Patent ID: 6383931
Filing Date: 2002-05-07
Classification: H01L

Abstract:
For a semiconductor wafer formed on a substrate and having a wafer stack disposed on the substrate, the wafer stack including a layer of low-K material, a hard mask layer, and a photoresist layer, a method for etching a layer of low-K material, the method comprising:disposing the wafer in a reactor vessel; surrounding the wafer with an insulative edge ring; while the wafer is surrounded by the insulative edge ring, performing a first etch of the low-K material using an etchant gas mixture; detecting the end point where the photoresist is substantially cleared from the surface of the wafer; surrounding the wafer with a conductive hot edge ring; and while the wafer is surrounded by the conductive hot edge ring, performing a second etch of the low-K material using an etchant gas mixture.