Damage-free metal etching using Lissajous electron plasma

Requirements for metal etching in sub-half micron devices include precise profile and dimension control along with low charge related damage for gate oxides thinner than 10 nm. Lissajous Electron Plasma (LEP) is a new plasma generation method which provides a uniform low pressure plasma using a rotating electric field. Due to its low operating pressure, LEP achieves excellent profile control and high selectivity without using polymer forming gases. In addition, generation of a low pressure plasma with a non-magnetic configuration, which is a distinctive feature of LEP, results in damage-free etching in CMOS devices.<>