Patent ID: 6500768
Filing Date: 2002-12-31
Classification: H01L

Abstract:
A process for fabricating a semiconductor device comprising:providing a semiconductor substrate having an oxide-nitride-oxide layer thereon and a patterned resist layer overlying the oxide-nitride-oxide layer, wherein the oxide-nitride-oxide layer includes a first oxide layer, a nitride layer overlying the first oxide layer, and a second oxide layer overlying the nitride layer; and performing an isotropic etch on the oxide-nitride-oxide layer to remove a portion of the oxide-nitride-oxide layer, wherein the isotropic etch is performed on the second oxide layer, the nitride layer, and a portion of the first oxide layer, wherein performing the isotropic etch further comprises: placing the semiconductor substrate in a process chamber; inductively coupling RF power to a plasma chamber containing fluorine gas to generate a fluorine based plasma; diffusing the fluorine based plasma into the process chamber, wherein the fluorine based plasma etches, the oxide-nitride-oxide layer in an isotropic manner.