Antireflective siliconoxynitride hardmask layer used during etching processes in integrated circuit fabrication
US6060380A · kind A · utility
49Cited by
6References
8Claims
0Family size
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Nov 6, 1998 |
| Grant date | May 9, 2000 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Nov 6, 2018 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH01L21/76813
- WIPO fieldSemiconductors
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A method for etching openings in an integrated circuit uses siliconoxynitride as a hardmask layer. Because of the relatively low reflectivity of siliconoxynitride, when a photoresist layer is deposited on the siliconoxynitride hardmask layer and is exposed to light, the photoresist layer is patterned more conformingly to a desired pattern. The present invention may be used to particular advantage for etching contiguous trench lines and via holes in a dual damascene etch process for small dimension integrated circuits.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.