60 MHz pulsed radio frequency (rf) source power and 2 MHz continuous wave rf bias power, were used for SiO2 etching masked with an amorphous carbon layer (ACL) in an Ar/C4F8/O-2 gas mixture, and the effects of the frequency and duty ratio of the 60 MHz pulse rf power on the SiO2 etch characteristics were investigated. With decreasing duty ratio of the 60 MHz pulse rf power, not only the etch rate of SiO2 but also the etch rate of ACL was decreased, however, the etch selectivity of SiO2 over ACL was improved with decreasing the duty ratio. On the other hand, when the pulse frequency was varied at a constant duty ratio, no significant change in the etch rate and etch selectivity of both materials could be observed. The variation of the etch characteristics was believed to be related to the change in the gas dissociation characteristics caused by the change in the average electron temperature for different pulsing conditions. The improvement in the etch selectivity with the decrease of duty ratio, therefore, was related to the decreased gas dissociation of C4F8 by the decrease of average electron temperature and, which resulted in a change in composition of the fluorocarbon polymer on the etched materials surface from C-C rich to CF2 rich. With decreasing the duty ratio, not only the etch selectivity but also the improvement in the SiO2 etch profile could be observed. (C) 2013 Elsevier B. V. All rights reserved.