Patent ID: 6143144
Filing Date: 2000-11-07
Classification: H01J,H01L

Abstract:
A method of sputter etching a substrate comprising:positioning a first substrate to be processed within a processing chamber, the first substrate including a material layer containing oxygen;introducing a process gas into the chamber;inductively coupling electrical energy to the process gas in the chamber to thereby form an ionized gas plasma in the chamber;positioning a second material substrate proximate the first substrate in the processing chamber;biasing the first and second substrates with RF electrical energy so that the plasma etches the first substrate material layer and the second substrate, the material etched from the first substrate material layer producing activated oxygen in the gas plasma;the second substrate being formed of a material which reacts with activated oxygen to form a stable oxygen-containing compound such that material etched from the second substrate reduces activated oxygen in the gas plasma;whereby residual oxygen in the processing chamber is reduced to maintain an etch rate for subsequent sputter etching processes.