Patent ID: 9165765
Filing Date: 2015-10-20
Classification: H01L

Abstract:
1. A method for processing a semiconductor substrate, the method comprising: positioning a substrate on a substrate holder in a plasma processing chamber, the substrate having a plurality of structures positioned on an underlying layer, the plurality of structures being comprised of silicon (Si) or silicon nitride (SiN), with each structure having an initial critical dimension; exposing the substrate to an oxygen-containing plasma in the plasma processing chamber such that exposed surfaces of structures become oxidized to a predetermined thickness into the structures resulting in a layer of oxide; masking a first portion of structures of the plurality of structures with a protective mask such that a second portion of structures from the plurality of structures is free from the protective mask; and removing the layer of oxide from structures in the second portion of structures using a gaseous chemical oxide removal process that results in the second portion of structures having a resulting critical dimension that is less than the initial critical dimension.