Patent ID: RE39273

Claim:
A method for forming a patterned microelectronics layer within a microelectronics fabrication comprising: providing a substrate employed within a microelectronics fabrication; forming over the substrate an oxygen containing plasma etchable microelectronics layer; forming upon the oxygen containing plasma etchable microelectronics layer a hard mask layer; forming upon the hard mask layer a patterned photoresist layer; etching through use of a first anisotropic plasma etch method the hard mask layer to form a patterned hard mask layer while employing the patterned photoresist layer as a first etch mask layer, the first anisotropic plasma etch method employing an etchant gas composition appropriate for etching a hard mask material from which is formed the hard mask layer; etching through use of a second plasma etch method the patterned photoresist layer from the patterned hard mask layer while employing the patterned hard mask layer as an etch stop layer while simultaneously etching the oxygen containing plasma etchable microelectronics layer while employing at least the patterned hard mask layer as a second etch mask layer to form a patterned oxygen containing plasma etchable microelectronics layer, the second plasma etch method employing an oxygen containing etchant gas composition.