Patent ID: 7186658

Claim:
A method for patterning a film of PCMO material, the method comprising: providing a substrate, the substrate including surface; forming a film of PCMO overlying the surface of the substrate; forming a hard mask overlying the PCMO film overlying the substrate, the hard mask including an exposed portion; subjecting the film of PCMO material to a gas mixture to initiate removal of the exposed portion of the film of PCMO material, the gas mixture comprising a chlorine bearing species, hydrogen bromide, and a fluorine bearing species; continuing removal of the exposed portion of the PCMO film using said gas mixture, said gas mixture comprising a chlorine bearing species, hydrogen bromide, and a fluorine bearing species; and subjecting the film of material to HBr and argon species to remove any residual stringer material caused from the removal of the PCMO film.