Appeal 2007-1097
Application 10/230,593
1 According to the Appellant’s specification, the dry plasma etchant is a
2 CO2 compound either alone or in combination with at least one other gas,
3 such as NH3, H2, Ar, N2, He, or inert gases. Specification 11:1-4.
4 The Appellant discloses that the CO2 etchant has several advantages,
5 including greater control of the etch rate and greater selectivity.
6 Specification 11:6-19.
7 2. Claims on appeal
8 The Application contains four independent claims, claims 1, 11,
9 20, and 23. Claim 1 is representative of the subject matter on appeal:
10 A method for patterning an organic bottom anti-reflectant
11 coating layer over a semiconductor substrate, the method
12 comprising the act of:
13 using a dry etch plasma process, the dry etch plasma
14 process consisting of CO2 in combination with only one of an
15 inert gas, NH3, H2, Ar, N2 or He to pattern the organic bottom
16 anti-reflectant coating layer.
17
18 3. Gupta
19 The invention disclosed in Gupta enables the removal of an organic
20 ARC layer which is exposed after patterning a photoresist layer. Gupta
21 4:34-37.
22 A magnetically-enhanced reactive ion etch (MERIE) system is
23 employed to remove the ARC layer. Gupta 7:5-7.
24 A plasma etchant is introduced into the MERIE system to etch the
25 layer of ARC. Gupta 7:16-18.
26 The plasma etchant includes an oxygen plasma. Gupta 7:18-19.
27 An “oxygen plasma” means a plasma comprising oxygen species,
28 such as O2+ and O+, derived from a source of oxygen, such as O2, NO, N2O,
29 NO2, CO, and CO2. Gupta 7:21-24.
4
Page: Previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Next
Last modified: September 9, 2013