{"schema_version":"1.0","canonical_url":"https://patentable.app/patents/US-9633948","patent":{"patent_number":"US-9633948","title":"Low energy etch process for nitrogen-containing dielectric layer","assignee":null,"inventors":[],"filing_date":"2015-10-20T00:00:00.000Z","publication_date":"2017-04-25T00:00:00.000Z","cpc_codes":["H01L","H01L","H01L","H01L","H01L","H01L","H01L","H01L","H01L","H01L","H01L","H01L"],"num_claims":19,"abstract":"A stack that includes, from bottom to top, a nitrogen-containing dielectric layer, an interconnect level dielectric material layer, and a hard mask layer is formed on a substrate. The hard mask layer and the interconnect level dielectric material layer are patterned by an etch. Employing the patterned hard mask layer as an etch mask, the nitrogen-containing dielectric layer is patterned by a break-through anisotropic etch, which employs a fluorohydrocarbon-containing plasma to break through the nitrogen-containing dielectric layer. Fluorohydrocarbon gases used to generate the fluorohydrocarbon-containing plasma generate a carbon-rich polymer residue, which interact with the nitrogen-containing dielectric layer to form volatile compounds. Plasma energy can be decreased below 100 eV to reduce damage to physically exposed surfaces of the interconnect level dielectric material layer."},"analysis":{"summary":null,"layman_explanation":null,"technical_analysis":null,"business_analysis":null,"faqs":null,"topics":[],"tech_cluster":null},"seo":{"title":"Low energy etch process for nitrogen-containing dielectric layer","description":"A stack that includes, from bottom to top, a nitrogen-containing dielectric layer, an interconnect level dielectric material layer, and a hard mask layer is formed on a substrate. The hard mask layer ","keywords":[]},"attribution":{"source":"Patentable","source_url":"https://patentable.app","canonical_url":"https://patentable.app/patents/US-9633948","license":"CC-BY-4.0-like","license_terms":"AI-generated analysis on this page (summary, layman_explanation, technical_analysis, business_analysis, faqs) may be reused with attribution and a visible link back to the canonical URL above. Patent abstracts, claims, and bibliographic data are USPTO public domain.","required_link":"https://patentable.app/patents/US-9633948","citation_suggestion":"Patentable. \"Low energy etch process for nitrogen-containing dielectric layer\" (US-9633948). https://patentable.app/patents/US-9633948","copyright_holder":"Nomic Interactive Technology LLC"},"links":{"html":"https://patentable.app/patents/US-9633948","json":"https://patentable.app/api/llm-context/US-9633948","site":"https://patentable.app","llms_txt":"https://patentable.app/llms.txt"},"generated_at":"2026-06-06T08:48:25.427Z"}