METHODS FOR DRY ETCHING COBALT METAL USING FLUORINE RADICALS

摘要

Embodiments of methods for etching cobalt metal using fluorine radicals are provided herein. In some embodiments, a method of etching a cobalt layer in a substrate processing chamber includes: forming a plasma from a process gas comprising a fluorine-containing gas; and exposing the cobalt layer to fluorine radicals from the plasma while maintaining the cobalt layer at a temperature of about 50 to about 500 degrees Celsius to etch the cobalt layer.