Patent ID: 6902871

Claim:
A microfabrication process comprising: (A) providing a precursor article comprising: (a) a substrate; (b) a first polymer layer overlying the substrate; (c) a second polymer layer overlying the first polymer layer; (d) a metal hardmask layer overlying the second polymer layer; and (e) a photodefinable layer overlying the metal hardmask layer; (B) exposing the photodefinable layer to radiation through a photomask having a defined pattern; (C) developing the photodefinable layer following exposure to remove portions of the photodefinable layer defined by the pattern and uncover corresponding portions of the underlying metal hardmask layer; (D) etching the uncovered portions of the metal hardmask layer with a first plasma to uncover corresponding portions of the underlying second polymer layer without etching through the remaining photodefinable layer; (E) etching (i) the remaining portions of the photodefinable layer, (ii) the uncovered portions of the second polymer layer, and (iii) underlying portions of the first polymer layer corresponding to the uncovered portions of the second polymer layer with a second plasma that does not etch the remaining portions of the metal hardmask layer to uncover corresponding portions of the substrate; and (F) removing the remaining portions of the metal hardmask layer and remaining portions of the second polymer layer to yield an article comprising the substrate and portions of the first polymer layer overlying the substrate arranged in a pattern that corresponds to the pattern of the photomask.