公开(公告)号：US10886137B2

公开(公告)日：2021-01-05

申请号：US16399391

申请日：2019-04-30

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： Prerna Sonthalia Goradia ,  Yogita Pareek ,  Geetika Bajaj ,  Robert Jan Visser ,  Nitin K. Ingle

IPC: H01L21/311 ,  H01L21/67

Abstract: Exemplary methods for selective etching of semiconductor materials may include flowing a fluorine-containing precursor into a processing region of a semiconductor processing chamber. The methods may also include flowing a silicon-containing suppressant into the processing region of the semiconductor processing chamber. The methods may further include contacting a substrate with the fluorine-containing precursor and the silicon-containing suppressant. The substrate may include an exposed region of silicon nitride and an exposed region of silicon oxide. The methods may also include selectively etching the exposed region of silicon nitride to the exposed region of silicon oxide.

公开(公告)号：US10593523B2

公开(公告)日：2020-03-17

申请号：US15139243

申请日：2016-04-26

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： Soonam Park ,  Yufei Zhu ,  Edwin C. Suarez ,  Nitin K. Ingle ,  Dmitry Lubomirsky ,  Jiayin Huang

IPC: H01J37/32 ,  H01L21/66 ,  H01L21/311 ,  H01L21/3213 ,  H01L21/67 ,  C23C16/455 ,  C23C16/50 ,  C23C16/505 ,  C23C16/52

Abstract: A method of conditioning internal surfaces of a plasma source includes flowing first source gases into a plasma generation cavity of the plasma source that is enclosed at least in part by the internal surfaces. Upon transmitting power into the plasma generation cavity, the first source gases ignite to form a first plasma, producing first plasma products, portions of which adhere to the internal surfaces. The method further includes flowing the first plasma products out of the plasma generation cavity toward a process chamber where a workpiece is processed by the first plasma products, flowing second source gases into the plasma generation cavity. Upon transmitting power into the plasma generation cavity, the second source gases ignite to form a second plasma, producing second plasma products that at least partially remove the portions of the first plasma products from the internal surfaces.

公开(公告)号：US10465294B2

公开(公告)日：2019-11-05

申请号：US15095342

申请日：2016-04-11

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： Xikun Wang ,  Jie Liu ,  Anchuan Wang ,  Nitin K. Ingle ,  Jeffrey W. Anthis ,  Benjamin Schmiege

IPC: H01L21/3213 ,  C23F1/02 ,  C23F1/12 ,  H01J37/32

Abstract: Methods are described herein for etching metal films which are difficult to volatize. The methods include exposing a metal film to a chlorine-containing precursor (e.g. Cl2). Chlorine is then removed from the substrate processing region. A carbon-and-nitrogen-containing precursor (e.g. TMEDA) is delivered to the substrate processing region to form volatile metal complexes which desorb from the surface of the metal film. The methods presented remove metal while very slowly removing the other exposed materials. A thin metal oxide layer may be present on the surface of the metal layer, in which case a local plasma from hydrogen may be used to remove the oxygen or amorphize the near surface region, which has been found to increase the overall etch rate.

公开(公告)号：US20190333776A1

公开(公告)日：2019-10-31

申请号：US16399391

申请日：2019-04-30

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： Prerna Sonthalia Goradia ,  Yogita Pareek ,  Geetika Bajaj ,  Robert Jan Visser ,  Nitin K. Ingle

IPC: H01L21/311 ,  H01L21/67

Abstract: Exemplary methods for selective etching of semiconductor materials may include flowing a fluorine-containing precursor into a processing region of a semiconductor processing chamber. The methods may also include flowing a silicon-containing suppressant into the processing region of the semiconductor processing chamber. The methods may further include contacting a substrate with the fluorine-containing precursor and the silicon-containing suppressant. The substrate may include an exposed region of silicon nitride and an exposed region of silicon oxide. The methods may also include selectively etching the exposed region of silicon nitride to the exposed region of silicon oxide.

公开(公告)号：US10297458B2

公开(公告)日：2019-05-21

申请号：US15670919

申请日：2017-08-07

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： Dongqing Yang ,  Tien Fak Tan ,  Peter Hillman ,  Lala Zhu ,  Nitin K. Ingle ,  Dmitry Lubomirsky ,  Christopher Snedigar ,  Ming Xia

IPC: H01L21/302 ,  H01L21/3065 ,  H01J37/32 ,  H01L21/02 ,  H01L21/3105

Abstract: Embodiments of the present technology may include a method of etching. The method may include mixing plasma effluents with a gas in a first section of a chamber to form a first mixture. The method may also include flowing the first mixture to a substrate in a second section of the chamber. The first section and the second section may include nickel plated material. The method may further include reacting the first mixture with the substrate to etch a first layer selectively over a second layer. In addition, the method may include forming a second mixture including products from reacting the first mixture with the substrate.

公开(公告)号：US20190019690A1

公开(公告)日：2019-01-17

申请号：US15651607

申请日：2017-07-17

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： Tom Choi ,  Mandar B. Pandit ,  Mang-Mang Ling ,  Nitin K. Ingle

IPC: H01L21/3213 ,  H01L29/66 ,  H01L21/3205

CPC classification number: H01L21/32137 ,  H01L21/3065 ,  H01L21/32055 ,  H01L21/32138 ,  H01L29/66545 ,  H01L29/66795

Abstract: Processing methods may be performed to limit damage of features of a substrate, such as missing fin damage. The methods may include forming a plasma of an inert precursor within a processing region of a processing chamber. Effluents of the plasma of the inert precursor may be utilized to passivate an exposed region of an oxygen-containing material that extends about a feature formed on a semiconductor substrate. A plasma of a hydrogen-containing precursor may also be formed within the processing region. Effluents of the plasma of the hydrogen-containing precursor may be directed, with DC bias, towards an exposed silicon-containing material on the semiconductor substrate. The methods may also include anisotropically etching the exposed silicon-containing material with the plasma effluents of the hydrogen-containing precursor, where the plasma effluents of the hydrogen-containing precursor selectively etch silicon relative to silicon oxide.

公开(公告)号：US10170336B1

公开(公告)日：2019-01-01

申请号：US15669326

申请日：2017-08-04

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： Zihui Li ,  Chia-Ling Kao ,  Anchuan Wang ,  Nitin K. Ingle

IPC: H01L21/302 ,  H01L21/3213 ,  H01L21/3065 ,  H01L29/66 ,  H01L21/02 ,  H01L21/67 ,  H01L29/40 ,  H01L21/311

Abstract: Embodiments of the present technology may include a method of etching. The method may include flowing a gas through a plasma to form plasma effluents. The method may also include reacting plasma effluents with a first layer defining a first feature. The first feature may include a first sidewall, a second sidewall, and a bottom. The first sidewall, the second sidewall, and the bottom may include the first layer. The first layer may be characterized by a first thickness on the sidewall. The method may further include forming a second layer from the reaction of the plasma effluents with the first layer. The first layer may be replaced by the second layer. The second layer may be characterized by a second thickness. The second thickness may be greater than or equal to the first thickness. The method may also include removing the second layer to expose a third layer.

公开(公告)号：US10062578B2

公开(公告)日：2018-08-28

申请号：US14746670

申请日：2015-06-22

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： Jingchun Zhang ,  Anchuan Wang ,  Nitin K. Ingle

IPC: B44C1/22 ,  C03C15/00 ,  C03C25/68 ,  C23F1/00 ,  H01L21/306 ,  H01L21/311 ,  H01J37/32 ,  H01L21/3213

CPC classification number: H01L21/31116 ,  H01J37/32422 ,  H01L21/31122 ,  H01L21/32136

Abstract: A method of selectively etching a metal-containing film from a substrate comprising a metal-containing layer and a silicon oxide layer includes flowing a fluorine-containing gas into a plasma generation region of a substrate processing chamber, and applying energy to the fluorine-containing gas to generate a plasma in the plasma generation region. The plasma comprises fluorine radicals and fluorine ions. The method also includes filtering the plasma to provide a reactive gas having a higher concentration of fluorine radicals than fluorine ions, and flowing the reactive gas into a gas reaction region of the substrate processing chamber. The method also includes exposing the substrate to the reactive gas in the gas reaction region of the substrate processing chamber. The reactive gas etches the metal-containing layer at a higher etch rate than the reactive gas etches the silicon oxide layer.

公开(公告)号：US10026597B2

公开(公告)日：2018-07-17

申请号：US15397429

申请日：2017-01-03

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： Chirantha Rodrigo ,  Jingchun Zhang ,  Lili Ji ,  Anchuan Wang ,  Nitin K. Ingle

IPC: H01J37/32 ,  H01L21/311 ,  C23C16/44 ,  H01L21/67

Abstract: The present disclosure provides methods for cleaning chamber components post substrate etching. In one example, a method for cleaning includes activating an etching gas mixture using a plasma to create an activated etching gas mixture, the etching gas mixture comprising hydrogen-containing precursor and a fluorine-containing precursor and delivering the activated etching gas mixture to a processing region of a process chamber, the process chamber having an edge ring positioned therein, the edge ring comprising a catalyst and anticatalytic material, wherein the activated gas removes the anticatalytic material from the edge ring.

公开(公告)号：US09991134B2

公开(公告)日：2018-06-05

申请号：US14246915

申请日：2014-04-07

Applicant: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.

Inventor： Anchuan Wang ,  Xinglong Chen ,  Zihui Li ,  Hiroshi Hamana ,  Zhijun Chen ,  Ching-Mei Hsu ,  Jiayin Huang ,  Nitin K. Ingle ,  Dmitry Lubomirsky ,  Shankar Venkataraman ,  Randhir Thakur

IPC: C23C16/44 ,  H01J37/32 ,  H01L21/02 ,  H01L21/263 ,  H01L21/268 ,  H01L21/306 ,  H01L21/3065 ,  H01L21/3105 ,  H01L21/311 ,  H01L21/3213 ,  H01L21/324 ,  H01L21/67 ,  H01L21/677 ,  H01L21/683

CPC classification number: H01L21/324 ,  C23C16/4405 ,  H01J37/32357 ,  H01J37/32862 ,  H01L21/02041 ,  H01L21/02057 ,  H01L21/0206 ,  H01L21/263 ,  H01L21/2686 ,  H01L21/30604 ,  H01L21/3065 ,  H01L21/3105 ,  H01L21/31111 ,  H01L21/31116 ,  H01L21/31144 ,  H01L21/32136 ,  H01L21/32137 ,  H01L21/67069 ,  H01L21/67075 ,  H01L21/6708 ,  H01L21/67109 ,  H01L21/67115 ,  H01L21/67184 ,  H01L21/6719 ,  H01L21/67196 ,  H01L21/67201 ,  H01L21/67207 ,  H01L21/67248 ,  H01L21/67253 ,  H01L21/67288 ,  H01L21/67703 ,  H01L21/67739 ,  H01L21/67742 ,  H01L21/6831

Abstract: Systems, chambers, and processes are provided for controlling process defects caused by moisture contamination. The systems may provide configurations for chambers to perform multiple operations in a vacuum or controlled environment. The chambers may include configurations to provide additional processing capabilities in combination chamber designs. The methods may provide for the limiting, prevention, and correction of aging defects that may be caused as a result of etching processes performed by system tools.