Three types of damage mechanisms in sub-half-micron metal-oxide-silicon field-effect transistors resulting from polycrystalline silicon (poly-Si) gate definition and metal inteconnect plasma etch processes are reviewed. These mechanisms are : (1) inductive damage which arises from inductive coupling between interconnect circuitary and time-varying magnetic fields during plasma exposure; (2) damage induced by metal layout coupled with plasma nonuniformities and arising from electrical stress in the form of hot carrier injection or Fowler-Nordheim tunneling at the gate oxide edge: and (3) plasma exposure and bombardment damage. These damage mechanisms are shown to be distinctly different from the well-known plasma charging damage which is dependent on poly-Si antenna ratio and which is healed by a 400 °C 30 minutes anneal in forming gas.