公开(公告)号：US20160111374A1

公开(公告)日：2016-04-21

申请号：US14887984

申请日：2015-10-20

Applicant: GLOBALFOUNDRIES Inc. ,  ZEON CORPORATION

Inventor： Markus Brink ,  Robert L. Bruce ,  Sebastian U. Engelmann ,  Nicholas C. M. Fuller ,  Hiroyuki Miyazoe ,  Masahiro Nakamura

IPC: H01L23/532 ,  H01L23/522 ,  H01L23/528

CPC classification number: H01L23/53295 ,  H01L21/31116 ,  H01L21/31144 ,  H01L21/3212 ,  H01L21/76802 ,  H01L21/76813 ,  H01L21/76831 ,  H01L21/76834 ,  H01L21/76835 ,  H01L23/5226 ,  H01L23/528 ,  H01L2924/0002 ,  H01L2924/00

Abstract: A stack that includes, from bottom to top, a nitrogen-containing dielectric layer, an interconnect level dielectric material layer, and a hard mask layer is formed on a substrate. The hard mask layer and the interconnect level dielectric material layer are patterned by an etch. Employing the patterned hard mask layer as an etch mask, the nitrogen-containing dielectric layer is patterned by a break-through anisotropic etch, which employs a fluorohydrocarbon-containing plasma to break through the nitrogen-containing dielectric layer. Fluorohydrocarbon gases used to generate the fluorohydrocarbon-containing plasma generate a carbon-rich polymer residue, which interact with the nitrogen-containing dielectric layer to form volatile compounds. Plasma energy can be decreased below 100 eV to reduce damage to physically exposed surfaces of the interconnect level dielectric material layer.

公开(公告)号：US09633948B2

公开(公告)日：2017-04-25

申请号：US14887984

申请日：2015-10-20

Applicant: GLOBALFOUNDRIES Inc. ,  ZEON CORPORATION

Inventor： Markus Brink ,  Robert L. Bruce ,  Sebastian U. Engelmann ,  Nicholas C. M. Fuller ,  Hiroyuki Miyazoe ,  Masahiro Nakamura

IPC: H01L23/528 ,  H01L23/532 ,  H01L21/768 ,  H01L21/311 ,  H01L21/321 ,  H01L23/522

CPC classification number: H01L23/53295 ,  H01L21/31116 ,  H01L21/31144 ,  H01L21/3212 ,  H01L21/76802 ,  H01L21/76813 ,  H01L21/76831 ,  H01L21/76834 ,  H01L21/76835 ,  H01L23/5226 ,  H01L23/528 ,  H01L2924/0002 ,  H01L2924/00

Abstract: A stack that includes, from bottom to top, a nitrogen-containing dielectric layer, an interconnect level dielectric material layer, and a hard mask layer is formed on a substrate. The hard mask layer and the interconnect level dielectric material layer are patterned by an etch. Employing the patterned hard mask layer as an etch mask, the nitrogen-containing dielectric layer is patterned by a break-through anisotropic etch, which employs a fluorohydrocarbon-containing plasma to break through the nitrogen-containing dielectric layer. Fluorohydrocarbon gases used to generate the fluorohydrocarbon-containing plasma generate a carbon-rich polymer residue, which interact with the nitrogen-containing dielectric layer to form volatile compounds. Plasma energy can be decreased below 100 eV to reduce damage to physically exposed surfaces of the interconnect level dielectric material layer.

公开(公告)号：US10269924B2

公开(公告)日：2019-04-23

申请号：US15462825

申请日：2017-03-18

Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation ,  ZEON CORPORATION

Inventor： Ravi K. Dasaka ,  Sebastian U. Engelmann ,  Nicholas C. M. Fuller ,  Masahiro Nakamura ,  Richard S. Wise

IPC: H01L29/78 ,  H01L21/02 ,  H01L21/311 ,  H01L29/16 ,  H01L29/165 ,  H01L29/66 ,  H01L29/161

Abstract: A silicon nitride cap on a gate stack is removed by etching with a fluorohydrocarbon-containing plasma subsequent to formation of source/drain regions without causing unacceptable damage to the gate stack or source/drain regions. A fluorohydrocarbon-containing polymer protection layer is selectively deposited on the regions that are not to be etched during the removal of the nitride cap. The ability to remove the silicon nitride material using gas chemistry, causing formation of a volatile etch product and protection layer, enables reduction of the ion energy to the etching threshold.

公开(公告)号：US08928124B2

公开(公告)日：2015-01-06

申请号：US13965511

申请日：2013-08-13

Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation ,  ZEON Corporation

Inventor： Nicholas C. M. Fuller ,  Eric A. Joseph ,  Edmund M. Sikorski ,  Goh Matsuura

IPC: H01L29/06 ,  H01L21/768 ,  H01L21/3065

CPC classification number: H01L29/0657 ,  H01L21/30655 ,  H01L21/76898

Abstract: A hydrofluorocarbon gas is employed as a polymer deposition gas in an anisotropic etch process employing an alternation of an etchant gas and the polymer deposition gas to etch a deep trench in a semiconductor substrate. The hydrofluorocarbon gas can generate a thick carbon-rich and hydrogen-containing polymer on sidewalls of a trench at a thickness on par with the thickness of the polymer on a top surface of the semiconductor substrate. The thick carbon-rich and hydrogen-containing polymer protects sidewalls of a trench, thereby minimizing an undercut below a hard mask without degradation of the overall rate. In some embodiments, an improvement in the overall etch rate can be achieved.

Abstract translation: 在各向异性蚀刻工艺中使用氢氟烃气体作为聚合物沉积气体，其使用蚀刻剂气体和聚合物沉积气体的交替来蚀刻半导体衬底中的深沟槽。 氢氟烃气体可以在半导体衬底的顶表面上与聚合物的厚度一致的厚度在沟槽的侧壁上产生厚的富碳和含氢聚合物。 厚的富碳和含氢聚合物保护沟槽的侧壁，从而使硬掩模下方的底切最小化，而不降低整体速率。 在一些实施例中，可以实现整体蚀刻速率的改进。

公开(公告)号：US09627533B2

公开(公告)日：2017-04-18

申请号：US14615067

申请日：2015-02-05

Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation ,  ZEON CORPORATION

Inventor： Ravi K. Dasaka ,  Sebastian U. Engelmann ,  Nicholas C. M. Fuller ,  Masahiro Nakamura ,  Richard S. Wise

IPC: H01L29/78 ,  H01L21/02 ,  H01L21/311 ,  H01L29/16 ,  H01L29/165 ,  H01L29/161 ,  H01L29/66

CPC classification number: H01L29/66477 ,  H01L21/0206 ,  H01L21/0217 ,  H01L21/02381 ,  H01L21/02529 ,  H01L21/02532 ,  H01L21/0262 ,  H01L21/31116 ,  H01L21/31144 ,  H01L29/1608 ,  H01L29/161 ,  H01L29/165 ,  H01L29/6653 ,  H01L29/6656 ,  H01L29/66636 ,  H01L29/66795 ,  H01L29/7848 ,  H01L29/7851

Abstract: A silicon nitride cap on a gate stack is removed by etching with a fluorohydrocarbon-containing plasma subsequent to formation of source/drain regions without causing unacceptable damage to the gate stack or source/drain regions. A fluorohydrocarbon-containing polymer protection layer is selectively deposited on the regions that are not to be etched during the removal of the nitride cap. The ability to remove the silicon nitride material using gas chemistry, causing formation of a volatile etch product and protection layer, enables reduction of the ion energy to the etching threshold.

公开(公告)号：US20130328173A1

公开(公告)日：2013-12-12

申请号：US13965511

申请日：2013-08-13

Applicant: ZEON Corporation ,  International Business Machines Corporation

Inventor： Nicholas C. M. Fuller ,  Eric A. Joseph ,  Edmund M. Sikorski ,  Goh Matsuura

IPC: H01L29/06

CPC classification number: H01L29/0657 ,  H01L21/30655 ,  H01L21/76898

Abstract: A hydrofluorocarbon gas is employed as a polymer deposition gas in an anisotropic etch process employing an alternation of an etchant gas and the polymer deposition gas to etch a deep trench in a semiconductor substrate. The hydrofluorocarbon gas can generate a thick carbon-rich and hydrogen-containing polymer on sidewalls of a trench at a thickness on par with the thickness of the polymer on a top surface of the semiconductor substrate. The thick carbon-rich and hydrogen-containing polymer protects sidewalls of a trench, thereby minimizing an undercut below a hard mask without degradation of the overall rate. In some embodiments, an improvement in the overall etch rate can be achieved.

公开(公告)号：US10651286B2

公开(公告)日：2020-05-12

申请号：US16442933

申请日：2019-06-17

Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation ,  ZEON CORPORATION

Inventor： Ravi K. Dasaka ,  Sebastian U. Engelmann ,  Nicholas C. M. Fuller ,  Masahiro Nakamura ,  Richard S. Wise

IPC: H01L29/66 ,  H01L21/02 ,  H01L21/311 ,  H01L29/16 ,  H01L29/161 ,  H01L29/165 ,  H01L29/78

Abstract: A silicon nitride cap on a gate stack is removed by etching with a fluorohydrocarbon-containing plasma subsequent to formation of source/drain regions without causing unacceptable damage to the gate stack or source/drain regions. A fluorohydrocarbon-containing polymer protection layer is selectively deposited on the regions that are not to be etched during the removal of the nitride cap. The ability to remove the silicon nitride material using gas chemistry, causing formation of a volatile etch product and protection layer, enables reduction of the ion energy to the etching threshold.

公开(公告)号：US10325998B2

公开(公告)日：2019-06-18

申请号：US15462822

申请日：2017-03-18

Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation ,  ZEON CORPORATION

Inventor： Ravi K. Dasaka ,  Sebastian U. Engelmann ,  Nicholas C. M. Fuller ,  Masahiro Nakamura ,  Richard S. Wise

IPC: H01L29/66 ,  H01L21/02 ,  H01L21/311 ,  H01L29/165 ,  H01L29/78 ,  H01L29/16 ,  H01L29/161

Abstract: A silicon nitride cap on a gate stack is removed by etching with a fluorohydrocarbon-containing plasma subsequent to formation of source/drain regions without causing unacceptable damage to the gate stack or source/drain regions. A fluorohydrocarbon-containing polymer protection layer is selectively deposited on the regions that are not to be etched during the removal of the nitride cap. The ability to remove the silicon nitride material using gas chemistry, causing formation of a volatile etch product and protection layer, enables reduction of the ion energy to the etching threshold.

公开(公告)号：US09263393B2

公开(公告)日：2016-02-16

申请号：US14711872

申请日：2015-05-14

Applicant: GLOBALFOUNDRIES INC.

Inventor： Cyril Cabral, Jr. ,  Benjamin L. Fletcher ,  Nicholas C. M. Fuller ,  Eric A. Joseph ,  Hiroyuki Miyazoe

IPC: H01L23/535 ,  H01L21/3213 ,  H01L27/092 ,  H01L21/768 ,  H01L21/02 ,  H01L21/311 ,  H01L21/8238

CPC classification number: H01L23/535 ,  H01L21/02109 ,  H01L21/31111 ,  H01L21/32131 ,  H01L21/32136 ,  H01L21/32139 ,  H01L21/76852 ,  H01L21/76856 ,  H01L21/76885 ,  H01L21/823871 ,  H01L27/092 ,  H01L2924/0002 ,  H01L2924/00

Abstract: One embodiment of an integrated circuit includes a plurality of semiconductor devices and a plurality of conductive lines connecting the plurality of semiconductor devices, wherein at least some of the plurality of conductive lines have pitches of less than one hundred nanometers and sidewall tapers of between approximately eighty and ninety degrees. Another embodiment of an integrated circuit includes a plurality of semiconductor devices and a plurality of conductive lines connecting the plurality of semiconductor devices, wherein at least some of the plurality of conductive lines are fabricated by providing a layer of conductive metal in a multi-layer structure fabricated upon a wafer and sputter etching the layer of conductive metal using a methanol plasma, wherein a portion of the layer of conductive metal that remains after the sputter etching forms the one or more conductive lines.