Abstract: A method of high aspect ratio contact etching a substantially vertical contact hole in an oxide layer using a hard photoresist mask is described. The oxide layer is deposited on an underlying substrate. A plasma etching gas is formed from a carbon source gas. Dopants are mixed into the gas. The doped plasma etching gas etches a substantially vertical contact hole through the oxide layer by doping carbon chain polymers formed along the sidewalls of the contact holes during the etching process into a conductive state. The conductive state of the carbon chain polymers reduces the charge buildup along sidewalls to prevent twisting of the contact holes by bleeding off the charge and ensuring proper alignment with active area landing regions. The etching stops at the underlying substrate.

Abstract: A method of high aspect ratio contact etching a substantially vertical contact hole in an oxide layer using a hard photoresist mask is described. The oxide layer is deposited on an underlying substrate. A plasma etching gas is formed from a carbon source gas. Dopants are mixed into the gas. The doped plasma etching gas etches a substantially vertical contact hole through the oxide layer by doping carbon chain polymers formed along the sidewalls of the contact holes during the etching process into a conductive state. The conductive state of the carbon chain polymers reduces the charge buildup along sidewalls to prevent twisting of the contact holes by bleeding off the charge and ensuring proper alignment with active area landing regions. The etching stops at the underlying substrate.

Abstract: A method of high aspect ratio contact etching a substantially vertical contact hole in an oxide layer using a hard photoresist mask is described. The oxide layer is deposited on an underlying substrate. A plasma etching gas is formed from a carbon source gas. Dopants are mixed into the gas. The doped plasma etching gas etches a substantially vertical contact hole through the oxide layer by doping carbon chain polymers formed along the sidewalls of the contact holes during the etching process into a conductive state. The conductive state of the carbon chain polymers reduces the charge buildup along sidewalls to prevent twisting of the contact holes by bleeding off the charge and ensuring proper alignment with active area landing regions. The etching stops at the underlying substrate.

Abstract: A method of high aspect ratio contact etching a substantially vertical contact hole in an oxide layer using a hard photoresist mask is described. The oxide layer is deposited on an underlying substrate. A plasma etching gas is formed from a carbon source gas. Dopants are mixed into the gas. The doped plasma etching gas etches a substantially vertical contact hole through the oxide layer by doping carbon chain polymers formed along the sidewalls of the contact holes during the etching process into a conductive state. The conductive state of the carbon chain polymers reduces the charge buildup along sidewalls to prevent twisting of the contact holes by bleeding off the charge and ensuring proper alignment with active area landing regions. The etching stops at the underlying substrate.

Abstract: A method of high aspect ratio contact etching a substantially vertical contact hole in an oxide layer using a hard photoresist mask is described. The oxide layer is deposited on an underlying substrate. A plasma etching gas is formed from a carbon source gas. Dopants are mixed into the gas. The doped plasma etching gas etches a substantially vertical contact hole through the oxide layer by doping carbon chain polymers formed along the sidewalls of the contact holes during the etching process into a conductive state. The conductive state of the carbon chain polymers reduces the charge buildup along sidewalls to prevent twisting of the contact holes by bleeding off the charge and ensuring proper alignment with active area landing regions. The etching stops at the underlying substrate.

Abstract: A method of high aspect ratio contact etching a substantially vertical contact hole in an oxide layer using a hard photoresist mask is described. The oxide layer is deposited on an underlying substrate. A plasma etching gas is formed from a carbon source gas. Dopants are mixed into the gas. The doped plasma etching gas etches a substantially vertical contact hole through the oxide layer by doping carbon chain polymers formed along the sidewalls of the contact holes during the etching process into a conductive state. The conductive state of the carbon chain polymers reduces the charge buildup along sidewalls to prevent twisting of the contact holes by bleeding off the charge and ensuring proper alignment with active area landing regions. The etching stops at the underlying substrate.

Abstract: A method for forming a semiconductor device comprises forming a layer to be etched, and forming a patterned photoresist layer over the layer to be etched. The patterned photoresist layer is treated prior to etching, for example by implantation with argon or nitrogen. This treatment reduces the volume of the photoresist, possibly by densifying the layer, which results in the photoresist layer being more resistant to an etch and decreasing the size of the feature to be formed. After treating the photoresist layer, the layer to be etched is exposed to an etchant.

Abstract: A gate is formed by creating a wafer stack, that includes a gate conductive layer over a substrate layer, depositing a SiO.sub.x N.sub.y layer over the conductive layer to act as a bottom anti-reflective coating (BARC), and forming a resist mask on the SiO.sub.x N.sub.y layer. Next, the resist mask is isotropically etched to further reduce the critical dimensions of the gate pattern formed therein, and then the underlying BARC and wafer stack are etched to form a gate out of the conductive layer.

Abstract: A gate is formed by depositing a gate conductive layer over a substrate layer, depositing an organic spin-on bottom anti-reflective coating (BARC) over the gate conductive layer, and forming a resist mask on the BARC. Next, the resist mask is controllably etched to further reduce the critical dimensions of gate pattern formed therein, and then the gate is formed by etching the gate conductive layer using the reduced size resist mask.

Abstract: The etch profile of side surfaces of a gate electrode is improved by heat treating the gate electrode layer after nitrogen implantation and before etching to form the gate electrode. Nitrogen implantation at high dosages to prevent subsequent impurity penetration through the gate dielectric layer, e.g., B penetration, amorphizes the upper portion of the gate electrode layer resulting in concave side surfaces upon etching to form the gate electrode. Heat treatment performed after nitrogen implantation can restore sufficient crystallinity so that, after etching the gate electrode layer, the side surfaces of the resulting gate electrode are substantially parallel.