公开(公告)号：US11915940B2

公开(公告)日：2024-02-27

申请号：US17367038

申请日：2021-07-02

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： Zhi Gang Wang ,  Jiao Yang ,  Alfredo Granados ,  Jon C. Farr ,  Heng Wang ,  Rui Zhe Ren

IPC: H01L21/3065 ,  C23C16/52 ,  H01L21/311 ,  H01L21/027 ,  H01L21/033 ,  H01L21/308 ,  H01L21/3213

CPC classification number: H01L21/30655 ,  C23C16/52 ,  H01L21/0273 ,  H01L21/0337 ,  H01L21/3086 ,  H01L21/31116 ,  H01L21/31144 ,  H01L21/32139

Abstract: A method of cyclic etching, comprising: (A) depositing, prior to cyclically etching a substrate through a mask opening, a pre-etch protection layer conformally over the mask, sidewalls of the mask defining the mask opening; and an exposed portion of the substrate exposed through the mask opening, the pre-etch protection layer deposited to a first thickness; and (B) cyclically etching the substrate by: (i) depositing a protection layer in the opening of the mask, the protection layer deposited to a second thickness that is less than half of the first thickness; (ii) etching through a portion of the protection layer disposed on the substrate and etching the substrate; and (iii) repeating (i) and (ii) until an end point is reached.