| abstract |
Methods and apparatus for processing substrates are provided. In some embodiments, a method of processing a substrate includes: (a) providing a processing gas between a first electrode and a second electrode within a processing volume, the processing gas comprising a polymer forming gas and an etching gas, wherein the first electrode is in the second Opposite the electrode; (b) applying a first voltage waveform from the first RF power source to the second electrode to form a plasma from the processing gas, wherein the plasma has a first ion energy and deposits a polymer layer directly on top of the dielectric layer of the substrate And (c) adjusting the first voltage waveform to a second voltage waveform to increase the ion energy of the plasma from the first ion energy to the second ion energy, wherein the plasma stops depositing the polymer layer at the second ion energy And begin etching the polymer layer and the dielectric layer. |