Claims
- 1. A method of etching a noble metal layer disposed on a substrate comprising the steps of:
a) providing a substrate supporting a barrier layer, a noble metal layer on said barrier layer, a protective layer on said noble metal layer, a mask layer on said protective layer, and a patterned resist layer on said mask layer; b) etching a portion of said mask layer including employing a plasma of a mask etchant gas to break through and to remove said portion of said mask layer from said protective layer to expose part of said protective layer and to produce said substrate supporting said barrier layer, said noble metal layer on said barrier layer, said protective layer on said noble metal layer, a residual mask layer on said protective layer, and said patterned resist layer on said residual mask layer; c) removing said patterned resist layer from said residual mask layer of step (b) to produce said substrate supporting said barrier layer, said noble metal layer on said barrier layer, said protective layer on said noble metal layer, and said residual mask layer on said protective layer; d) etching said exposed part of said protective layer to expose part of said noble metal layer and to produce said substrate supporting said barrier layer, and said noble metal layer on said barrier layer, a residual protective layer on said noble metal layer, and said residual mask layer on said residual protective layer; e) heating said substrate of step (d) to a temperature greater than about 150° C.; f) etching said exposed part of said noble metal layer of step (d) including employing a plasma of an etchant gas selected from the group consisting of a halogen containing gas, a noble gas, nitrogen, oxygen, and mixtures thereof, to produce said substrate supporting said barrier layer, an etched noble metal layer on said barrier layer, said residual protective layer on said etched noble metal layer, and said residual mask layer on said residual protective layer; g) removing said residual mask layer from said residual protective layer to produce said substrate supporting said barrier layer, said etched noble metal layer on said barrier layer, and said residual protective layer on said etched noble metal layer; and h) etching a portion of said barrier layer including employing a plasma of a barrier etchant gas to expose part of the substrate to produce said substrate supporting a residual barrier layer, said etched noble metal layer on said residual barrier layer, and said residual protective layer on said etched noble metal layer.
- 2. The method of claim 1 wherein said step (f) etching of said noble metal layer of step (d) additionally produces a remaining noble metal layer on said barrier layer, said step (g) removing of said residual mask layer additionally produces said remaining noble metal layer on said barrier layer, and said method additionally comprises etching said remaining noble metal layer on said barrier layer prior to said step (h) etching.
- 3. The method of claim 1 additionally comprising removing said residual protective layer from said etched noble metal layer.
- 4. The method of claim 1 wherein said step (f) etching of said noble metal layer of step (d) additionally produces a remaining noble metal layer on said barrier layer, said step (g) removing of said residual mask layer additionally produces said remaining noble metal layer on said barrier layer, and said method additionally comprises etching said residual protective layer and said remaining noble metal layer on said barrier layer prior to said step (h) etching.
- 5. The method of claim 3 wherein said removing of said residual protective layer from said etched noble metal is simultaneous with said etching step (h).
- 6. The method of claim 1 wherein said mask layer comprises CVD SiO2.
- 7. The method of claim 2 wherein said mask layer and said substrate comprises CVD SiO2.
- 8. The method of claim 4 wherein said mask layer comprises CVD SiO2.
- 9. The method of claim 1 wherein said mask layer comprises a compound selected from the group consisting of TEOS, CVD SiO2, Si3N4, BSG, PSG, BPSG, a low dielectric constant material with a dielectric constant less than about 3.0, and mixtures thereof.
- 10. The method of claim 1 wherein said barrier layer comprises a compound selected from the group consisting of TiN, TiSiN, Ti, WN, TaN, TaSiN, Ta, and mixtures thereof.
- 11. The method of claim 1 wherein said protective layer comprises a compound selected from the group consisting of TiN, TiSiN, Ti, WN, TaN, TaSiN, Ta, and mixtures thereof.
- 12. The method of claim 1 wherein said mask layer has a thickness ranging from about 6000 Å to about 9,000 Å.
- 13. A method of etching a noble metal layer disposed on a substrate comprising the steps of:
a) providing a substrate supporting a barrier layer, a noble metal layer on said barrier layer, a mask layer on said noble metal layer, and a patterned resist layer on said mask layer; b) etching a portion of said mask layer including employing a plasma of a mask etchant gas to break through and to remove said portion of said mask layer from said noble metal layer to expose part of said noble metal layer and to produce said substrate supporting said barrier layer, said noble metal layer on said barrier layer, a residual mask layer on said noble metal layer, and said patterned resist layer on said residual mask layer; c) removing said patterned resist layer from said residual mask layer of step (b) to produce said substrate supporting said barrier layer, said noble metal layer on said barrier layer, and said residual mask layer on said noble metal layer; d) heating said substrate of step (c) to a temperature greater than about 150° C.; e) etching said exposed part of said noble metal layer of step (c) including employing a plasma of an etchant gas selected from the group consisting of a halogen containing gas, a noble gas, nitrogen, oxygen, and mixtures thereof, to produce said substrate supporting said barrier layer, an etched noble metal layer on said barrier layer, and said residual mask layer on said etched noble metal layer; f) removing said residual mask layer from said etched noble metal layer to produce said substrate supporting said barrier layer and said etched noble metal layer on said barrier layer; and g) etching a portion of said barrier layer including employing a plasma of a barrier etchant gas to expose part of the substrate to produce said substrate supporting a residual barrier layer and said etched noble metal layer on said residual barrier layer.
- 14. A method of etching a noble metal layer disposed on a substrate comprising the steps of:
a) providing a substrate supporting a barrier layer, a noble metal layer on said barrier layer, a protective layer on said noble metal layer, a mask layer on said protective layer, and a patterned resist layer on said mask layer; b) etching a portion of said mask layer including employing a plasma of a mask etchant gas to break through and to remove said portion of said mask layer from said protective layer to expose part of said protective layer and to produce said substrate supporting said barrier layer, said noble metal layer on said barrier layer, said protective layer on said noble metal layer, a residual mask layer on said protective layer, and said patterned resist layer on said residual mask layer; c) removing said patterned resist layer from said residual mask layer of step (b) to produce said substrate supporting said barrier layer, said noble metal layer on said barrier layer, said protective layer on said noble metal layer, and said residual mask layer on said protective layer; d) etching said exposed part of said protective layer to expose part of said noble metal layer and to produce said substrate supporting said barrier layer, said noble metal layer on said barrier layer, a residual protective layer on said noble metal layer, said residual mask layer on said residual protective layer, and said patterned resist layer on said residual mask layer; e) heating said substrate of step (d) to a temperature greater than about 150° C.; f) etching said exposed part of said noble metal layer of step (d) including employing a plasma of an etchant gas selected from the group consisting of a halogen containing gas, a noble gas, nitrogen, oxygen, and mixtures thereof, to produce said substrate supporting said barrier layer, an etched noble metal layer on said barrier layer, said residual protective layer on said etched noble metal layer, and said residual mask layer on said residual protective layer; g) etching a portion of said barrier layer including employing a plasma of a barrier etchant gas to expose part of the substrate to produce said substrate supporting a residual barrier layer, said etched noble metal layer on said residual barrier layer, said residual protective layer on said etched noble metal layer, and said residual mask layer on said residual protective layer; and h) removing said residual mask layer from said residual protective layer to produce said substrate supporting said residual barrier layer, said etched noble metal layer on said residual barrier layer, and said residual protective layer on said etched noble metal layer.
- 15. The method of claim 14 wherein said barrier layer comprises a compound selected from the group consisting of TiN, TiSiN, Ti, WN, TaN, TaSiN, Ta, and mixtures thereof.
- 16. The method of claim 14 wherein said protective layer comprises a compound selected from the group consisting of TiN, TiSiN, Ti, WN, TaN, TaSiN, Ta, and mixtures thereof.
- 17. The method of claim 14 wherein said mask layer has a thickness ranging from about 6000 Å to a about 9,000 Å.
- 18. The method of claim 14 wherein said mask layer comprises a compound selected from the group consisting of Si3N4, BSG, PSG, BPSG, a low dielectric constant material with a dielectric constant of less than about 3.0, and mixtures thereof.
- 19. A method of etching a noble metal layer disposed on a substrate comprising the steps of:
a) providing a substrate supporting an etch-stop layer, a barrier layer on said etch-stop layer, a noble metal layer on said barrier layer, a mask layer on said noble metal layer, and a patterned resist layer on said mask layer; b) etching a portion of said mask layer including employing a plasma of a mask etchant gas to break through and to remove said portion of said mask layer from said noble metal layer to expose part of said noble metal layer and to produce said substrate supporting said etch-stop layer, said barrier layer on said etch-stop layer, said noble metal layer on said barrier layer, a residual mask layer on said noble metal layer, and said patterned resist layer on said residual mask layer; c) removing said patterned resist layer from said residual mask layer of step (b) to produce said substrate supporting said etch-stop layer, said barrier layer on said etch-stop layer, said noble metal layer on said barrier layer, and said residual mask layer on said noble metal layer; d) heating said substrate of step (c) to a temperature greater than about 150° C.; e) etching said exposed part of said noble metal layer including employing a plasma of an etchant gas selected from the group consisting of a halogen containing gas, a noble gas, nitrogen, oxygen, and mixtures thereof, to expose part of the barrier layer and to produce said substrate supporting said etch-stop layer, said barrier layer on said etch-stop layer, an etched noble metal layer on said barrier layer, and said residual mask layer on said etched noble metal layer; f) etching said exposed part of said barrier layer to expose part of said etch-stop layer and to produce said substrate supporting said etch-stop layer, a residual barrier layer on said etch-stop layer, said etched noble metal layer on said residual barrier layer, and said residual mask layer on said etched noble metal layer; and g) removing said residual mask layer from said etched noble metal layer to produce said substrate supporting said etch-stop layer, said residual barrier layer on said etch-stop layer, and said etched noble metal layer on said residual barrier layer.
- 20. The method of claim 19 additionally comprising etching said etch-stop layer.
- 21. The method of claim 19 wherein said mask layer comprises a compound selected from the group consisting of CVD SiO2, TEOS, BSG, PSG, BPSG, a low dielectric constant material with a dielectric constant of less than about 3.0.
- 22. A method of etching a noble metal layer disposed on a substrate comprising the steps of:
a) providing a substrate supporting a barrier layer, a noble metal layer on said barrier layer, a first mask layer on said noble metal layer, a second mask layer on said first mask layer, and a patterned resist layer on said second mask layer; b) etching a portion of said second mask layer including employing a plasma of a mask etchant gas to break through and to remove said portion of said second mask layer from said first mask layer to expose part of said first mask layer and to produce said substrate supporting said barrier layer, said noble metal layer on said barrier layer, said first mask layer on said noble metal layer, a residual second mask layer on said first mask layer, and said patterned resist layer on said residual second mask layer; c) etching said exposed part of said first mask layer to expose part of said noble metal layer and to produce said substrate supporting said barrier layer, said noble metal layer on said barrier layer, a residual first mask layer on said noble metal layer, said residual second mask layer on said residual first mask layer, and said patterned resist layer on said residual second mask layer; d) removing said patterned resist layer from said residual second mask layer of step (c) to produce said substrate supporting said barrier layer, said noble metal layer on said barrier layer, and said residual first mask layer on said noble metal layer, and said residual second mask layer on said first residual mask layer; e) heating said substrate of step (d) to a temperature greater than about 150° C.; f) etching said exposed part of said noble metal layer and said residual second mask layer of step (d) including employing a plasma of an etchant gas selected from the group consisting of a halogen containing gas, a noble gas, nitrogen, oxygen, and mixtures thereof, to produce said substrate supporting said barrier layer, an etched noble metal layer on said barrier layer, and said residual first mask layer on said etched noble metal layer; g) etching said barrier layer to remove a portion of the barrier layer from said substrate to produce said substrate supporting a residual barrier layer, said etched noble metal layer on said residual barrier layer, and said residual first mask layer on said etched noble metal; and h) removing said residual first mask layer from said etched noble metal layer to produce said substrate supporting said residual barrier layer, and said etched noble metal layer on said residual barrier layer.
- 23. The method of claim 22 wherein said patterned resist layer is removed from said residual second mask layer during said etching step (c).
- 24. The method of claim 22 wherein said first mask layer comprises a compound selected from the group consisting of Si3N4, BSG, PSG, BPSG, an organic polymer, a low dielectric constant material having a dielectric constant of less than about 3.0, and mixtures thereof.
- 25. The method of claim 22 wherein said second mask layer comprises a compound selected from the group consisting of CVD SiO2, TEOS, Si3N4, BSG, PSG, BPSG, SiC, and mixtures thereof.
- 26. The method of claim 22 wherein said first mask layer has a thickness ranging from about 3000 Å to about 8000 Å.
- 27. The method of claim 22 wherein said second mask layer has a thickness ranging from about 500 Å to about 4000 Å.
- 28. The method of claim 22 wherein said etching step (g) additionally comprises etching into said substrate.
Parent Case Info
[0001] This is a continuation-in-part patent application of copending patent application entitled “MASKING METHODS AND ETCHING SEQUENCES FOR PATTERNING ELECTRODES OF HIGH DENSITY RAM CAPACITORS,” Ser. No. 09/251,588, filed Feb. 17, 1999. Copending patent application Ser. No. 09/251,588 is a continuation-in-part patent application of copending patent application entitled “ETCHING METHODS FOR ANISOTROPIC PLATINUM PROFILE,” Ser. No. 09/006,092, filed Jan. 13, 1998.
[0002] This is also a continuation-in-part application of copending patent application entitled “IMPROVED ETCHING METHOD FOR ANISOTROPIC PLATINUM PROFILE,” Ser. No. 09/251,826, filed Feb. 17, 1999. Copending patent application Ser. No. 09/251,826 is a continuation-in-part patent application of copending patent application entitled “ETCHING METHODS FOR ANISOTROPIC PLATINUM PROFILE,” Ser. No. 09/006,092, filed Jan. 13, 1998. This is also a continuation-in-part application of copending patent application entitled “IRIDIUM ETCHING METHODS FOR ANISOTROPIC PROFILE,” Ser. No. 09/251,633, filed Feb. 17, 1999. Copending patent application Ser. No. 09/251,633 is a continuation-in-part patent application of copending patent application entitled “ETCHING METHODS FOR ANISOTROPIC PLATINUM PROFILE, Ser. No. 009/006,092, filed Jan. 13, 1998. Benefit of all earlier filing dates with respect to all common subject matter is claimed.
Continuations (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
09421467 |
Oct 1999 |
US |
Child |
10057674 |
Jan 2002 |
US |
Continuation in Parts (3)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
09251588 |
Feb 1999 |
US |
Child |
09421467 |
Oct 1999 |
US |
Parent |
09251826 |
Feb 1999 |
US |
Child |
09421467 |
Oct 1999 |
US |
Parent |
09251633 |
Feb 1999 |
US |
Child |
09421467 |
Oct 1999 |
US |