containing liner layer is selected from the group consisting of SiO 2, SiC, and Si 3 N 4 .
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said etching comprises maintaining the substrate's temperature between approximately 200° and 400° C.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said stack of layers includes a silicon-containing liner layer above and below said amorphous carbon layer.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
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| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2008-09-05 | 2009-03-07 | 2009-09-06 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2012-09-05 | 2013-03-07 | 2013-09-06 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
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