Patent · US Active

Method for etching layer to be etched

US9647206B2 · kind B2 · utility

11Cited by
1References
4Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateSep 19, 2014
Grant dateMay 9, 2017
Priority date
Expiry dateSep 19, 2034

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH10N50/85
  • WIPO fieldComputer technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

Provided is a method for etching an etching target layer of a workpiece. The workpiece has a mask on the etching target layer. The etching target layer and the mask are formed from respective materials for which etching efficiency by a plasma of a rare gas having an atomic number greater than an atomic number of argon is higher than etching efficiency for the materials by a plasma of argon gas. The mask is formed from a material having a melting point higher than that of the etching target layer. The method includes (a) exposing the workpiece to a plasma of a first process gas containing a first rare gas having an atomic number greater than the atomic number of argon, and (b) exposing the workpiece to a plasma of a second process gas containing a second rare gas having an atomic number less than the atomic number of argon.

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