Patent · US Expired

Method for plasma etching tapered and stepped vias

US5354386A · kind A · utility

30Cited by
2References
1Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateMar 24, 1989
Grant dateOct 11, 1994
Priority date
Expiry dateMar 24, 2009

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH01L21/76804
  • WIPO fieldSemiconductors
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A multi-step plasma etch method for etching a tapered via having uniform bottom diameter ("CD") and extending through the resist and into the oxide layer of a coated semiconductor substrate, and a coated semiconductor substrate whose coating has been plasma etched to define such a tapered via. The first step of the inventive method is an anisotropic oxide plasma etch operation, preferably employing a plasma consisting primarily of CF.sub.4, which produces a non-tapered via having diameter substantially equal to CD and extending through the resist and into the oxide layer. A preferred embodiment of the inventive method includes a second step defining an upper sloping via portion without significantly increasing the diameter of a lower portion of the non-tapered via. This second step is a tapered resist plasma etch operation employing a mixture of oxygen (O.sub.2) and CF.sub.4. The slope of the upper sloping via portion may be controlled by varying the ratio of oxygen to CF.sub.4. In an alternative embodiment, the method produces a "stepped" via having an upper non-tapered portion which extends through the resist and has an opening diameter substantially greater than CD, and a lower …

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.