Method of forming a via contact

1. A method of forming a device comprising:

providing a substrate having a device component with a contact region;

forming a conformal etch stop layer on the substrate, wherein the etch stop layer covers sidewalls and a top surface of the device component and substrate;

forming a contact dielectric layer on the substrate, wherein the contact dielectric layer covers the substrate and etch stop layer; and

forming at least one contact opening through the contact dielectric layer, wherein upper portion of the contact opening includes wider opening with tapered sidewall profile while lower portion of the contact opening includes narrower opening with vertical sidewall profile, wherein forming the at least one contact opening comprises:

providing a patterned mask layer over the contact dielectric layer, wherein the patterned mask layer comprises at least one opening corresponding to the contact region,

removing portions of the contact dielectric layer exposed by the opening of the mask layer to form the at least one contact opening extending from a top surface to a bottom surface of the contact dielectric layer, the at least one contact opening having an initial vertical sidewall profile throughout its depth from the top surface of the contact dielectric layer, and

integrating an etch back process with a mask layer removal process, wherein the mask layer removal process removes the patterned mask layer and the etch back process removes upper portion of the contact opening such that the upper portion of the contact opening includes wider opening with tapered sidewall profile.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein portions of the contact dielectric layer is removed by performing an etch process using C x F y etch chemistries.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the mask layer removal process and etch back process comprise an ashing process.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the ashing process are performed using O 2 chemistries with O 2 flow rate of about 200-1000 sccm, top RF power of about 0-1000 W, bottom RF power of about 0-500 W and pressure of about 30-100 mTorr.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the upper portion of the contact opening comprises a width which is about 50-200% wider than a width of the lower portion of the contact opening.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the upper portion of the contact opening having wider opening includes a depth of about 10-30% of the total depth of the contact opening from a top surface of the contact dielectric layer.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein removing portions of the contact dielectric layer comprises etching the exposed portions of the contact dielectric layer selective to the etch stop layer.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the etch stop layer is provided in between the substrate, the etch stop layer is in direct contact with the sidewalls and the top surface of the device component and substrate and a portion of the etch stop which is exposed by the contact opening is removed.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the exposed etch stop layer is removed after performing the etch back process with the in-situ mask layer removal process.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the exposed etch stop layer is removed by selective etching.

11. The method of claim 1 further comprising forming a contact in the at least one contact opening.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein forming the contact in the at least one contact opening comprises filling the at least one contact with a conductive material.

13. A method of forming a device comprising:

providing a substrate prepared with a transistor having at least one contact region, wherein the transistor comprises a gate and sidewalls;

forming a conformal etch stop layer on the substrate, wherein the etch stop layer covers sidewalls of the transistor, a top surface of the gate and substrate;

forming a contact dielectric layer on the substrate, wherein the contact dielectric layer covers the substrate and etch stop layer; and

forming at least one contact opening through the contact dielectric layer, wherein upper portion of the contact opening includes wider opening with tapered sidewall profile while lower portion of the contact opening includes narrower opening with vertical sidewall profile, wherein forming at least one contact opening comprises:

providing a patterned mask layer over the contact dielectric layer, wherein the patterned mask layer comprises at least one opening corresponding to the contact region,

removing portions of the contact dielectric layer exposed by the opening of the mask layer to form the at least one contact opening extending from a top surface to a bottom surface of the contact dielectric layer, the at least one contact opening having an initial vertical sidewall profile throughout its depth from the top surface of the contact dielectric layer, and

integrating an etch back process with a mask layer removal process, wherein the mask layer removal process removes the patterned mask layer and the etch back process removes upper portion of the contact opening such that the upper portion of the contact opening includes wider opening with tapered sidewall profile.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the etch stop layer is provided in between the substrate and the contact dielectric layer, the etch stop layer is in direct contact with the sidewalls and the top surface of the device component and substrate and a portion of the etch stop which is exposed by the contact opening is removed.

15. The method of claim 13 wherein portions of the contact dielectric layer is removed by performing an etch process selective to the etch stop layer.

16. The method of claim 14 wherein removing portions of the contact dielectric layer comprises etching the exposed portions of the contact dielectric layer selective to the etch stop layer.

17. The method of claim 14 wherein the exposed portion of the etch stop layer is removed after the removal of the patterned mask layer and upper portion of the contact opening.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein the exposed etch stop layer is removed by selective etching.

19. The method of claim 14 further comprising forming a contact in the at least one contact opening.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein forming the contact in the at least one contact opening comprises filling the at least one contact with a conductive material.