DEVICE AND METHOD FOR ETCHING SPACERS FORMED UPON AN INTEGRATED CIRCUIT GATE CONDUCTOR

摘要

A dry etch process is presented wherein a semiconductor substrate (16) is introduced into a reaction chamber (11) between a first electrode (12) and a second electrode (14). The semiconductor substrate (16) may be positioned on the first electrode (12). A main flow of gas that includes an argon flow at an argon flow rate and a fluorocarbon flow at a fluorocarbon flow rate is established into the reaction chamber (11). RF power (22) at a low frequency may then be applied to the first electrode (12) for creating a fluorine-deficient plasma. An oxide layer (38) arranged above the semiconductor substrate (16) is exposed to the fluorine-deficient plasma for etching, in a single step, a portion of the oxide layer (38).