Formation of amorphous carbon ARC stack having graded transition between amorphous carbon and ARC material
Patent 6875664 Issued on April 5, 2005. Estimated Expiration Date: August 29, 2022. Estimated Expiration Date is calculated based on simple USPTO term provisions. It does not account for terminal disclaimers, term adjustments, failure to pay maintenance fees, or other factors which might affect the term of a patent.
A method of forming an integrated circuit using an amorphous carbon hard mask involves providing an amorphous carbon material layer above a layer of conductive material and providing an anti-reflective coating (ARC) material layer above the amorphous carbon material. A transition region is formed intermediate the amorphous carbon material layer and the ARC material layer. The transition region has a concentration profile that provides a transition between the amorphous carbon material layer and the ARC material layer. A portion of the amorphous carbon material layer, the ARC material layer, and the transition region is removed to form a hard mask, and a feature is formed in the layer of conductive material according to the hard mask.
Other References
Wolf, S., Tauber, R. N., “Silicon Processing For the VLSI Era”, Lattice Press, Sunset Beach, CA; 1986; pp. 322, 384-385, 556-557.
U.S. Appl. No. 10/277,760, entitled “Sacrificial Air Gap Layer for Insulation of Metals”, as filed on Aug. 8, 2002, including claims, drawings, and abstract (17 pages).
U.S. Appl. No. 10/244,650, entitled “Use of Multilayer Amorphous Carbon Arc Stack to Eliminate Line Warpage Phenomenon”, as filed on Sep. 16, 2002, including claims, drawings, and abstract (30 pages).
U.S. Appl. No. 10/217,730, entitled “Ion Implantation to Modulate Amorphous Carbon Stress”, as filed on Aug. 13, 2002, including claims, drawings, and abstract (29 pages).
U.S. Appl. No. 10/424,420, entitled “Use of Amorphous Carbon for Gate Patterning”, filed Apr. 28, 2003, by Fisher et al.
U.S. Appl. No. 10/230,775, entitled “Use of Buffer Dielectric Layer with Amorphous Carbon Mask to Reduce Line Warpage”, as filed on Aug. 29, 2002, including claims, drawings, and abstract (28 pages).
U.S. Appl. No. 10/335,726, entitled “Use of Diamond as a Hard Mask Material”, as filed on Jan. 2, 2003, including claims, drawings, and abstract (26 pages).
U.S. Appl. No. 10/424,675, entitled “Selective Stress-Inducing Implant and Resulting Pattern Distortion in Amorphous Carbon Patterning”, as filed on Apr. 28, 2003, including claims, drawings, and abstract (28 pages).
U.S. Appl. No. 10/445,129, entitled “Modified Film Stack and Patterning Strategy for Stress Compensation and Prevention of Pattern Distortion in Amorphous Carbon Gate Patterning”, as filed on May 20, 2003, including claims, drawings, and abstract (29 pages).
U.S. Appl. No. 10/215,173, entitled “Use of Amorphous Carbon Hand Mask for Gate Patterning to Eliminate Requirement of Poly Re-Oxidation”, as filed Aug. 8, 2002, including claims, drawings, and abstract (29 pages).