Film stack for lithography applications

US11495461B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Applied Materials, Inc. · US

Inventors

• Tejinder Singh · Canton, US
• Suketu Arun Parikh · San Jose, US
• Daniel Lee Diehl · Chiba, JP
• Michael Stolfi · Clifton Park, US
• Jothilingam Ramalingam · Sunnyvale, US
• Yong Cao · Goleta, US
• Lifan Yan · San Jose, US
• Chi-I Lang · Cupertino, US
• Hoyung David Hwang · Cupertino, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Feb 25, 2020
• Grant date: Nov 8, 2022
• Expiry date: Oct 24, 2040

Classification

• Technology area (CPC H): Electricity
• CPC primary: H01L21/32136
• WIPO field: Semiconductors
• WIPO sector: Electrical engineering

Abstract

Methods for forming a film stack comprising a hardmask layer and etching such hardmask layer to form features in the film stack are provided. The methods described herein facilitate profile and dimension control of features through a proper profile management scheme formed in the film stack. In one or more embodiments, a method for etching a hardmask layer includes forming a hardmask layer on a substrate, where the hardmask layer contains a metal-containing material containing a metal element having an atomic number greater than 28, supplying an etching gas mixture to the substrate, and etching the hardmask layer exposed by a photoresist layer.