Patent ID: 6599842
Filing Date: 2003-07-29
Classification: H01L

Abstract:
A method for processing a substrate disposed in a substrate processing chamber to modify the contour of a trench formed on the substrate, the substrate processing chamber being of the type that has a coil and a plasma generation system including a source power system operatively coupled to the coil and a bias power system operatively coupled to the substrate process chamber, the method comprising:transferring the substrate into the substrate process chamber; thereafter, exposing the substrate in-situ to a plasma formed from a first process gas consisting essentially of a sputtering agent by applying RF energy from the source power system to the coil and biasing the plasma toward the substrate by applying bias power to the substrate process chamber; and thereafter, exposing the substrate in-situ to a plasma formed from a second process gas without applying bias power or applying minimal bias power to the substrate process chamber.