Patent ID: 7709393

Claim:
A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device, the method comprising: forming material layers on a wafer; performing a first etch to remove a portion of the material layers formed on the edge region and the lower bevel region of the wafer; and forming a photoresist layer on the material layers and patterning the photoresist layer to expose at least the edge region and the lower bevel region of the wafer, wherein the portion of the material layers formed on the edge region and the lower bevel region of the wafer is removed by performing the first etch before forming the photoresist layer, wherein performing the first etch comprises: interposing the wafer between a first plate and a second plate, wherein the first plate and the second plate contact the wafer while exposing the edge region and the lower bevel region of the wafer, and exposing the material layers formed on the edge region and the lower bevel region of the wafer to SF 6 , CF 4 and O 2 gases to remove the portion of the material layers.