Abstract: The present invention is embodied in a method and apparatus for etching an organic anti-reflective coating (OARC) layer and a titanium nitride anti-reflective coating (TiN ARC) layer deposited on a substrate located within a processing chamber, without the need for removing the substrate being processed from the processing chamber in which it is situated and without the need for intervening processing steps, such as chamber cleaning operations. The substrate has a base, an underlying oxide layer above the base, an overlying layer above the underlying layer, a middle conductive layer, a TiN ARC layer, and a top OARC layer spun on top of the TiN ARC.

Abstract: Methods and compositions for improving etch rate selectivity of photoresist to substrate material in a downstream microwave dry stripping process in the fabrication of semiconductor integrated (IC) circuits are provided. Significant improvement in selectivity is demonstrated with the addition of N.sub.2 to an etchant gas mixture of O.sub.2 and CF.sub.4.