A method of etching a noble metal electrode layer disposed on a substrate to
produce
a semiconductor device including a plurality of electrodes separated by a distance
equal to or less than about 0.35 m and having a noble metal profile equal
to or greater than about 80. The method comprises heating the substrate to
a temperature greater than about 150 C., and etching the noble metal electrode
layer by employing a high density inductively coupled plasma of an etchant gas
comprising a gas selected from the group consisting of nitrogen, oxygen, a halogen
(e.g., chlorine), argon, and a gas selected from the group consisting of BCl3,
HBr, and SiCl4 mixtures thereof. Masking methods and etching sequences
for patterning high density RAM capacitors are also provided.
