Abstract: A method and apparatus remove photoresist from a wafer. A process gas containing sulfur (S), oxygen (O), and hydrogen (H) is provided, and a plasma is generated from the process gas in a first chamber. A radical-rich ion-poor reaction medium is flown from the first chamber to a second chamber where the wafer is placed. The patterned photoresist layer on the wafer is removed using the reaction medium, and then the reaction medium flowing into the second chamber is stopped. Water vapor may be introduced in a salvation zone provided in a passage of the reaction medium flowing down from the plasma such that the water vapor solvates the reaction medium to form solvated clusters of species before the reaction medium reaches the wafer. The photoresist is removed using the solvated reaction medium.

Abstract: A silicon layer is etched through a patterned mask formed thereon using an etch chamber. A fluorine (F) containing etch gas and a silicon (Si) containing chemical vapor deposition gas are provided in the etch chamber. The fluorine (F) containing etch gas is used to etch features into the silicon layer, and the silicon (Si) containing chemical vapor deposition gas is used to form a silicon-containing deposition layer on sidewalls of the features. A plasma is generated from the etch gas and the chemical vapor deposition gas, and a bias voltage is provided. Features are etched into the silicon layer using the plasma, and a silicon-containing passivation layer is deposited on the sidewalls of the features which are being etched. Silicon in the passivation layer primarily comes from the chemical vapor deposition gas. The etch gas and the chemical vapor deposition gas are then stopped.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for etching a silicon layer through a patterned mask formed thereon are provided. The silicon layer is placed in an etch chamber. An etch gas comprising a fluorine containing gas and an oxygen and hydrogen containing gas is provided into the etch chamber. A plasma is generated from the etch gas and features are etched into the silicon layer using the plasma. The etch gas is then stopped. The plasma may contain OH radicals.

Abstract: Methods of processing a substrate so as to protect an active area include positioning a substrate in an inductively coupled plasma processing chamber, supplying process gas to the chamber, generating plasma from the process gas and processing the substrate so as to protect the active area by maintaining a plasma potential of about 5 to 15 volts at the substrate surface and/or passivating the active area by using a siliane-free process gas including at least one additive effective to form a protective layer on the active area of the substrate wherein the protective layer includes at least one element from the additive which is already present in the active area.

Abstract: Methods of etching a carbon-rich layer on organic photoresist overlying an inorganic layer can utilize a process gas including a fluorine-containing gas, an oxygen-containing gas, and a hydrocarbon gas, and one or more optional components to generate a plasma effective to etch the carbon-rich layer with low removal of the inorganic layer. The carbon-rich layer can be removed in the same processing chamber, or alternatively can be removed in a different processing chamber, as used to remove the bulk photoresist.

Abstract: Methods of etching a carbon-rich layer on organic photoresist overlying an inorganic layer can utilize a process gas including CxHyFz, where y?x and z?0, and one or more optional components to generate a plasma effective to etch the carbon-rich layer with low removal of the inorganic layer. The carbon-rich layer can be removed in the same processing chamber, or alternatively can be removed in a different processing chamber, as used to remove the bulk photoresist.

Abstract: Methods of etching a carbon-rich layer on organic photoresist overlying an inorganic layer can utilize a process gas including CxHyFz, where y≧x and z≧0, and one or more optional components to generate a plasma effective to etch the carbon-rich layer with low removal of the inorganic layer. The carbon-rich layer can be removed in the same processing chamber, or alternatively can be removed in a different processing chamber, as used to remove the bulk photoresist.

Abstract: A method for making a vertical profile contact opening (18) uses an etch stop layer (14), interposed between a conductor layer (10) and a dielectric layer (16), to eliminate resputtering of the underlying conductor material which prevents tapering of the etched opening (18). This contact opening formation is accomplished using different etchant chemistries, etching one film selective to the other. The use of the etch stop material in conjunction with conventional interconnect structures allows multiple stacking of contact features or multilevel interconnects to be achieved independent of underlying topography without increasing overall contact/via resistance. The method allows the fabrication of an unlanded via structure (30) having substantially vertical sidewall profile.

Abstract: Interlevel gaps between closely spaced circuit elements, such as closely spaced metal interconnect lines, are filed using a biased electron cyclotron resonance (ECR) deposition process. The gaps between circuit elements may be separated by distances of less than 0.6 microns and the gaps can have aspect rations in excess of 2.0. To fill such gaps between the circuit elements on a semiconductor wafer, the wafer is mounted in an ECR reaction chamber. A continuing flow of oxygen (O.sub.2) and silane (SiH.sub.4) gas is introduced into the ECR system's plasma and reaction chambers, respectively, while applying a microwave excitation so as to generate a plasma. High deposition rates and low film stress are achieved by controlling the flow of oxygen and silane so as to maintain an oxygen to silane gas flow ratio of less than 1.5.