Patent ID: 6680255
Filing Date: 2004-01-20
Classification: H01J,H01L

Abstract:
A plasma etching method comprising:positioning a semiconductor wafer on a wafer receiver within a plasma etch chamber, the semiconductor wafer having a photoresist layer formed thereon; first plasma etching openings in material on the semiconductor wafer through openings formed in the photoresist layer with a gas comprising carbon and a halogen, a first polymer comprising carbon and the halogen forming over at least some internal surfaces of the plasma etch chamber during the first plasma etching, the first plasma etched openings in the material comprising opposing sidewalls of the material in at least one cross section; after the first plasma etching and after forming the first polymer, forming a second polymer over the wafer effective to mask the opposing sidewalls of the material within the openings in the at least one cross section; and after forming the first and second polymers and with the wafer in the chamber, plasma etching substantially all the first polymer from chamber internal surfaces while the second polymer masks the opposing sidewalls of the material within the openings.