a method is disclosed for etching a polysilicon material in a manner that prevents formation of an abnormal polysilicon profile . the method includes providing a substrate with a word line and depositing a polysilicon layer over said substrate and word line . an organic bottom antireflective coating layer is then deposited over said polysilicon layer . a ladder etch is performed to remove the barc layer and a portion of the polysilicon layer . the ladder etch consists of a series of etch cycles , with each cycle including a breakthrough etch and a soft landing etch . the breakthrough and soft landing etches are performed using different etchant gases , and at different source and bias powers , pressures , gas flow rates , and periods of time . the ladder etch results in a smooth polysilicon surface without abrupt steps .