Patent ID: 7163721

Claim:
A method to protect an organic polymer dielectric underlayer during a plasma assisted process from damage to the dielectric in the form of physical etching by plasma excited species, the method comprising: providing an organic polymer dielectric underlayer, the organic polymer dielectric underlayer being susceptible to be etched by plasma excited species; depositing a protective continuous layer of inorganic material directly on the organic polymer dielectric underlayer using a first plasma power plasma assisted process, a first plasma power of the first plasma power plasma assisted process being selected in order to avoid damaging the organic polymer dielectric underlayer and the protective continuous layer to function as a protective layer during subsequent steps; and depositing a second plasma power plasma assisted fun onto the protective layer, a second plasma power for depositing the second plasma power plasma assisted film being higher than the first plasma power, whereby the protective layer protects the organic polymer dielectric underlayer from being damaged by the plasma excited species, whereby the organic polymer dielectric is protected from damage due to physical etching by plasma excited species.