公开(公告)号：US4871421A

公开(公告)日：1989-10-03

申请号：US245082

申请日：1988-09-15

申请人： John Ogle ,  Gerald Z. Yin

发明人： John Ogle ,  Gerald Z. Yin

IPC分类号： C23F4/00 ,  H01J37/32 ,  H01L21/302 ,  H01L21/3065 ,  H05H1/46

CPC分类号： H01J37/32174 ,  H01J37/32082 ,  H01J2237/334

摘要： A plasma etching system includes a radio frequency generator and a parallel plate plasma reactor vessel. A phase inverter circuit is used to couple the RF generator to the electrodes in the plasma reactor so that the electrodes are driven with voltages of substantially equal magnitude but which are 180.degree. out-of-phase. In this way, a maximum potential difference between the electrodes can be achieved while minimizing the potential difference between the individual electrodes and the reactor vessel. Such operation allows higher power levels with reduced occurrence of arcing and stray discharge, and provides a stable, uniform plasma discharge.

公开(公告)号：US6074959A

公开(公告)日：2000-06-13

申请号：US964504

申请日：1997-11-05

申请人： Ruiping Wang ,  Gerald Z. Yin ,  Robert W. Wu ,  Jian Ding

发明人： Ruiping Wang ,  Gerald Z. Yin ,  Robert W. Wu ,  Jian Ding

IPC分类号： H01L21/311 ,  H01L21/302

CPC分类号： H01L21/31116

摘要： A plasma etch process, particularly applicable to a self-aligned contact etch or other advanced structures requiring high-selectivity to nitride or other non-oxide materials and no etch stop. The process is preferably performed in a high-density plasma reactor for etching holes with either high or low aspect rations. In this process, hexafluoropropane (C.sub.3 H.sub.2 F.sub.6) is the principal etching gas in the presence of a substantial amount of an inactive gas such as argon. The process can also be used with the closely related gases heptafluoropropane (C.sub.3 HF.sub.7) and pentafluoropropane (C.sub.3 H.sub.3 F.sub.5). The process may use one or more of the these gases in proportions to optimize selectivity over other materials without the occurrence of etch stop in narrow contact holes and with a wide process window. Difluoromethane (CH.sub.2 F.sub.2) or other fluorocarbons may be combined with the above gases for optimum selectivity for a design of a specific contact feature.

摘要翻译： 等离子体蚀刻工艺，特别适用于需要对氮化物或其他非氧化物材料进行高选择性且无蚀刻停止的自对准接触蚀刻或其他高级结构。 该方法优选在高密度等离子体反应器中进行，用于蚀刻具有高或低纵横比的孔。 在该方法中，六氟丙烷（C 3 H 2 F 6）是在大量惰性气体如氩气存在下的主蚀刻气体。 该方法也可与紧密相关的气体七氟丙烷（C 3 H F 7）和五氟丙烷（C 3 H 3 F 5）一起使用。 该方法可以使用一种或多种这些气体的比例来优化比其它材料的选择性，而不会在狭窄的接触孔中和在宽的工艺窗口中发生蚀刻停止。 二氟甲烷（CH 2 F 2）或其它碳氟化合物可与上述气体组合，以获得特定接触特征设计的最佳选择性。

公开(公告)号：US5607542A

公开(公告)日：1997-03-04

申请号：US333004

申请日：1994-11-01

申请人： Robert Wu ,  Gerald Z. Yin

发明人： Robert Wu ,  Gerald Z. Yin

IPC分类号： H05H1/46 ,  C23F4/00 ,  H01J37/32 ,  H01L21/302 ,  H01L21/3065

CPC分类号： H01J37/32091 ,  H01J37/321

摘要： A method and apparatus for generating a medium density plasma in a reactive ion etching chamber. A conventional reactive ion etching technique, using multiple electrodes for capacitive coupling of power into the chamber to establish and sustain a plasma, is combined with inductive coupling for plasma enhancement only. A first source of high frequency power is coupled to at least one of the electrodes to generate the plasma under conditions similar to those used in a conventional reactive ion etching system, and a second source of high frequency power is coupled to an inductive coil surrounding the plasma, to enhance the plasma density without adversely affecting wafers being processed in the chamber.

摘要翻译： 一种用于在反应离子蚀刻室中产生中密度等离子体的方法和装置。 常规的反应离子蚀刻技术与仅用于等离子体增强的感应耦合组合使用多个电极用于将功率电容耦合到腔室中以建立和维持等离子体。 高频功率的第一源耦合到至少一个电极，以在与常规的反应离子蚀刻系统中使用的那些类似的条件下产生等离子体，并且第二高频功率源耦合到围绕 等离子体，以增强等离子体密度，而不会不利地影响在腔室中处理的晶片。

公开(公告)号：US06174451B1

公开(公告)日：2001-01-16

申请号：US09193056

申请日：1998-11-16

申请人： Raymond Hung ,  Joseph P. Caulfield ,  Hongching Shan ,  Ruiping Wang ,  Gerald Z. Yin

发明人： Raymond Hung ,  Joseph P. Caulfield ,  Hongching Shan ,  Ruiping Wang ,  Gerald Z. Yin

IPC分类号： H01L2131

CPC分类号： H01L21/31116

摘要： An oxide etching process, particular useful for selectively etching oxide over a feature having a non-oxide composition, such as silicon nitride and especially when that feature has a corner that is prone to faceting during the oxide etch. The invention uses one of three unsaturated 3- and 4-carbon fluorocarbons, specifically hexafluorobutadiene (C4F6), pentafluoropropylene (C3HF5), and trifluoropropyne (C3HF3), all of which have boiling points below 10° C. and are commercially available. The unsaturated hydrofluorocarbon together with argon is excited into a high-density plasma in a reactor which inductively couples plasma source power into the chamber and RF biases the pedestal electrode supporting the wafer. Preferably, a two-step etch is used process is used in which the above etching gas is used in the main step to provide a good vertical profile and a more strongly polymerizing fluorocarbon such as difluoromethane (CH2F2) is added in the over etch to protect the nitride corner.

摘要翻译： 一种氧化物蚀刻工艺，特别用于在具有非氧化物组成的特征（例如氮化硅）上选择性地蚀刻氧化物，特别是当该特征具有在氧化物蚀刻期间易于刻面的拐角时。 本发明使用沸点低于10℃的三种不饱和3-和4-碳碳氟化合物，特别是六氟丁二烯（C 4 F 6），五氟丙烯（C 3 HF 5）和三氟丙炔（C 3 H 3 F 3）中的一种，并且可商购。 将不饱和氢氟烃与氩一起激发成反应器中的高密度等离子体，其将等离子体源功率感应耦合到室中，并且RF偏置支撑晶片的基座电极。 优选地，使用两步蚀刻方法，其中在主要步骤中使用上述蚀刻气体以提供良好的垂直分布，并且在过蚀刻中加入更强的聚合碳氟化合物如二氟甲烷（CH 2 F 2）以保护 氮化物角。

公开(公告)号：US5565681A

公开(公告)日：1996-10-15

申请号：US409389

申请日：1995-03-23

申请人： Peter Loewenhardt ,  Gerald Z. Yin

发明人： Peter Loewenhardt ,  Gerald Z. Yin

IPC分类号： H05H1/00 ,  H01J37/05 ,  H01L21/302 ,  H01L21/3065 ,  H01J49/48

CPC分类号： H01J37/32935 ,  H01J37/05 ,  H01J2237/053 ,  H01J2237/057

摘要： An ion energy analyzer having a micro-channel plate where the geometric filtering characteristics of the micro-channel plate are electrically controlled. The ion energy analyzer contains a metallic collector, a control grid and a micro-channel plate, all formed into a cylindrical stack where the collector, control grid and micro-channel plate are separated by ceramic insulating washers. A control element is formed within each aperture of the micro-channel plate for controlling a critical angle of each aperture. A voltage is applied to the control element such that an electric field is generated within each micro-channel. By varying the magnitude of the electric field, the critical angle of the micro-channel plate can be electrically controlled, and as such, certain ion trajectories can be selected for entry into the ion energy analyzer.

摘要翻译： 具有微通道板的离子能量分析器，其中微通道板的几何滤波特性被电控制。 离子能量分析仪包含金属收集器，控制栅格和微通道板，全部形成圆柱形堆叠，集电器，控制栅极和微通道板由陶瓷绝缘垫圈分隔开。 控制元件形成在微通道板的每个孔内，用于控制每个孔的临界角。 电压施加到控制元件，使得在每个微通道内产生电场。 通过改变电场的大小，可以电控制微通道板的临界角，并且因此可以选择某些离子轨迹以进入离子能量分析器。

公开(公告)号：US5262029A

公开(公告)日：1993-11-16

申请号：US440478

申请日：1989-11-21

申请人： David Erskine ,  Randall S. Mundt ,  Dariush Rafinejad ,  Vernon W. H. Wong ,  Gerald Z. Yin

发明人： David Erskine ,  Randall S. Mundt ,  Dariush Rafinejad ,  Vernon W. H. Wong ,  Gerald Z. Yin

IPC分类号： C23C16/458 ,  H01L21/687 ,  C23F1/02

CPC分类号： H01L21/68721 ,  C23C16/4585 ,  H01L21/68735

摘要： A wafer clamping mechanism includes a clamp ring having a central opening corresponding to the geometry of a conventional semiconductor wafer. An overhang located about the opening engages the corresponding semiconductor wafer when in place on an electrode of a plasma reactor. The clamp ring is resiliently mounted on a housing which holds a second electrode. The clamp ring is automatically engaged against the wafer as the spacing between the two electrodes is adjusted to a desired gap width. A raised annular barrier on the lower electrode circumscribes the wafer and engages a mating surface on the clamp ring in order to enhance alignment of the clamp.

摘要翻译： 晶片夹持机构包括具有对应于常规半导体晶片的几何形状的中心开口的夹紧环。 当位于等离子体反应器的电极上时，位于开口周围的突出端与相应的半导体晶片接合。 夹环弹性地安装在保持第二电极的壳体上。 夹紧环自动地接合在晶片上，因为两个电极之间的间距被调节到期望的间隙宽度。 下电极上的凸起的环形阻挡件限制晶片并与夹紧环上的配合表面接合，以增强夹具的对准。

公开(公告)号：US06183655B2

公开(公告)日：2001-02-06

申请号：US09049862

申请日：1998-03-27

申请人： Ruiping Wang ,  Gerald Z. Yin ,  Robert W. Wu ,  Jian Ding

发明人： Ruiping Wang ,  Gerald Z. Yin ,  Robert W. Wu ,  Jian Ding

IPC分类号： C03C2568

CPC分类号： H01L21/31116

摘要： A plasma etch process, particularly applicable to a self-aligned contact etch or other advanced structures requiring high-selectivity to nitride or other non-oxide materials and producing no etch stop. The process is preferably performed in a high-density plasma reactor for etching holes with either high or low aspect rations. In this process, hexafluoropropylene (C3F6) is the principal etching gas and another hydrofluorocarbon such as CH2F2 or C3H2F6 is added at least in part for its polymer-forming ability, which increases selectivity of etching oxide to nitride. The process gas also includes a substantial amount of an inactive gas such as argon. The process gas mixture can be balanced between the active etching gas and the polymer former in proportions to optimize selectivity over other materials without the occurrence of etch stop in narrow contact holes and with a wide process window.

摘要翻译： 等离子体蚀刻工艺，特别适用于需要对氮化物或其他非氧化物材料的高选择性并且不产生蚀刻停止的自对准接触蚀刻或其它高级结构。 该方法优选在高密度等离子体反应器中进行，用于蚀刻具有高或低纵横比的孔。 在该方法中，六氟丙烯（C 3 F 6）是主要的蚀刻气体，并且至少部分地由于其聚合物形成能力而添加另一种氢氟烃，例如CH 2 F 2或C 3 H 2 F 6，这增加了蚀刻氧化物对氮化物的选择性。 工艺气体还包括大量惰性气体如氩气。 工艺气体混合物可以在有效蚀刻气体和聚合物成型剂之间以比例平衡，以优于其它材料的选择性，而不会在狭窄的接触孔和宽的工艺窗口中发生蚀刻停止。

公开(公告)号：US5676759A

公开(公告)日：1997-10-14

申请号：US442939

申请日：1995-05-17

申请人： Yan Ye ,  Charles Steven Rhoades ,  Gerald Z. Yin

发明人： Yan Ye ,  Charles Steven Rhoades ,  Gerald Z. Yin

IPC分类号： C23C14/00 ,  B08B7/00 ,  C23C16/44 ,  H01L21/00 ,  H01L21/302 ,  H01L21/304 ,  H01L21/306 ,  H01L21/3065

CPC分类号： H01L21/02046 ,  B08B7/0035 ,  C23C16/4405 ,  H01L21/67028 ,  H01L21/67034 ,  Y10S438/905

摘要： The plasma dry cleaning rate of semiconductor process chamber walls can be improved by placing a non-gaseous dry cleaning enhancement material in the position which was occupied by the workpiece during semiconductor processing. The non-gaseous dry cleaning enhancement material is either capable generating dry cleaning reactive species and/or of reducing the consumption of the dry cleaning reactive species generated from the plasma gas feed to the process chamber. When process chamber non-volatile contaminant deposits are removed from plasma process chamber surfaces during plasma dry cleaning by placing a non-gaseous source of reactive-species-generating material within the plasma process chamber, the non-gaseous source of reactive-species-generating material need not be located upon or adjacent the workpiece support platform: however, this location provides excellent cleaning results in typical process chamber designs.

摘要翻译： 通过在半导体处理期间将非气态干洗增强材料置于被工件占据的位置，可以改善半导体处理室壁的等离子体干洗率。 非气态干洗增强材料可以产生干洗活性物质和/或降低从等离子体气体进料到处理室产生的干洗反应物质的消耗。 当在等离子体干洗期间通过将等离子体处理室内的非气态反应性物质产生材料源放置在等离子体处理室表面中来处理室非挥发性污染物沉积物时，产生非反应性物质的非气态源 材料不必位于工件支撑平台上或邻近工件支撑平台：然而，该位置在典型的工艺室设计中提供了极好的清洁效果。

公开(公告)号：US5573596A

公开(公告)日：1996-11-12

申请号：US188287

申请日：1994-01-28

申请人： Gerald Z. Yin

发明人： Gerald Z. Yin

IPC分类号： H05H1/46 ,  C23F4/00 ,  H01J37/32 ,  H01L21/302 ,  H01L21/3065 ,  C23C16/00

CPC分类号： H01J37/32623 ,  H01J37/32532 ,  H01J2237/0206

摘要： A reactive ion etching or magnetically enhanced reactive ion etching system consists of a cathode support structure, a shield structure disposed around the cathode, an insulator disposed between the cathode and the shield structure, and a clamping ring capable of mating with the top edge of the insulator. The insulator has a generally cylindrical shape with a flange that extends outward between the shield structure and the clamping ring. A gap between the clamping ring and the top edge of the insulator is controlled to 20 thousandths of an inch or less to restrict an RF coupling path between the shield and the cathode. In addition, the flange acts to interrupt the plasma conduction path between the shield structure and the cathode. By inhibiting plasma conduction between the shield and the cathode, reactive ion etching systems in accordance with the present invention operate in a higher pressure, higher power regime without arcing or exciting a secondary plasma.

摘要翻译： 反应离子蚀刻或磁力增强的反应离子蚀刻系统由阴极支撑结构，围绕阴极设置的屏蔽结构，设置在阴极和屏蔽结构之间的绝缘体，以及能够与 绝缘子。 绝缘体具有大致圆柱形形状，其具有在屏蔽结构和夹紧环之间向外延伸的凸缘。 将夹紧环和绝缘体的顶部边缘之间的间隙控制在千分之二千分之一或更小，以限制屏蔽和阴极之间的RF耦合路径。 此外，法兰用于中断屏蔽结构和阴极之间的等离子体传导路径。 通过抑制屏蔽和阴极之间的等离子体传导，根据本发明的反应离子蚀刻系统在较高压力，较高功率状态下工作，而不会使二次等离子体电弧或激发。

公开(公告)号：US5451784A

公开(公告)日：1995-09-19

申请号：US331836

申请日：1994-10-31

申请人： Peter K. Loewenhardt ,  Hiroji Hanawa ,  Gerald Z. Yin

发明人： Peter K. Loewenhardt ,  Hiroji Hanawa ,  Gerald Z. Yin

IPC分类号： H05H1/00 ,  H01J37/32 ,  H01L21/302 ,  H01L21/3065 ,  H01L21/66 ,  H01J49/48 ,  H01J37/244

CPC分类号： H01J37/32935 ,  H01J2237/24485 ,  H01J2237/24507

摘要： A composite diagnostic wafer containing a placebo wafer having the same dimensions as a semiconductor wafer. The placebo wafer has affixed to one surface one or more ion current probes and one or more ion energy analyzers. As such, measurement instrumentation connected to the analyzer(s) and probe(s) determines ion current and ion energy at various locations on the placebo wafer during plasma generation within a semiconductor wafer processing system.

摘要翻译： 含有与半导体晶片尺寸相同的安慰剂晶片的复合诊断晶片。 安慰剂晶片已经固定在一个表面上一个或多个离子电流探针和一个或多个离子能量分析仪。 因此，连接到分析器和探针的测量仪器在半导体晶片处理系统中的等离子体生成期间确定安慰剂晶片上的各个位置处的离子电流和离子能量。