Patent ID: 7270761
Filing Date: 2007-09-18
Classification: C23F,H01J,H01L,Y10S

Abstract:
1. An integrated process for etching aluminum formed in a structure on a substrate of an aluminum layer overlying a dielectric layer and overlaid by an anti-reflection coating, comprising the steps performed in a single plasma etch reactor of: a first step of plasma etching at least a final portion of said anti-reflection coating with a first plasma of a first gas mixture comprising a first chlorine-containing and non-carbon-containing etching gas comprising Cl a second step of plasma etching said aluminum layer with a second plasma of a second gas mixture comprising a second chlorine-containing etching gas and a second passivating gas selected from the group consisting of hydrocarbon-containing gases and dichlorohydrocarbon-containing gases but not including an effective amount of fluorine, wherein flows of second etching gas and the second composition of the second gas mixture supplied into the plasma etch reactor; and a cleaning step performed after said substrate has been removed from said reactor of exposing an interior of said reactor to a plasma of a third chlorine-containing gas and oxygen gas.