Improvement of resist mask plasma etching durability by plasma chemical polymerization

Abstract A new method for improving resist plasma etching durability by means of plasma chemical modification has been developed. It was shown that organic films formed in radio frequency discharge in the mixture of argon and methylmethacrylate(MMA) while submitted to r.f. plasma in conditions usually used for etching in RIE mode were found to have 8–10 times greater durability than that for polymethylmethacrylate containing resists. The optimal range has been found for discharge parameters in which plasma polymerization occurs only on the surface of resist and not on the substrate. An influence of pre-treatment in argon glow discharge before plasma polymerization on the final value of plasma etch resistance has also been studied for different discharge parameters.