Abstract: Methods for etching high-k material at high temperatures are provided. In one embodiment, a method etching high-k material on a substrate may include providing a substrate having a high-k material layer disposed thereon into an etch chamber, forming a plasma from an etching gas mixture including at least a halogen containing gas into the etch chamber, maintaining a temperature of an interior surface of the etch chamber in excess of about 100 degree Celsius while etching the high-k material layer in the presence of the plasma, and maintaining a substrate temperature between about 100 degree Celsius and about 250 degrees Celsius while etching the high-k material layer in the presence of the plasma.

Abstract: Methods for etching high-k material at high temperatures are provided. In one embodiment, a method etching high-k material on a substrate may include providing a substrate having a high-k material layer disposed thereon into an etch chamber, forming a plasma from an etching gas mixture including at least a halogen containing gas into the etch chamber, maintaining a temperature of an interior surface of the etch chamber in excess of about 100 degree Celsius while etching the high-k material layer in the presence of the plasma, and maintaining a substrate temperature between about 100 degree Celsius and about 250 degrees Celsius while etching the high-k material layer in the presence of the plasma.

Abstract: Methods for etching high-k material at high temperatures are provided. In one embodiment, a method etching high-k material on a substrate may include providing a substrate having a high-k material layer disposed thereon into an etch chamber, forming a plasma from an etching gas mixture including at least a halogen containing gas into the etch chamber, maintaining a temperature of an interior surface of the etch chamber in excess of about 100 degree Celsius while etching the high-k material layer in the presence of the plasma, and maintaining a substrate temperature between about 100 degree Celsius and about 250 degrees Celsius while etching the high-k material layer in the presence of the plasma.

Abstract: A method of etching a multi-layer film, wherein the multi-layer film comprises at least one conductive layer and a ferroelectric layer formed sequentially on a substrate comprises forming a hard mask on at least one of the at least one conductive layers. The hard mask is used to etch the first conductive layer and the ferroelectric layer at a temperature that may exceed 100 degrees. A semiconductor device comprises first electrodes formed on a substrate, ferroelectric portions formed on the first electrodes, second electrodes formed on the ferroelectric portions, and hard masks formed on the second electrode.

Abstract: In an embodiment of the present invention, a method is provided of patterning PZT layers or BST layers. For example, a PZT layer or a BST layer is plasma etched through a high-temperature-compatible mask such as a titanium nitride (TiN) mask, using a plasma feed gas comprising as a primary etchant boron trichloride (BCl3) or silicon tetrachloride (SiCi4). Although BCl3 or SiCl4 may be used alone as the etchant plasma source gas, it is typically used in combination with an essentially inert gas. Preferably the essentially inert gas is argon. Other potential essentially inert gases which may be used include xenon, krypton, and helium. In some instances O2 or N2, or Cl2, or a combination thereof may be added to the primary etchant to increase the etch rate of PZT or BST relative to adjacent materials, such as the high-temperature-compatible masking material. A TiN masking material can easily be removed without damaging underlying oxides.