Patent ID: 7538025

Claim:
A method of forming a dual damascene opening, comprising the steps of: providing a structure having an overlying exposed conductive layer formed thereover; forming a dielectric layer over the exposed conductive layer; forming an anti-reflective coating layer over the dielectric layer; etching the anti-reflective layer and the dielectric layer using a via opening process to form an initial via exposing a portion of the conductive layer; forming a protective film portion over at least the exposed portion of the conductive layer, the protective film portion being comprised of the elements C and H; and patterning the anti-reflective coating layer and the dielectric layer to reduce the initial via to a reduced via and to form a trench opening substantially centered over the reduced via; the trench opening and the reduced via comprising the dual damascene opening, wherein the structure includes a silicon substrate or a germanium substrate; the conductive layer is comprised of copper, aluminum, gold or silver; the dielectric layer is comprised of the elements Si, O, C and/or H such as SiOCH; and the anti-reflective coating layer is comprised of SiON or SiOC.