Photolithographic patterning process using a carbon hard mask layer of diamond-like hardness produced by a plasma-enhanced deposition process

US7368390B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Infineon Technologies AG · DE

Inventors

• Guenther Czech · Neustadt an der Donau, DE
• Carsten Fuelber · Dresden, DE
• Markus Kirchhoff · Radeberg, DE
• Maik Stegemann · Freital, DE
• Mirko Vogt · Dresden, DE
• Stephan Wege · Osterburken, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Oct 29, 2002
• Grant date: May 6, 2008
• Expiry date: Oct 29, 2022

Classification

• Technology area (CPC H): Electricity
• CPC primary: H01L21/02274
• WIPO field: Semiconductors
• WIPO sector: Electrical engineering

Abstract

A carbon hard mask layer is applied to a substrate to be patterned by means of a plasma-enhanced deposition process in such a manner that it has a hardness comparable to that of diamond in at least one layer thickness section. During the production of this diamond-like layer thickness section, the parameters used in the deposition are set in such a manner that growth regions which are produced in a form other than diamond-like are removed again in situ by means of subsequent etching processes and that diamond-like regions which are formed are retained.