Highly selective etching of silicon nitride to physical-vapor-deposited a-C mask in dual-frequency capacitively coupled CH2F2∕H2 plasmas

• Published in: Journal of vacuum science & technology. A, Vacuum, surfaces, and films Vacuum, surfaces, and films, 2010-01, Vol.28 (1), p.65-68
• Main Authors: Kim, J. S., Kwon, B. S., Heo, W., Jung, C. R., Park, J. S., Shon, J. W., Lee, N.-E.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• ISSN: 0734-2101; 1520-8559
• DOI: 10.1116/1.3268624

A multilevel resist (MLR) structure can be fabricated based on a very thin amorphous carbon (a-C) layer (≅80nm) and Si3N4 hard-mask layer (≅300nm). The authors investigated the selective etching of the Si3N4 layer using a physical-vapor-deposited (PVD) a-C mask in a dual-frequency superimposed capacitively coupled plasma etcher by varying the process parameters in the CH2F2∕H2∕Ar plasmas, viz., the etch gas flow ratio, high-frequency source power (PHF), and low-frequency source power (PLF). They found that under certain etch conditions they obtain infinitely high etch selectivities of the Si3N4 layers to the PVD a-C on both the blanket and patterned wafers. The etch gas flow ratio played a critical role in determining the process window for infinitely high Si3N4∕PVD a-C etch selectivity because of the change in the degree of polymerization. The etch results of a patterned ArF photoresisit/bottom antireflective coating/SiOx∕PVD a-C∕Si3N4 MLR structure supported the idea of using a very thin PVD a-C layer as an etch-mask layer for the Si3N4 hard-mask pattern with a pattern width of ≅80nm and high aspect ratio of ≅5.