Preparation of organic layers for oxygen etching

摘要

An improved method of etching a layer of organic material on a sustrate by oxygen plasma or oxygen reactive ion etching is disclosed. The surface of the layer is flood exposed with a plasma including a fluorine species for a time sufficient to significantly reduce the etch rate thereof in the oxygen etch. A patterned mask is then formed on the layer and the exposed portion etched. The subject method produces vertical walls in the etch profile with substantially no rounding of the top edge.