公开(公告)号：US20160181111A1

公开(公告)日：2016-06-23

申请号：US14576978

申请日：2014-12-19

Applicant: Lam Research Corporation

Inventor： Tom A. Kamp ,  Alexander M. Paterson ,  Neema Rastgar

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

CPC classification number: H01L21/3065 ,  H01J37/32082 ,  H01J37/32449 ,  H01J37/32926 ,  H01J2237/334 ,  H01L21/02057 ,  H01L21/02071 ,  H01L21/32137

Abstract: A method for etching features into a silicon containing etch layer is provided. The etch layer is placed into a plasma processing chamber. An etch gas is flowed into the plasma processing chamber. The etch gas is formed into an etch plasma, wherein the etch plasma etches features into the silicon containing layer leaving silicon containing residue. The flow of etch gas into the plasma processing chamber is stopped. A dry clean gas is flowed into the plasma processing chamber, wherein the dry clean gas comprises NH3 and NF3. The dry clean gas is formed into a plasma, wherein the silicon containing residue is exposed to the dry clean gas plasma, and wherein at least some or all of the silicon containing residue is formed into ammonium containing compounds. The flow of the dry clean gas is stopped. The ammonium compounds are sublimated from the films.

Abstract translation: 提供了将特征蚀刻到含硅蚀刻层中的方法。 将蚀刻层放置在等离子体处理室中。 蚀刻气体流入等离子体处理室。 蚀刻气体形成为蚀刻等离子体，其中蚀刻等离子体蚀刻到含硅层中，留下含硅残留物。 停止进入等离子体处理室的蚀刻气体的流动。 干净的气体流入等离子体处理室，其中干净的气体包括NH 3和NF 3。 将干燥的干燥气体形成为等离子体，其中将含硅残渣暴露于干燥清洁气体等离子体中，并且其中至少部分或全部含硅残渣形成含铵化合物。 干燥气体的流动停止。 铵化合物从膜中升华。

公开(公告)号：US10600648B2

公开(公告)日：2020-03-24

申请号：US15492662

申请日：2017-04-20

Applicant: Lam Research Corporation

Inventor： Tom A. Kamp ,  Mirzafer K. Abatchev

IPC: H01L21/033 ,  H01L21/02 ,  H01L21/311 ,  H01J37/32 ,  H01L21/3213

Abstract: A method for processing a stack with a carbon based patterned mask is provided. The stack is placed in an etch chamber. A silicon oxide layer is deposited by atomic layer deposition over the carbon based patterned mask by providing a plurality of cycles, wherein each of the cycles of the plurality of cycles, comprises providing a silicon precursor deposition phase, comprising flowing an atomic layer deposition precursor gas into the etch chamber, where the atomic layer deposition precursor gas is deposited while plasmaless and stopping the flow of the atomic layer deposition precursor gas and providing an oxygen deposition phase, comprising flowing ozone gas into the etch chamber, wherein the ozone gas binds with the deposited precursor gas while plasmaless and stopping the flow of ozone gas into the etch chamber. Part of the silicon oxide layer is etched. The stack is removed from the etch chamber.

公开(公告)号：US20190043728A1

公开(公告)日：2019-02-07

申请号：US15669871

申请日：2017-08-04

Applicant: Lam Research Corporation

Inventor： Xiang Zhou ,  Tom A. Kamp ,  Yoshie Kimura ,  Duming Zhang ,  Chen Xu ,  John Drewery ,  Alex Paterson

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

Abstract: A method for etching a substrate includes performing, in a plasma chamber, a first etch of a substrate material using a plasma etch process. The first etch forms features to a first depth in the material. Following the first etch, the method includes performing, in the plasma chamber without removing the substrate from the chamber, an atomic layer passivation (ALP) process to deposit a conformal film of passivation over the mask and the features formed during the first etch. The ALP process uses a vapor from a liquid precursor to form passivation over the features and the mask. The method further includes performing, in the plasma chamber, a second etch of the material using the plasma etch process. The conformal film of passivation is configured to protect the mask and sidewalls of the features during the second etch. A plasma processing system also is described.

公开(公告)号：US09711359B2

公开(公告)日：2017-07-18

申请号：US14826088

申请日：2015-08-13

Applicant: Lam Research Corporation

Inventor： Tom A. Kamp ,  Rodolfo P. Belen, Jr.

IPC: H01L21/302 ,  H01L21/461 ,  B44C1/22 ,  C03C15/00 ,  C03C25/68 ,  C23F1/00 ,  H01L21/033 ,  H01L21/311 ,  H01L21/027 ,  H01L21/02 ,  H01L21/3065 ,  H01L21/308

CPC classification number: H01L21/0338 ,  H01L21/02164 ,  H01L21/0217 ,  H01L21/0276 ,  H01L21/0332 ,  H01L21/0335 ,  H01L21/0337 ,  H01L21/3065 ,  H01L21/308 ,  H01L21/3081 ,  H01L21/31116 ,  H01L21/31122 ,  H01L21/31138 ,  H01L21/31144

Abstract: A method for etching an etch layer in a stack over a substrate wherein the etch layer is under a mask layer which is under a patterned organic mask is provided. The stack and substrate is placed on a support in the plasma chamber. A silicon based layer is deposited in situ over the stack. The silicon based layer is etched to form silicon based sidewalls or spacers on sides of the patterned organic mask. The mask layer is selectively etched with respect to the silicon based sidewalls or spacers, wherein the selectively etching the mask layer undercuts the silicon based sidewalls or spacers. The etch layer is selectively etched with respect to the mask layer. The stack and substrate are removed from the support and the plasma chamber.

公开(公告)号：US12087561B2

公开(公告)日：2024-09-10

申请号：US18329791

申请日：2023-06-06

Applicant: Lam Research Corporation

Inventor： John Stephen Drewery ,  Tom A. Kamp ,  Haoquan Yan ,  John Edward Daugherty ,  Ali Sucipto Tan ,  Ming-Kuei Tseng ,  Bruce Edmund Freeman

IPC: H01J37/32 ,  C23C16/02 ,  C23C16/44 ,  C23C16/455 ,  H01L21/02 ,  H01L21/311 ,  H01L21/67 ,  H01L21/683

CPC classification number: H01J37/32862 ,  C23C16/0236 ,  C23C16/4405 ,  C23C16/45544 ,  H01J37/32449 ,  H01J37/32834 ,  H01L21/02211 ,  H01L21/0228 ,  H01L21/31116 ,  H01L21/67069 ,  H01J37/3211 ,  H01J37/32715 ,  H01J2237/1825 ,  H01J2237/186 ,  H01J2237/3321 ,  H01J2237/3341 ,  H01L21/02164 ,  H01L21/6833

Abstract: A processing chamber such as a plasma etch chamber can perform deposition and etch operations, where byproducts of the deposition and etch operations can build up in a vacuum pump system fluidly coupled to the processing chamber. A vacuum pump system may have multiple roughing pumps so that etch gases can be diverted a roughing pump and deposition precursors can be diverted to another roughing pump. A divert line may route unused deposition precursors through a separate roughing pump. Deposition byproducts can be prevented from forming by incorporating one or more gas ejectors or venturi pumps at an outlet of a primary pump in a vacuum pump system. Cleaning operations, such as waferless automated cleaning operations, using certain clean chemistries may remove deposition byproducts before or after etch operations.

公开(公告)号：US11538713B2

公开(公告)日：2022-12-27

申请号：US16769681

申请日：2018-11-30

Applicant: LAM RESEARCH CORPORATION

Inventor： Tom A. Kamp ,  Carlos Leal-Verdugo

IPC: H01L21/68 ,  H01L21/67 ,  H01L21/687

Abstract: A controller for adjusting a height of an edge ring in a substrate processing system includes an edge ring wear calculation module configured to receive at least one input indicative of one or more erosion rates of the edge ring, calculate at least one erosion rate of the edge ring based on the at least one input, and calculate an amount of erosion of the edge ring based on the at least one erosion rate. An actuator control module is configured to adjust the height of the edge ring based on the amount of erosion as calculated by the edge ring wear calculation module.

公开(公告)号：US20220270863A1

公开(公告)日：2022-08-25

申请号：US17671211

申请日：2022-02-14

Applicant: LAM RESEARCH CORPORATION

Inventor： Christopher Kimball ,  Hema Swaroop Mopidevi ,  Saravanapriyan Sriraman ,  Tom A. Kamp ,  Darrell Ehrlich ,  Anthony Contreras ,  Chiara Helena Catherina Giammanco Macpherson

IPC: H01J37/32 ,  H01L21/687

Abstract: A moveable edge ring system for a plasma processing system includes a top edge ring and a first edge ring arranged below the top edge ring. A second edge ring is made of conductive material and includes an upper portion, a middle portion and a lower portion. The top edge ring and the second edge ring are configured to move in a vertical direction relative to a substrate support and the first edge ring when biased upwardly by a lift pin. The second edge ring is arranged below the top edge ring and radially outside of the first edge ring.

公开(公告)号：US20230223236A1

公开(公告)日：2023-07-13

申请号：US18009308

申请日：2021-06-08

Applicant: Lam Research Corporation

Inventor： Tom A. Kamp ,  Yuhou Wang ,  Michael John Martin

IPC: H01J37/32

CPC classification number: H01J37/32165 ,  H01J37/32146 ,  H01J37/32174

Abstract: A method for pulsing is described. The method includes generating a first radio frequency (RF) signal, and pulsing a parameter of the first RF signal between a first parameter level and a second parameter level at a pulsing frequency during a cycle of a digital pulsed signal. The method further includes generating a second RF signal, and pulsing a parameter of the second RF signal at a higher pulsing frequency than the pulsing frequency of the parameter of the first RF signal during the cycle. During the cycle, a start time of pulsing the parameter of the first RF signal is synchronized with a start time of pulsing the parameter of the second RF signal and an end time of pulsing the parameter of the first RF signal is synchronized with an end time of pulsing the parameter of the second RF signal.

公开(公告)号：US10950454B2

公开(公告)日：2021-03-16

申请号：US15669871

申请日：2017-08-04

Applicant: Lam Research Corporation

Inventor： Xiang Zhou ,  Tom A. Kamp ,  Yoshie Kimura ,  Duming Zhang ,  Chen Xu ,  John Drewery ,  Alex Paterson

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

Abstract: A method for etching a substrate includes performing, in a plasma chamber, a first etch of a substrate material using a plasma etch process. The first etch forms features to a first depth in the material. Following the first etch, the method includes performing, in the plasma chamber without removing the substrate from the chamber, an atomic layer passivation (ALP) process to deposit a conformal film of passivation over the mask and the features formed during the first etch. The ALP process uses a vapor from a liquid precursor to form passivation over the features and the mask. The method further includes performing, in the plasma chamber, a second etch of the material using the plasma etch process. The conformal film of passivation is configured to protect the mask and sidewalls of the features during the second etch. A plasma processing system also is described.

公开(公告)号：US12237203B2

公开(公告)日：2025-02-25

申请号：US17991193

申请日：2022-11-21

Applicant: Lam Research Corporation

Inventor： Tom A. Kamp ,  Carlos Leal-Verdugo

IPC: H01L21/687 ,  H01L21/67

Abstract: A method for adjusting a height of an edge ring arranged around an outer portion of a substrate support includes receiving at least one input indicative of one or more erosion rates of the edge ring. The at least one input includes a plurality of erosion rates for respective usage periods of a substrate processing system. The method further includes determining at least one erosion rate of the edge ring using the plurality of erosion rates for the respective usage periods, monitoring an overall usage of the edge ring and storing the overall usage of the edge ring in a memory, calculating an amount of erosion of the edge ring based on the determined at least one erosion rate and the overall usage of the edge ring, and adjusting the height of the edge ring based on the calculated amount of erosion to compensate for the calculated amount of erosion.