Patent ID: 7015089

Claim:
A method of patterning a silicon dioxide layer comprising: forming at least first and second components on a substrate; forming a silicon dioxide layer having a thickness over said first and second components and at least a portion of said substrate; forming a partial mask over said first and second components; patterning said silicon dioxide layer with a two step etching process, the first etching step removing a first portion of the silicon dioxide layer thickness and the second etching step removing a second portion of the silicon dioxide layer thickness; wherein the first etching step is a timed anisotropic etch and removes a sufficient portion of the thickness of the silicon dioxide layer to prevent substantial undercutting of the silicon dioxide layer beneath the partial mask during the second etching step; and rinsing the semiconductor structure; wherein the second etch step is an isotropic wet etch, and wherein said preventing substantial undercutting of the silicon dioxide layer beneath the partial mask prevents mask peeling during the rinsing step; wherein said first etching step is a plasma process or a reactive ion etching process; and wherein said first etching step is used to etch about 70%–90% of the thickness of said silicon dioxide layer.