Patent ID: 6372638
Filing Date: 2002-04-16
Classification: H01L

Abstract:
A method for forming a contact structure, the method comprising the steps of:forming a first conductive material overlying a semiconductor substrate; forming a dielectric layer overlying the first conductive layer; forming a resist layer over the dielectric layer; patterning the resist layer to form an opening that exposes portions of the dielectric layer; placing the semiconductor substrate into a reactive ion etching chamber and in-situ processing the semiconductor substrate as follows: etching portions of the dielectric layer using a gas mixture that includes a fluorocarbon source gas to form an opening in the dielectric layer, the opening having a bottom portion and a sidewall portion; etching a portion of the resist layer using a gas mixture that includes a fluorocarbon source gas and an oxygen source gas to remove the portion of the resist layer and expose a top surface portion of the dielectric layer adjacent the sidewall portion; etching the top surface portion of the dielectric layer adjacent the sidewall portion to form a taper that extends between a top surface of the dielectric layer and the sidewall portion, wherein the taper towards the top surface portion has a radius Y and the taper towards the sidewall portion has a radius X wherein Xremoving remaining portions of the resist layer; depositing a second conductive material within the opening; and polishing away a top portion of the conductive material and a top portion of the dielectric layer to remove the taper.