Patent ID: 6821905
Filing Date: 2004-11-23
Classification: H01L

Abstract:
A method for preventing carbon and nitrogen penetration from a deposited material overlayer into a dielectric insulating layer to improve a subsequent photolithographic patterning and anisotropic etching process comprising the steps of:providing a semiconductor wafer having a process surface comprising an exposed dielectric insulating layer prior to forming an opening therein; subjecting the dielectric insulating layer to a hydrogen containing plasma treatment to form a penetration resistance to one of nitrogen containing and carbon containing species comprising a subsequently deposited material layer; depositing the material layer selected from the group consisting of a nitrogen containing material layer and carbon containing material layer on the dielectric insulating layer; forming a patterned photoresist layer overlying the material layer; and, etching according to the patterned photoresist layer the opening in the dielectric insulating layer.