ETCHING METHOD INCLUDING PHOTORESIST PLASMA CONDITIONING STEP WITH HYDROGEN FLOW RATE RAMPING

摘要

A method for etching a feature in an etch layer (208) through a photoresist mask (212) over a substrate (204) is provided. A substrate with an etch layer disposed below a photoresist mask is placed in a process chamber. The photoresist mask is conditioned, wherein the conditioning comprises providing a conditioning gas comprising a hydrogen containing gas with a flow rate and at least one of a fluorocarbon and a hydrofluorocarbon with a flow rate to the process chamber; and energizing the conditioning gas to form the conditioning plasma so as to harden the photoresist (214). The conditioning plasma is stopped. An etch plasma is provided to the process chamber, wherein the etch plasma is different than the conditioning plasma. A feature is etched in the etch layer (208) with the etch plasma.