AVS 45th International Symposium
    Plasma Science and Technology Division Thursday Sessions
       Session PS-ThM

Paper PS-ThM4
High Density Plasma Patterning of Organic Low Dielectric Constant Materials

Thursday, November 5, 1998, 9:20 am, Room 318/319/320

Session: Plasma Applications in Copper Metallization
Presenter: T.E.F.M. Standaert, State University of New York, Albany
Authors: T.E.F.M. Standaert, State University of New York, Albany
P.J. Matsuo, State University of New York, Albany
S.D. Allen, State University of New York, Albany
K.H.J.M. Robben, Eindhoven University of Technology, The Netherlands
G.S. Oehrlein, State University of New York, Albany
J.G. Langan, Air Products and Chemicals, Inc.
W.R. Entley, Air Products and Chemicals, Inc.
R. Gutmann, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
T.M. Lu, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Correspondent: Click to Email
We have studied the etching of several organic low dielectric constant materials in a Transformer Coupled Plasma (TCP) source employing in-situ diagnostics, such as ellipsometry, x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and optical emission spectroscopy (OES). Dielectrics of particular interest are Polyarylene ether (PAE-2) and Parylene-N. Etched microstructures were examined by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Successful pattern transfer into these organic dielectrics has been demonstrated using an Ar/O@sub 2@ chemistry and a SiO@sub 2@ hard mask. A systematic study has revealed how the erosion of the sidewall can be controlled as a function of the oxygen radical and ion flux. Following the dielectric etch, characterization of the surface residues and modifications were performed. The efficiency with which the original underlayer surface can be recovered was also investigated.