公开(公告)号：US09875907B2

公开(公告)日：2018-01-23

申请号：US15235048

申请日：2016-08-11

Applicant: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.

Inventor： Fei Wang ,  Mikhail Korolik ,  Nitin K. Ingle ,  Anchuan Wang ,  Robert Jan Visser

IPC: H01L21/311 ,  H01L21/461 ,  H01L21/02 ,  H01L21/033 ,  H01J37/32 ,  H01L21/3105

CPC classification number: H01L21/31116 ,  H01J37/3244 ,  H01L21/02164 ,  H01L21/0217 ,  H01L21/0337 ,  H01L21/3105 ,  H01L21/31144

Abstract: Methods of etching silicon nitride faster than silicon oxide are described. Exposed portions of silicon nitride and silicon oxide may both be present on a patterned substrate. A self-assembled monolayer (SAM) is selectively deposited over the silicon oxide but not on the exposed silicon nitride. Molecules of the self-assembled monolayer include a head moiety and a tail moiety, the head moiety forming a bond with the OH group on the exposed silicon oxide portion and the tail moiety extending away from the patterned substrate. A subsequent gas-phase etch using anhydrous vapor-phase HF may then be used to selectively remove silicon nitride much faster than silicon oxide because the SAM has been found to delay the etch and reduce the etch rate.

公开(公告)号：US09837284B2

公开(公告)日：2017-12-05

申请号：US15453786

申请日：2017-03-08

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： Zhijun Chen ,  Anchuan Wang ,  Nitin K. Ingle

IPC: H01L21/302 ,  H01L21/311 ,  H01J37/32

CPC classification number: H01L21/31116 ,  H01J37/32082 ,  H01J37/32357 ,  H01J2237/3341

Abstract: A method of etching exposed silicon oxide on patterned heterogeneous structures is described and includes a gas phase etch using plasma effluents formed in a remote plasma. The remote plasma excites a fluorine-containing precursor in combination with an oxygen-containing precursor. Plasma effluents within the remote plasma are flowed into a substrate processing region where the plasma effluents combine with water vapor or an alcohol. The combination react with the patterned heterogeneous structures to remove an exposed silicon oxide portion faster than an exposed silicon nitride portion. The inclusion of the oxygen-containing precursor may suppress the silicon nitride etch rate and result in unprecedented silicon oxide etch selectivity.

公开(公告)号：US09831097B2

公开(公告)日：2017-11-28

申请号：US15043955

申请日：2016-02-15

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： Nitin K. Ingle ,  Anchuan Wang ,  Zihui Li ,  Mikhail Korolik

IPC: H01L21/3065 ,  H01L21/308

CPC classification number: H01L21/3065 ,  H01J37/32357 ,  H01L21/3081 ,  H01L21/31116 ,  H01L21/31122 ,  H01L21/32137

Abstract: The present disclosure provides methods for etching a silicon material in a device structure in semiconductor applications. In one example, a method for etching features in a silicon material includes performing a remote plasma process formed from an etching gas mixture including HF gas without nitrogen etchants to remove a silicon material disposed on a substrate.

公开(公告)号：US09721789B1

公开(公告)日：2017-08-01

申请号：US15332870

申请日：2016-10-24

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： Dongqing Yang ,  Lala Zhu ,  Fei Wang ,  Nitin K. Ingle

IPC: H01L21/02 ,  H01L21/311 ,  H01L21/324 ,  H01L21/67 ,  H01L21/687 ,  H01L21/673

CPC classification number: H01L21/02334 ,  H01J37/32357 ,  H01L21/02164 ,  H01L21/02211 ,  H01L21/02348 ,  H01L21/3105 ,  H01L21/31116 ,  H01L21/31144 ,  H01L21/324 ,  H01L21/67069 ,  H01L21/67086 ,  H01L21/67103 ,  H01L21/67109 ,  H01L21/6715 ,  H01L21/67167 ,  H01L21/67201 ,  H01L21/67389 ,  H01L21/68707 ,  H01L21/68742

Abstract: Methods of selectively removing silicon oxide are described. Exposed portions of silicon oxide and spacer material may both be present on a patterned substrate. The silicon oxide may be a native oxide formed on silicon by exposure to atmosphere. The exposed portion of spacer material may have been etched back using reactive ion etching (RIE). A portion of the exposed spacer material may have residual damage from the reactive ion etching. A self-assembled monolayer (SAM) is selectively deposited over the damaged portion of spacer material but not on the exposed silicon oxide or undamaged portions of spacer material. A subsequent gas-phase etch may then be used to selectively remove silicon oxide but not the damaged portion of the spacer material because the SAM has been found to not only preferentially adsorb on the damaged spacer but also to halt the etch rate.

公开(公告)号：US09659791B2

公开(公告)日：2017-05-23

申请号：US14801542

申请日：2015-07-16

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： Xikun Wang ,  David Cui ,  Anchuan Wang ,  Nitin K. Ingle

IPC: H01L21/302 ,  H01L21/461 ,  B44C1/22 ,  C03C15/00 ,  C03C25/68 ,  C23F1/00 ,  C23F3/00 ,  H01L21/3213 ,  H01L21/768 ,  H01L21/02 ,  H01L21/311 ,  H01L21/3065

CPC classification number: H01L21/32138 ,  H01J37/32449 ,  H01L21/02071 ,  H01L21/3065 ,  H01L21/31122 ,  H01L21/32135 ,  H01L21/32136 ,  H01L21/7684

Abstract: Methods are described for etching metal layers that are difficult to volatize, such as cobalt, nickel, and platinum to form an etched metal layer with reduced surface roughness. The methods include pretreating the metal layer with a local plasma formed from a hydrogen-containing precursor. The pretreated metal layer is then reacted with a halogen-containing precursor to form a halogenated metal layer having a halogenated etch product. A carbon-and-nitrogen-containing precursor reacts with the halogenated etch product to form a volatile etch product that can be removed in the gas phase from the etched surface of the metal layer. The surface roughness may be reduced by performing one or more plasma treatments on the etching metal layer after a plurality of etching sequences. Surface roughness is also reduced by controlling the temperature and length of time the metal layer is reacting with the etchant precursors.

公开(公告)号：US09653310B1

公开(公告)日：2017-05-16

申请号：US14961495

申请日：2015-12-07

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： Zihui Li ,  Xing Zhong ,  Anchuan Wang ,  Nitin K. Ingle

IPC: H01L21/302 ,  H01L21/461 ,  H01L21/3065

CPC classification number: H01L21/3065 ,  H01J37/32165 ,  H01J37/32183 ,  H01J37/32357 ,  H01J37/32449 ,  H01L21/32137

Abstract: The present disclosure provides methods for etching features in a silicon material includes performing a remote plasma process formed from an etching gas mixture including chlorine containing gas to remove a silicon material disposed on a substrate.

公开(公告)号：US09613822B2

公开(公告)日：2017-04-04

申请号：US14530153

申请日：2014-10-31

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： Zhijun Chen ,  Anchuan Wang ,  Nitin K. Ingle

IPC: H01L21/302 ,  H01L21/311 ,  H01J37/32

CPC classification number: H01L21/31116 ,  H01J37/32082 ,  H01J37/32357 ,  H01J2237/3341

Abstract: A method of etching exposed silicon oxide on patterned heterogeneous structures is described and includes a gas phase etch using plasma effluents formed in a remote plasma. The remote plasma excites a fluorine-containing precursor in combination with an oxygen-containing precursor. Plasma effluents within the remote plasma are flowed into a substrate processing region where the plasma effluents combine with water vapor or an alcohol. The combination react with the patterned heterogeneous structures to remove an exposed silicon oxide portion faster than an exposed silicon nitride portion. The inclusion of the oxygen-containing precursor may suppress the silicon nitride etch rate and result in unprecedented silicon oxide etch selectivity.

公开(公告)号：US09553102B2

公开(公告)日：2017-01-24

申请号：US14463561

申请日：2014-08-19

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： Xikun Wang ,  Jie Liu ,  Anchuan Wang ,  Nitin K. Ingle

IPC: H01L27/115 ,  C23F4/00 ,  H01L21/28 ,  H01J37/32

CPC classification number: H01L27/11582 ,  C23F4/00 ,  H01J37/32357 ,  H01L21/28 ,  H01L21/32136 ,  H01L21/67225 ,  H01L27/11568

Abstract: Methods of selectively etching tungsten from the surface of a patterned substrate are described. The etch electrically separates vertically arranged tungsten slabs from one another as needed, for example, in the manufacture of vertical flash memory devices. The tungsten etch may selectively remove tungsten relative to films such as silicon, polysilicon, silicon oxide, aluminum oxide, titanium nitride and silicon nitride. The methods include exposing electrically-shorted tungsten slabs to remotely-excited fluorine formed in a capacitively-excited chamber plasma region. The methods then include exposing the tungsten slabs to remotely-excited fluorine formed in an inductively-excited remote plasma system. A low electron temperature is maintained in the substrate processing region during each operation to achieve high etch selectivity.

Abstract translation: 描述了从图案化衬底的表面选择性地蚀刻钨的方法。 根据需要，蚀刻将垂直布置的钨板彼此电分离，例如在垂直闪存器件的制造中。 钨蚀刻可以相对于诸如硅，多晶硅，氧化硅，氧化铝，氮化钛和氮化硅的膜选择性地去除钨。 所述方法包括将电短路钨板暴露于在电容激发室等离子体区域中形成的远激发氟。 所述方法包括将钨板暴露于在感应激发的远程等离子体系统中形成的远程激发的氟。 在每个操作期间在基板处理区域中维持低电子温度以实现高蚀刻选择性。

公开(公告)号：US09520303B2

公开(公告)日：2016-12-13

申请号：US14460115

申请日：2014-08-14

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： Xikun Wang ,  Anchuan Wang ,  Nitin K. Ingle

IPC: C03C15/00 ,  H01L21/311 ,  H01L21/3065 ,  H01L21/02 ,  C23F1/02 ,  C23F1/12 ,  H01J37/32 ,  C23F4/00 ,  H01L21/3213 ,  H01L21/768

CPC classification number: H01L21/3065 ,  C23F1/02 ,  C23F1/12 ,  C23F4/00 ,  H01J37/3244 ,  H01J2237/334 ,  H01J2237/3341 ,  H01L21/02071 ,  H01L21/31116 ,  H01L21/31122 ,  H01L21/32135 ,  H01L21/32136 ,  H01L21/76814

Abstract: Methods of selectively etching aluminum and aluminum layers from the surface of a substrate are described. The etch selectively removes aluminum materials relative to silicon-containing films such as silicon, polysilicon, silicon oxide, silicon carbon nitride, silicon oxycarbide and/or silicon nitride. The methods include exposing aluminum materials (e.g. aluminum) to remotely-excited chlorine (Cl2) in a substrate processing region. A remote plasma is used to excite the chlorine and a low electron temperature is maintained in the substrate processing region to achieve high etch selectivity. Aluminum oxidation may be broken through using a chlorine-containing precursor or a bromine-containing precursor excited in a plasma or using no plasma-excitation, respectively.

Abstract translation: 描述了从基板的表面选择性地蚀刻铝和铝层的方法。 相对于含硅膜，例如硅，多晶硅，氧化硅，氮化硅，碳氧化硅和/或氮化硅，蚀刻选择性地除去铝材料。 这些方法包括将铝材料（例如铝）暴露于基板处理区域中的远程激发的氯（Cl2）。 使用远程等离子体来激发氯，并且在基板处理区域中保持低电子温度以实现高蚀刻选择性。 可以通过使用在等离子体中激发的或不使用等离子体激发的含氯前体或含溴前驱体来破坏铝的氧化。

公开(公告)号：US09406523B2

公开(公告)日：2016-08-02

申请号：US14309625

申请日：2014-06-19

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： Zhijun Chen ,  Zihui Li ,  Nitin K. Ingle ,  Anchuan Wang ,  Shankar Venkataraman

IPC: B44C1/22 ,  C03C15/00 ,  C03C25/68 ,  C23F1/00 ,  H01L21/302 ,  H01L21/461 ,  H01L21/311 ,  H01L21/02 ,  H01L21/033 ,  H01L21/3213 ,  H01L21/70

CPC classification number: H01L21/31116 ,  H01J37/32357 ,  H01J2237/334 ,  H01L21/02164 ,  H01L21/0337 ,  H01L21/31138 ,  H01L21/31144 ,  H01L21/32139 ,  H01L21/70

Abstract: A method of etching doped silicon oxide on patterned heterogeneous structures is described and includes a gas phase etch using partial remote plasma excitation. The remote plasma excites a fluorine-containing precursor and the plasma effluents created are flowed into a substrate processing region. A hydrogen-containing precursor, e.g. water, is concurrently flowed into the substrate processing region without plasma excitation. The plasma effluents are combined with the unexcited hydrogen-containing precursor in the substrate processing region where the combination reacts with the doped silicon oxide. The plasmas effluents react with the patterned heterogeneous structures to selectively remove doped silicon oxide.

Abstract translation: 描述了在图案化的异质结构上蚀刻掺杂的氧化硅的方法，并且包括使用部分远程等离子体激发的气相蚀刻。 远程等离子体激发含氟前体，产生的等离子体流出物流入基板处理区域。 含氢前体，例如 水同时流入基板处理区域而没有等离子体激发。 将等离子体流出物与基板处理区域中的未喷射含氢前体结合，其中组合与掺杂的氧化硅反应。 等离子体流出物与图案化的异质结构反应以选择性地去除掺杂的氧化硅。