Low-temperature etching environment

Abstract

A low-temperature etching environment comprising a halogen and an inert gas in a ratio that does not induce the formation of an etch-limiting surface reaction layer during etching in the low-temperature etching environment. The surface temperature of a material being etched in the low-temperature environment is below that which would melt a photoresist material that has not been treated to increase its glass-reflow temperature.

We claim:  
     
         1 . A low-temperature etching environment, comprising: 
 a halogen; and    an inert gas;    wherein said halogen and said inert gas are provided in a ratio that does not induce the formation of an etch-limiting surface reaction layer during etching in said low-temperature etching environment.    
     
     
         2 . The low-temperature etching environment of  claim 1 , wherein the temperature of a surface of a material being etched in said low-temperature etching environment below that which would melt a photoresist material that has not been treated to increase its glass-reflow temperature.  
     
     
         3 . The low-temperature etching environment of  claim 1 , wherein said halogen is selected from fluorine, chlorine, bromine, iodine and compounds comprising fluorine, chlorine, bromine, or iodine.  
     
     
         4 . The low-temperature etching environment of  claim 1 , wherein said inert gas is selected from helium, neon, argon, krypton, and xenon.  
     
     
         5 . The low-temperature etching environment of  claim 1 , wherein said halogen comprises chlorine.  
     
     
         6 . The low-temperature etching environment of  claim 1 , wherein said inert gas comprises argon.  
     
     
         7 . The low-temperature etching environment of  claim 1 , wherein said ratio of said halogen and said inert gas is achieved by a flow rate of said halogen less than 20 percent of the combined flow rate of said halogen and said inert gas.  
     
     
         8 . A method of etching a surface reaction layer limited material, the method comprising: 
 a) receiving said surface reaction layer limited material in a low-temperature etching environment comprising: 
 a halogen and an inert gas in a ratio that does not induce the formation of an etch-limiting surface reaction layer during etching in said low-temperature etching environment; and  
   b) etching said surface reaction layer limited material within said low-temperature etching environment.    
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein said surface reaction layer limited material comprises a semiconductor.  
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein said surface reaction layer limited material comprises indium.  
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein said surface reaction layer limited material comprises copper.  
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein said halogen comprises chlorine.  
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein said inert gas comprises argon.  
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the temperature of said low-temperature etching environment is below that which would melt a photoresist material that has not been treated to increase its glass-reflow temperature.  
     
     
         15 . A method for inhibiting formation of a surface reaction layer formed in a low-temperature etching environment, said method comprising: 
 introducing an inert gas into said low-temperature etching environment;    introducing a halogen into said low-temperature etching environment in a ratio to said inert gas that does not induce the formation of an etch-limiting surface reaction layer during etching in said low-temperature etching environment.    
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the temperature of said low-temperature etching environment is below that which would melt a photoresist material that has not been treated to increase its glass-reflow temperature.  
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein said halogen is selected from fluorine, chlorine, bromine, iodine and compounds comprising fluorine, chlorine, bromine, or iodine.  
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein said inert gas is selected from helium, neon, argon, krypton, and xenon.  
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein said halogen comprises chlorine.  
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein said inert gas comprises argon.  
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein said ratio of said halogen to said inert gas is achieved by a flow rate of said halogen less than 20 percent of the combined flow rate of said halogen and said inert gas.  
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein said low-temperature etching environment comprises plasma etching of sufficient ion density to physically minimize the surface reaction layer as it is being formed.