Patent ID: 7887711
Filing Date: 2011-02-15
Classification: H01L,Y10S

Abstract:
1. A method for patterning a metal oxide dielectric material in a semiconductor structure comprising: a) forming a patterned mask layer over a metal oxide dielectric layer provided on a semiconductor structure leaving one or more first regions of said metal oxide dielectric layer exposed, wherein the metal oxide dielectric layer has a thickness of less than 10 nm; b) subjecting said exposed one or more first regions of said metal oxide dielectric layer to a plasma treatment process including a plasma species generated by an etching tool and excitation of a working gas to thereby damage a lattice structure of said one or more first regions of said metal oxide dielectric layer by implantation of the plasma species through the metal oxide dielectric layer into the semiconductor structure, wherein the implantation comprises an implantation energy ranging from 1 keV to 10 keV; and c) removing said exposed and damaged one or more first regions of said metal oxide dielectric layer by a wet chemical etch, wherein said dielectric metal oxide dielectric layer includes a material selected from the group consisting of: metal oxides M-O, metal silicates M-Si—O, metal aluminates M-Al—O, metal oxynitrides M-O—N, metal oxysiliconnitrides M-Si—N—O, and metal oxyaluminitrides M-Al-N—O, where the metal M is selected from the group consisting of Al, Dy, Er, Eu, Gd, Hf, La, Pr, Sc, Sm, Ta, Te, Th, Ti, Tl, Tm, Y, Zr, and alloys of the metals in this group.