Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton LLP
Chlorine-based hardmask removal
A method of removing titanium nitride hardmask is described. The hardmask resides above a low-k dielectric layer prior to removal and the low-k dielectric layer retains a relatively low net dielectric constant after the removal process. The low-k dielectric layer may be part of a dual damascene structure having copper at the bottom of the vias. A non-porous carbon layer is deposited prior to the titanium nitride hardmask removal to protect the low-k dielectric layer and the copper. The titanium nitride hardmask is removed with a gas-phase etch using plasma effluents formed in a remote plasma from a chlorine-containing precursor. Plasma effluents within the remote plasma are flowed into a substrate processing region where the plasma effluents react with the titanium nitride.
Applied Materials, Inc.
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Xikun Zhenjiang Mikhail Anchuan Jie Nitin K. Mandar
Wang Cui Korolik Wang Liu Ingle Pandit