公开(公告)号：US10319600B1

公开(公告)日：2019-06-11

申请号：US15918860

申请日：2018-03-12

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： Zihui Li ,  Rui Cheng ,  Anchuan Wang ,  Nitin K. Ingle ,  Abhijit Basu Mallick

IPC: H01L21/3065 ,  H01L21/311

Abstract: Exemplary methods for selectively removing silicon (e.g. polysilicon) from a patterned substrate may include flowing a fluorine-containing precursor into a substrate processing chamber to form plasma effluents. The plasma effluents may remove silicon (e.g. polysilicon, amorphous silicon or single crystal silicon) at significantly higher etch rates compared to exposed silicon oxide, silicon nitride or other dielectrics on the substrate. The methods rely on the temperature of the substrate in combination with some conductivity of the surface to catalyze the etch reaction rather than relying on a gas phase source of energy such as a plasma.

公开(公告)号：US10233547B2

公开(公告)日：2019-03-19

申请号：US15899234

申请日：2018-02-19

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： Benjamin Schmiege ,  Nitin K. Ingle ,  Srinivas D. Nemani ,  Jeffrey W. Anthis ,  Xikun Wang ,  Jie Liu ,  David Benjaminson

IPC: C23F1/12 ,  C30B33/12 ,  C23F4/00 ,  H01J37/32

Abstract: Provided are methods for etching films comprising transition metals which help to minimize higher etch rates at the grain boundaries of polycrystalline materials. Certain methods pertain to amorphization of the polycrystalline material, other pertain to plasma treatments, and yet other pertain to the use of small doses of halide transfer agents in the etch process.

公开(公告)号：US10204796B2

公开(公告)日：2019-02-12

申请号：US15823083

申请日：2017-11-27

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

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

IPC: H01L21/3065 ,  H01L21/308 ,  H01J37/32 ,  H01L21/311 ,  H01L21/3213

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：US20190043726A1

公开(公告)日：2019-02-07

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: H01L21/3065 ,  H01J37/32

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：US09896770B2

公开(公告)日：2018-02-20

申请号：US15383556

申请日：2016-12-19

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： Benjamin Schmiege ,  Nitin K. Ingle ,  Srinivas D. Nemani ,  Jeffrey W. Anthis ,  Xikun Wang ,  Jie Liu ,  David Benjaminson

IPC: B44C1/22 ,  C03C15/00 ,  C03C25/68 ,  C23F1/00 ,  C25F3/00 ,  C23F1/12 ,  H01J37/32

CPC classification number: C23F1/12 ,  C23F4/00 ,  C30B33/12 ,  H01J37/32009 ,  H01J2237/334

Abstract: Provided are methods for etching films comprising transition metals which help to minimize higher etch rates at the grain boundaries of polycrystalline materials. Certain methods pertain to amorphization of the polycrystalline material, other pertain to plasma treatments, and yet other pertain to the use of small doses of halide transfer agents in the etch process.

公开(公告)号：US09773695B2

公开(公告)日：2017-09-26

申请号：US15332910

申请日：2016-10-24

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： Vinod R. Purayath ,  Randhir Thakur ,  Shankar Venkataraman ,  Nitin K. Ingle

IPC: H01L21/764 ,  H01L27/11568 ,  H01L21/311 ,  H01L29/06 ,  H01L21/28 ,  H01L29/66 ,  H01L21/02 ,  H01L21/67 ,  H01L21/687 ,  H01L29/788 ,  H01J37/32

CPC classification number: H01L21/764 ,  H01J37/32357 ,  H01L21/02071 ,  H01L21/28273 ,  H01L21/28282 ,  H01L21/31116 ,  H01L21/67069 ,  H01L21/67103 ,  H01L21/68764 ,  H01L27/11568 ,  H01L29/0649 ,  H01L29/0653 ,  H01L29/66833 ,  H01L29/7887

Abstract: Methods of forming flash memory cells are described which incorporate air gaps for improved performance. The methods are useful for so-called “2-d flat cell” flash architectures. 2-d flat cell flash memory involves a reactive ion etch to dig trenches into multi-layers containing high work function and other metal layers. The methods described herein remove the metal oxide debris from the sidewalls of the multi-layer trench and then, without breaking vacuum, selectively remove shallow trench isolation (STI) oxidation which become the air gaps. Both the metal oxide removal and the STI oxidation removal are carried out in the same mainframe with highly selective etch processes using remotely excited fluorine plasma effluents.

公开(公告)号：US09711366B2

公开(公告)日：2017-07-18

申请号：US14989077

申请日：2016-01-06

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： Nitin K. Ingle ,  Jessica Sevanne Kachian ,  Lin Xu ,  Soonam Park ,  Xikun Wang ,  Jeffrey W. Anthis

IPC: H01L21/3065 ,  H01L21/02 ,  C23F1/02 ,  C23F1/12 ,  H01J37/32 ,  C23F4/00 ,  H01L21/311 ,  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 metal-containing materials from the surface of a substrate are described. The etch selectively removes metal-containing materials relative to silicon-containing films such as silicon, polysilicon, silicon oxide, silicon germanium and/or silicon nitride. The methods include exposing metal-containing materials to halogen containing species in a substrate processing region. A remote plasma is used to excite the halogen-containing precursor and a local plasma may be used in embodiments. Metal-containing materials on the substrate may be pretreated using moisture or another OH-containing precursor before exposing the resulting surface to remote plasma excited halogen effluents in embodiments.

公开(公告)号：US09704723B2

公开(公告)日：2017-07-11

申请号：US14936448

申请日：2015-11-09

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

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.

公开(公告)号：US20170178924A1

公开(公告)日：2017-06-22

申请号：US15453786

申请日：2017-03-08

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

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

IPC: 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：US09659792B2

公开(公告)日：2017-05-23

申请号：US14808904

申请日：2015-07-24

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

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.