Patent ID: 7012027

Claim:
A method of removing a high k dielectric layer from a substrate, comprising the steps of: (a) providing a substrate with isolation regions and an active area between said isolation regions; (b) depositing a high k dielectric layer on said substrate; (c) forming a patterned gate electrode on said high k dielectric layer; and (d) anisotropically etching through exposed portion of said high k dielectric layer with a plasma etch comprising one or more halogen containing gases; wherein said anisotropically etching step is performed in an etch chamber and is comprised of a flow rate between about 2 and 100 standard cubic centimeters per minute (sccm) for the one or more halogen containing gases, at a temperature between 20° C. and 200° C.; wherein said anisotropically etching step includes of adding one or more O 2 , CO, CO 2 , and N 2 O as an oxidant gas having a flow rate between about 10 and 300 sccm, said oxidant gas including O 2 ; and wherein said high k dielectric layer includes HfO 2 , wherein said halogen containing gases includes CF 4 and CH 3 F, and wherein said anisotropically etching step includes a CF 4 flow rate of about 30 sccm, a CH 3 F flow rate of about 60 sccm, an O 2 flow rate of about 10 sccm, a 5 mTorr chamber pressure, a RF power of about 600 Watts and a bias power of about 200 Watts for a period of about 10 seconds.