The invention relates to a method for forming a
semiconductor structure, which comprises the following steps of: providing a substrate which comprises a substrate, a
dielectric layer positioned on the substrate and a
mask layer positioned on the surface of the
dielectric layer;
etching gas is adopted to take the
mask layer as a
mask, a part of thickness of the
dielectric layer is removed through
etching, an initial groove is formed, and the number ratio of carbon atoms to
fluorine atoms in the
etching gas is a first ratio; the etched substrate is washed with washing gas, the number ratio of carbon atoms to
fluorine atoms of the washing gas is a second ratio, and the second ratio is smaller than the first ratio; the second ratio is smaller than the first ratio, on one hand, the flushing gas is added, namely, carbon atoms in the etching gas are diluted, so that carbon-containing by-products are reduced, on the other hand,
fluorine atoms are increased, the fluorine atoms can decompose the
metal by-products from macromolecules to micromolecules, and the
metal by-products are decomposed from macromolecules to micromolecules. And in the subsequent air exhaust process,
metal by-products can be removed, so that the cleanliness of the surfaces of the etched
mask layer and the
dielectric layer is improved, and the method has a relatively wide application range.