公开(公告)号：US20180076083A1

公开(公告)日：2018-03-15

申请号：US15260705

申请日：2016-09-09

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： Jungmin Ko ,  Tom Choi

IPC: H01L21/762 ,  H01L21/311

CPC classification number: H01L21/76213 ,  H01J37/32091 ,  H01J37/32357 ,  H01L21/31116

Abstract: Processing methods may be performed to remove unwanted materials from a substrate, such as an oxide footing. The methods may include forming an inert plasma within a processing region of a processing chamber. Effluents of the inert plasma may be utilized to modify a surface of an exposed material on a semiconductor substrate within the processing region of the semiconductor chamber. A remote plasma may be formed from a fluorine-containing precursor to produce plasma effluents. The methods may include flowing the plasma effluents to the processing region of the semiconductor processing chamber. The methods may also include removing the modified surface of the exposed material from the semiconductor substrate.

公开(公告)号：US09478433B1

公开(公告)日：2016-10-25

申请号：US14968500

申请日：2015-12-14

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： Qingjun Zhou ,  Jungmin Ko ,  Tom Choi ,  Sean Kang ,  Jeremiah Pender ,  Srinivas D. Nemani ,  Ying Zhang

IPC: H01L21/302 ,  H01L21/461 ,  H01L21/311 ,  H01L21/3213

CPC classification number: H01L21/31116 ,  H01L21/0337 ,  H01L21/3065 ,  H01L21/30655 ,  H01L21/31105 ,  H01L21/32136 ,  H01L21/32137

Abstract: Embodiments described herein relate to methods for patterning a substrate. Patterning processes, such as double patterning and quadruple patterning processes, may benefit from the embodiments described herein which include performing an inert plasma treatment on a spacer material, performing an etching process on a treated region of the spacer material, and repeating the inert plasma treatment and the etching process to form a desired spacer profile. The inert plasma treatment process may be a biased process and the etching process may be an unbiased process. Various processing parameters, such as process gas ratios and pressures, may be controlled to influence a desired spacer profile.

Abstract translation: 本文描述的实施例涉及用于图案化衬底的方法。 诸如双重图案化和四重图案化工艺的图案化工艺可以受益于本文所述的实施例，其包括对间隔材料执行惰性等离子体处理，对间隔材料的处理区域进行蚀刻工艺，并重复惰性等离子体处理 和蚀刻工艺以形成期望的间隔物轮廓。 惰性等离子体处理工艺可以是偏压工艺，并且蚀刻工艺可以是无偏的工艺。 可以控制各种加工参数，例如工艺气体比和压力，以影响所需的间隔物轮廓。

公开(公告)号：US09368369B2

公开(公告)日：2016-06-14

申请号：US14535055

申请日：2014-11-06

Applicant: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.

Inventor： Jungmin Ko ,  Sean Kang

IPC: H01L21/768 ,  H01L21/311

CPC classification number: H01L21/31116 ,  H01L21/76804 ,  H01L21/76805 ,  H01L21/76816 ,  H01L21/76826 ,  H01L21/76897

Abstract: In some embodiments methods of processing a substrate include: providing a substrate having a contact structure formed on the substrate, wherein the contact structure comprises a feature defined by gate structures, a silicon nitride layer disposed on a upper surface of the gate structures and on sidewalls and a bottom of the feature, and an oxide layer disposed over the silicon nitride layer and filling the feature; etching an opening through the oxide layer to the silicon nitride layer disposed on the bottom of the opening, wherein a width of the opening is less than a width of the feature; expanding the opening in the oxide layer to form a tapered profile; exposing the substrate to ammonia and nitrogen trifluoride to form an ammonium fluoride gas that forms an ammonium hexafluorosilicate film on the oxide layer; and heating the substrate to a second temperature to sublimate the ammonium hexafluorosilicate film.

Abstract translation: 在一些实施例中，处理衬底的方法包括：提供具有形成在衬底上的接触结构的衬底，其中接触结构包括由栅极结构限定的特征，设置在栅极结构的上表面上和侧壁上的氮化硅层 和该特征的底部，以及设置在氮化硅层上并填充该特征的氧化物层; 将通过所述氧化物层的开口蚀刻到设置在所述开口底部的所述氮化硅层，其中所述开口的宽度小于所述特征的宽度; 膨胀氧化层中的开口以形成锥形轮廓; 将基板暴露于氨和三氟化氮以形成在氧化物层上形成六氟硅酸铵膜的氟化铵气体; 并将衬底加热至第二温度以使六氟硅酸铵膜升华。

公开(公告)号：US20200168463A1

公开(公告)日：2020-05-28

申请号：US16201724

申请日：2018-11-27

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： Jungmin Ko ,  Kwang-Soo Kim ,  Tom Choi ,  Nitin Ingle

IPC: H01L21/3065 ,  H01L21/308

Abstract: Exemplary methods of etching semiconductor substrates may include flowing a fluorine-containing precursor into a processing region of a semiconductor processing chamber. The processing region may house a substrate having an exposed region of a first silicon-containing material and an exposed region of a second silicon-containing material. The second silicon-containing material may be exposed within a recessed feature defined by the substrate. The methods may include flowing a silicon-containing precursor into the processing region of the semiconductor processing chamber. The methods may include forming a plasma within the processing region of the semiconductor processing chamber to generate plasma effluents of the fluorine-containing precursor and the silicon-containing precursor. The methods may include contacting the substrate with the plasma effluents. The methods may include removing at least a portion of the second silicon-containing material.

公开(公告)号：US20190122902A1

公开(公告)日：2019-04-25

申请号：US15792252

申请日：2017-10-24

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： Jungmin Ko ,  Tom Choi ,  Junghoon Kim ,  Sean Kang ,  Mang-Mang Ling

IPC: H01L21/67 ,  H01J37/32

CPC classification number: H01L21/3065 ,  H01J37/32357 ,  H01J37/32449 ,  H01J37/32899 ,  H01J2237/334 ,  H01J2237/3341 ,  H01L21/31116 ,  H01L21/32136 ,  H01L21/67069 ,  H01L21/68742

Abstract: Processing methods may be performed to remove unwanted materials from a substrate. The methods may include forming a remote plasma of an inert precursor in a remote plasma region of a processing chamber. The methods may include forming a bias plasma of the inert precursor within a processing region of the processing chamber. The methods may include modifying a surface of an exposed material on a semiconductor substrate within the processing region of the processing chamber with plasma effluents of the inert precursor. The methods may include extinguishing the bias plasma while maintaining the remote plasma. The methods may include adding an etchant precursor to the remote plasma region to produce etchant plasma effluents. The methods may include flowing the etchant plasma effluents to the processing region of the processing chamber. The methods may also include removing the modified surface of the exposed material from the semiconductor substrate.

公开(公告)号：US20180138049A1

公开(公告)日：2018-05-17

申请号：US15350803

申请日：2016-11-14

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： Jungmin Ko ,  Tom Choi ,  Nitin Ingle ,  Kwang-Soo Kim ,  Theodore Wou

IPC: H01L21/311 ,  H01L21/02

CPC classification number: H01L21/31116 ,  H01L21/02164 ,  H01L21/0217 ,  H01L21/0223

Abstract: Processing methods may be performed to form recesses in a semiconductor substrate. The methods may include oxidizing an exposed silicon nitride surface on a semiconductor substrate within a processing region of a semiconductor processing chamber. The methods may include forming an inert plasma within the processing region of the processing chamber. Effluents of the inert plasma may be utilized to modify the oxidized silicon nitride. A remote plasma may be formed from a fluorine-containing precursor to produce plasma effluents. The methods may include flowing the plasma effluents to the processing region of the semiconductor processing chamber. The methods may also include removing the modified oxidized silicon nitride from the semiconductor substrate.

公开(公告)号：US09721807B2

公开(公告)日：2017-08-01

申请号：US15080117

申请日：2016-03-24

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： Qingjun Zhou ,  Jungmin Ko ,  Tom Choi ,  Sean Kang ,  Jeremiah Pender ,  Srinivas D. Nemani ,  Ying Zhang

IPC: H01L21/311 ,  H01L21/3065 ,  H01L21/3213 ,  H01L21/033

CPC classification number: H01L21/31116 ,  H01L21/0337 ,  H01L21/3065 ,  H01L21/30655 ,  H01L21/31105 ,  H01L21/32136 ,  H01L21/32137

Abstract: Embodiments described herein relate to methods for patterning a substrate. Patterning processes, such as double patterning and quadruple patterning processes, may benefit from the embodiments described herein which include performing an inert plasma treatment on a spacer material, performing an etching process on a treated region of the spacer material, and repeating the inert plasma treatment and the etching process to form a desired spacer profile. The inert plasma treatment process may be a biased process and the etching process may be an unbiased process. Various processing parameters, such as process gas ratios and pressures, may be controlled to influence a desired spacer profile.

公开(公告)号：US11437242B2

公开(公告)日：2022-09-06

申请号：US16201724

申请日：2018-11-27

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： Jungmin Ko ,  Kwang-Soo Kim ,  Thomas Choi ,  Nitin Ingle

IPC: H01L21/3065 ,  H01L21/308 ,  H01L21/67

Abstract: Exemplary methods of etching semiconductor substrates may include flowing a fluorine-containing precursor into a processing region of a semiconductor processing chamber. The processing region may house a substrate having an exposed region of a first silicon-containing material and an exposed region of a second silicon-containing material. The second silicon-containing material may be exposed within a recessed feature defined by the substrate. The methods may include flowing a silicon-containing precursor into the processing region of the semiconductor processing chamber. The methods may include forming a plasma within the processing region of the semiconductor processing chamber to generate plasma effluents of the fluorine-containing precursor and the silicon-containing precursor. The methods may include contacting the substrate with the plasma effluents. The methods may include removing at least a portion of the second silicon-containing material.

公开(公告)号：US10424487B2

公开(公告)日：2019-09-24

申请号：US15792252

申请日：2017-10-24

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： Jungmin Ko ,  Tom Choi ,  Junghoon Kim ,  Sean Kang ,  Mang-Mang Ling

IPC: H01L21/3065 ,  H01L21/67 ,  H01J37/32 ,  H01L21/3213 ,  H01L21/311

Abstract: Processing methods may be performed to remove unwanted materials from a substrate. The methods may include forming a remote plasma of an inert precursor in a remote plasma region of a processing chamber. The methods may include forming a bias plasma of the inert precursor within a processing region of the processing chamber. The methods may include modifying a surface of an exposed material on a semiconductor substrate within the processing region of the processing chamber with plasma effluents of the inert precursor. The methods may include extinguishing the bias plasma while maintaining the remote plasma. The methods may include adding an etchant precursor to the remote plasma region to produce etchant plasma effluents. The methods may include flowing the etchant plasma effluents to the processing region of the processing chamber. The methods may also include removing the modified surface of the exposed material from the semiconductor substrate.

公开(公告)号：US20180323075A1

公开(公告)日：2018-11-08

申请号：US16036635

申请日：2018-07-16

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： Jungmin Ko ,  Tom Choi ,  Nitin Ingle ,  Kwang-Soo Kim ,  Theodore Wou

IPC: H01L21/311 ,  H01L21/02

Abstract: Processing methods may be performed to form recesses in a semiconductor substrate. The methods may include oxidizing an exposed silicon nitride surface on a semiconductor substrate within a processing region of a semiconductor processing chamber. The methods may include forming an inert plasma within the processing region of the processing chamber. Effluents of the inert plasma may be utilized to modify the oxidized silicon nitride. A remote plasma may be formed from a fluorine-containing precursor to produce plasma effluents. The methods may include flowing the plasma effluents to the processing region of the semiconductor processing chamber. The methods may also include removing the modified oxidized silicon nitride from the semiconductor substrate.