Appeal No. 2005-0537
Application No. 08/925,985 Page 2
1. In a plasma processing chamber, a method for
improving etch uniformity while etching a semiconductor
substrate, comprising:
placing said semiconductor substrate into a
sacrificial substrate holder, said sacrificial
substrate holder being configured to present a
sacrificial etch portion surrounding said semiconductor
substrate to a plasma within said plasma processing
chamber to permit said plasma to etch a first surface
of said semiconductor substrate and a first surface of
said sacrificial etch portion simultaneously, said
first surface of said sacrificial etch portion being
formed of a pure metallic material capable of being
etched by said plasma and configured to be parallel
with said first surface of said semiconductor
substrate;
positioning said semiconductor substrate and said
sacrificial substrate holder into said plasma
processing chamber;
striking said plasma from an etchant source gas
released into said plasma processing chamber; and
simultaneously etching said first surface of said
semiconductor and said first surface of said
sacrificial etch portion using said plasma.
The prior art references of record relied upon by the
examiner in rejecting the appealed claims are:
Zhao et al. (Zhao) 5,558,717 Sep. 24, 1996
Hills et al. (Hills) 5,685,914 Nov. 11, 1997
(Filed Apr. 05, 1994)
Abraham 5,772,906 Jun. 30, 1998
(Filed May 30, 1996)
Ye et al. (Ye) 5,891,348 Apr. 06, 1999
(Filed Jan 26, 1996)
Abraham et al. 5,952,244 Sep. 14, 1999
(Filed Feb. 15, 1996)
Rossman et al. (Rossman) 6,077,357 Jun. 20, 2000
(Filed May 29, 1997)
Bhan et al. (Bhan) 6,090,167 Jul. 18, 2000
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