Patent ID: 7211197

Claim:
A method for etching an SiN x layer on a Cu layer of a workpiece placed inside a processing chamber, the method comprising: introducing a processing gas comprising C, H, and F, and O 2 into a processing chamber, without injecting F atoms of the processing gas into a region existing deeper than approximately fifteen angstroms with respect to the depth of the layer of Cu while the SiN x layer is etched; raising the processing gas introduced into the processing chamber to plasma to etch the SiN x layer such that a portion of the Cu layer is exposed; and treating the exposed portion of the Cu layer with H 2 plasma by introducing H 2 into the processing chamber after etching and raising the H 2 to plasma and exposing the exposed portion of the Cu layer to the H 2 plasma removing C atoms and F atoms introduced into the exposed portion of the Cu layer during etching.