Patent ID: 6432833
Filing Date: 2002-08-13
Classification: H01J,H01L

Abstract:
A self-aligned contact opening forming method comprising:providing a bulk semiconductor substrate having an active area received between at least two undoped silicon dioxide comprising substrate isolation regions, the substrate comprising at least two transistor gate constructions received at least partially over the active area, the gate constructions comprising gates having their sides and tops covered with insulating material comprising at least one of undoped silicon dioxide and silicon nitride; forming a doped silicon dioxide layer over the active area, the isolation regions and the gate constructions; forming a patterned masking layer over the doped silicon dioxide layer, the patterned masking layer having a mask opening formed therein which overlaps at least one of the gate constructions and the active area; placing the substrate within a high density plasma etcher; the etcher having a directly heatable top electrode comprising separately powerable inner and outer components, a biasable electrostatic chuck, and a directly heatable focus ring; and plasma etching through the mask opening, using a hydrogen containing fluorocarbon chemistry, power on both the inner and outer top electrode components which together totals less than or equal to 1000 W per 200 mm of substrate diameter, an electrostatic chuck bias power less than the total top electrode power, the top electrode heated to greater than 100Â° C. and the focus ring being heated to at least 200Â° C., into the doped oxide substantially selective to the active area, insulating material and any overlapped area of the substrate isolation regions to form a substantially self-aligned contact opening to the active area.