Method and apparatus for selective in-situ etching of inter dielectric layers
US6268608A · kind A · utility
67Cited by
20References
37Claims
0Family size
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Oct 9, 1998 |
| Grant date | Jul 31, 2001 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Oct 9, 2018 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH01J2237/31745
- WIPO fieldSemiconductors
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A method and apparatus for selectively etching interlayer dielectrics (ILDs) using a focused ion beam and an etch-assisting gas are described. The method and apparatus can be used to distinguish ILDs in imaging or to etch ILDs without etching other layers. The etch-assisting gas molecule includes an etching portion that forms volatile compounds with the substrate upon when a reaction is initiated by the ion beam and a functional group that increases the stickiness of the molecule so that a sufficient number of molecules are adsorbed on the surface.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.