公开(公告)号：US06829056B1

公开(公告)日：2004-12-07

申请号：US10646943

申请日：2003-08-21

申请人： Michael Barnes ,  John Holland ,  Hongqing Shan ,  Bryan Y. Pu ,  Mohit Jain ,  Zhifeng Sui ,  Michael D. Armacost ,  Neil E. Hanson ,  Diana Xiaobing Ma ,  Ashok K. Sinha ,  Dan Maydan

发明人： Michael Barnes ,  John Holland ,  Hongqing Shan ,  Bryan Y. Pu ,  Mohit Jain ,  Zhifeng Sui ,  Michael D. Armacost ,  Neil E. Hanson ,  Diana Xiaobing Ma ,  Ashok K. Sinha ,  Dan Maydan

IPC分类号： G01B1114

CPC分类号： H01L21/67253 ,  H01J37/32935 ,  H01L21/67069

摘要： A substrate processing apparatus has a chamber having a substrate support, gas distributor, gas energizer, and gas exhaust port. A process monitor is provided to monitor features in a first region of the substrate and generate a corresponding first signal, and to monitor features in a second region of the substrate and generate a second signal. A chamber controller receives and evaluates the first and second signals, and operates the chamber in relation to the signals. For example, the chamber controller can select a process recipe depending upon the signal values. The chamber controller can also set a process parameter at a first level in a first processing sector and at a second level in a second processing sector. The apparatus provides a closed control loop to independently monitor and control processing of features at different regions of the substrate.

摘要翻译： 基板处理装置具有具有基板支撑件，气体分配器，气体激励器和排气口的腔室。 提供过程监视器以​​监测衬底的第一区域中的特征并产生相应的第一信号，并且监测衬底的第二区域中的特征并产生第二信号。 室控制器接收并评估第一和第二信号，并相对于信号操作室。 例如，腔室控​​制器可以根据信号值选择工艺配方。 腔室控制器还可以在第一处理扇区中将处理参数设置在第一电平处，并在第二处理扇区中将第二电平设置为第二电平。 该装置提供一个闭合的控制回路以独立地监测和控制基板的不同区域处的特征的处理。

公开(公告)号：US06372633B1

公开(公告)日：2002-04-16

申请号：US09111657

申请日：1998-07-08

申请人： Dan Maydan ,  Ashok K. Sinha ,  Zheng Xu ,  Liang-Yu Chen ,  Roderick Craig Mosely ,  Daniel Carl ,  Diana Xiaobing Ma ,  Yan Ye ,  Wen Chiang Tu

发明人： Dan Maydan ,  Ashok K. Sinha ,  Zheng Xu ,  Liang-Yu Chen ,  Roderick Craig Mosely ,  Daniel Carl ,  Diana Xiaobing Ma ,  Yan Ye ,  Wen Chiang Tu

IPC分类号： H01L214763

CPC分类号： H01L21/76838 ,  H01L21/32136 ,  H01L21/76885

摘要： The present invention provides a method and apparatus for forming reliable interconnects in which the overlap of the line over the plug or via is minimized or eliminated. In one aspect, a barrier plug comprised of a conductive material, such as tungsten, is deposited over the via to provide an etch stop during line etching and to prevent diffusion of the metal, such as copper, into the surrounding dielectric material if the line is misaligned over the via. Additionally, the barrier plug prevents an overall reduction in resistance of the interconnect and enables reactive ion etching to be employed to form the metal line. In another aspect, reactive ion etching techniques are employed to selectively etch the metal line and the barrier layer to provide a controlled etching process which exhibits selectivity for the metal line, then the barrier and then the via or plug.

摘要翻译： 本发明提供了一种用于形成可靠互连的方法和装置，其中使插塞或通孔上的线重叠最小化或消除。 在一个方面，由诸如钨的导电材料构成的阻挡塞沉积在通孔上，以在线蚀刻期间提供蚀刻停止并且防止金属（例如铜）扩散到周围的介电材料中，如果线 在通道上不对齐。 此外，阻挡塞防止互连的电阻的总体降低，并且能够使用反应离子蚀刻来形成金属线。 在另一方面，使用反应离子蚀刻技术来选择性地蚀刻金属线和阻挡层，以提供对金属线，然后是屏障，然后是通孔或插塞的选择性的受控蚀刻工艺。

公开(公告)号：US20090004875A1

公开(公告)日：2009-01-01

申请号：US12163888

申请日：2008-06-27

申请人： Meihua Shen ,  Diana Xiaobing Ma ,  Wendy H. Yeh ,  Kenneth MacWilliams ,  Wei Liu ,  Thorsten B. Lill

发明人： Meihua Shen ,  Diana Xiaobing Ma ,  Wendy H. Yeh ,  Kenneth MacWilliams ,  Wei Liu ,  Thorsten B. Lill

IPC分类号： H01L21/308

CPC分类号： H01L21/0337

摘要： Methods for forming an ultra thin structure using a method that includes trimming a mask layer during an etching process are provided. The embodiments described herein may be advantageously utilized to fabricate a submicron structure on a substrate having a critical dimension less than 55 nm and beyond. In one embodiment, a method of forming a submicron structure on a substrate may include providing a substrate having a patterned photoresist layer disposed on a film stack into an etch chamber, wherein the film stack includes at least a hardmask layer disposed on an underlying layer, trimming the photoresist layer to a first predetermined critical dimension, etching the hardmask layer through openings defined by the trimmed photoresist layer, trimming the hardmask layer to a second predetermined critical dimension, and etching the underlying layer through openings defined by the trimmed hardmask layer.

摘要翻译： 提供了使用包括在蚀刻处理期间修整掩模层的方法来形成超薄结构的方法。 本文描述的实施例可有利地用于在临界尺寸小于55nm及以上的衬底上制造亚微米结构。 在一个实施例中，在衬底上形成亚微米结构的方法可以包括提供具有设置在膜堆叠上的图案化光致抗蚀剂层进入蚀刻室的衬底，其中所述膜堆叠包括至少设置在下层上的硬掩模层， 将光致抗蚀剂层修剪到第一预定临界尺寸，通过由修剪的光致抗蚀剂层限定的开口蚀刻硬掩模层，将硬掩模层修剪到第二预定临界尺寸，以及通过由修剪的硬掩模层限定的开孔蚀刻下层。

公开(公告)号：US06620289B1

公开(公告)日：2003-09-16

申请号：US09300563

申请日：1999-04-27

申请人： Chun Yan ,  Yan Ye ,  Diana Xiaobing Ma

发明人： Chun Yan ,  Yan Ye ,  Diana Xiaobing Ma

IPC分类号： H01L21306

CPC分类号： C23C16/45565 ,  C23C16/455 ,  C23C16/45502 ,  H01J37/321 ,  H01J37/3244 ,  H01L21/67017 ,  H01L21/67069

摘要： A method and apparatus for processing a workpiece in a chamber by providing an asymmetric flow of process gas and processing the workpiece with the process gas. The asymmetric flow counteracts a non-uniform distribution of reactive species in the chamber. The asymmetric flow can be accomplished by introducing the process gas through a plurality of gas nozzles that communicate through a side wall of the chamber proximate a pump port while pumping gas with a pump coupled to the pump port. The inventive method can be used with a conventional processing chamber by only opening the gas nozzles closest to the pump and blocking any other gas nozzles. Alternatively, the method can be implemented in a processing chamber having gas nozzles located only proximate the pump port.

摘要翻译： 一种用于通过提供工艺气体的非对称流动并用工艺气体处理工件来处理腔室中的工件的方法和装置。 不对称流动抵消了室中反应物质的不均匀分布。 不对称流动可以通过将工艺气体引入多个气体喷嘴来实现，所述多个气体喷嘴通过邻近泵口的腔室的侧壁连通，同时用连接到泵口的泵泵送气体。 本发明的方法可以通过仅打开最靠近泵的气体喷嘴并阻挡任何其它气体喷嘴而与常规处理室一起使用。 或者，该方法可以在具有仅位于泵端口附近的气体喷嘴的处理室中实现。

公开(公告)号：US5710486A

公开(公告)日：1998-01-20

申请号：US436513

申请日：1995-05-08

申请人： Yan Ye ,  Hiroji Hanawa ,  Diana Xiaobing Ma ,  Gerald Zheyao Yin

发明人： Yan Ye ,  Hiroji Hanawa ,  Diana Xiaobing Ma ,  Gerald Zheyao Yin

IPC分类号： H05H1/46 ,  C23C14/24 ,  H01J37/32 ,  H01L21/203 ,  H01L21/205 ,  H01L21/302 ,  H01L21/3065 ,  H01J7/24

CPC分类号： H01J37/32091 ,  H01J37/32082 ,  H01J37/321

摘要： The invention is embodiment in a plasma reactor for processing a semiconductor wafer, the reactor having a pair of parallel capacitive electrodes at the ceiling and base of the processing chamber, respectively, each of the capacitive electrodes capacitvely coupling RF power into the chamber in accordance with a certain RF phase relationship between the pair of electrodes during processing of the semiconductor wafer for ease of plasma ignition and precise control of plasma ion energy and process reproducibility, and an inductive coil wound around a portion of the chamber and inductively coupling RF power into the chamber for independent control of plasma ion density. Preferably, in order to minimize the number of RF sources while providing independent power control, the invention includes power splitting to separately provide power from a common source or sources to the pair of electrodes and to the coil.

摘要翻译： 本发明是用于处理半导体晶片的等离子体反应器中的实施例，该反应器分别在处理室的天花板和底部具有一对平行的电容电极，每个电容电极根据电容电容将RF功率电容耦合到室中 在半导体晶片的处理期间该对电极之间的某些RF相位关系易于等离子体点火并且精确控制等离子体离子能量和工艺再现性，以及感应线圈，其缠绕在腔室的一部分上并将RF功率感应耦合到 用于独立控制等离子体离子密度。 优选地，为了在提供独立的功率控制的同时最小化RF源的数量，本发明包括功率分配以从共同的源或源分别向一对电极和线圈供电。

公开(公告)号：US06534416B1

公开(公告)日：2003-03-18

申请号：US09637509

申请日：2000-08-11

申请人： Yan Ye ,  Allen Zhao ,  Xiancan Deng ,  Diana Xiaobing Ma

发明人： Yan Ye ,  Allen Zhao ,  Xiancan Deng ,  Diana Xiaobing Ma

IPC分类号： H01L21302

CPC分类号： H01L21/02071 ,  C23F4/00 ,  H01L21/32136

摘要： Copper can be pattern etched in a manner which provides the desired feature dimension and integrity, at acceptable rates, and with selectivity over adjacent materials. To provide for feature integrity, the portion of the copper feature surface which has been etched to the desired dimensions and shape must be protected during the etching of adjacent feature surfaces. To avoid the trapping of reactive species interior of the etched copper surface, hydrogen is applied to that surface. Hydrogen is adsorbed on the copper exterior surface and may be absorbed into the exterior surface of the copper, so that it is available to react with species which would otherwise penetrate that exterior surface and react with the copper interior to that surface. Sufficient hydrogen must be applied to the exterior surface of the etched portion of the copper feature to prevent incident reactive species present due to etching of adjacent feature surfaces from penetrating the previously etched feature exterior surface. The most preferred embodiment of the invention provides for the use of hydrogen chloride (HCl) and/or hydrogen bromide (HBr) as the sole or principal source of the reactive species used in etching copper. Dissociation of the HCl and/or HBr provides the large amounts of hydrogen necessary to protect the copper feature etched surfaces from penetration by reactive species adjacent the etched surface. Additional hydrogen gas may be added to the plasma feed gas which comprises the HCl and/or HBr when the reactive species density in the etch process chamber is particularly high. Although the HCl or HBr may be used as an additive in combination with other plasma feed gases, preferably HCl or HBr or a combination thereof accounts for at least 40%, and more preferably at least 50%, of the reactive species generated by the plasma. Most preferably, HCl or HBr should account for at least 80% of the reactive species generated by the plasma.

公开(公告)号：US06488862B1

公开(公告)日：2002-12-03

申请号：US09428307

申请日：1999-10-27

申请人： Yan Ye ,  Diana Xiaobing Ma ,  Gerald Yin

发明人： Yan Ye ,  Diana Xiaobing Ma ,  Gerald Yin

IPC分类号： C23F100

CPC分类号： H01L21/32131 ,  C23F4/00 ,  Y10T428/12229 ,  Y10T428/12528 ,  Y10T428/12771 ,  Y10T428/12826 ,  Y10T428/12896

摘要： Copper can be pattern etched at acceptable rates and with selectivity over adjacent materials using an etch process which utilizes a solely physical process which we have termed “enhanced physical bombardment”. Enhanced physical bombardment requires an increase in ion density and/or an increase in ion energy of ionized species which strike the substrate surface. To assist in the removal of excited copper atoms from the surface being etched, the power to the ion generation source and/or the substrate offset bias source may be pulsed. In addition, when the bombarding ions are supplied from a remote source, the supply of these ions may be pulsed. Further, thermal phoresis may be used by maintaining a substrate temperature which is higher than the temperature of a surface in the etch chamber. It is also possible to use a chemically reactive species in combination with the physical ion bombardment without causing copper corrosion problems, so long as the concentration of the chemically reactive ion component is sufficiently low that the etching is carried out in a physical bombardment dominated etch regime.

摘要翻译： 铜可以以可接受的速率进行图案蚀刻，并且使用使用仅称为“增强物理轰击”的物理过程的蚀刻工艺对相邻材料具有选择性。 增强的物理轰击需要离子密度的增加和/或离子化物质的离子能量的增加，这些物质撞击到基底表面。 为了帮助从被蚀刻的表面去除激发的铜原子，离子产生源和/或衬底偏置偏置源的功率可以是脉冲的。 此外，当从远程源供应轰击离子时，这些离子的供应可以是脉冲的。 此外，可以通过保持高于蚀刻室中的表面的温度的衬底温度来使用热电泳。 只要化学反应离子组分的浓度足够低以致蚀刻在物理轰击主导的蚀刻状态下进行，也可以将化学反应物质与物理离子轰击结合使用而不引起铜腐蚀问题 。

公开(公告)号：US5968847A

公开(公告)日：1999-10-19

申请号：US42146

申请日：1998-03-13

申请人： Yan Ye ,  Diana Xiaobing Ma

发明人： Yan Ye ,  Diana Xiaobing Ma

IPC分类号： C23F4/00 ,  H01L21/302 ,  H01L21/3065 ,  H01L21/3213 ,  H01L21/768 ,  H01L21/00 ,  B44C1/22

CPC分类号： C23F4/00 ,  H01L21/32136 ,  H01L21/76838 ,  H01L21/7684

摘要： In the preparation of semiconductor structures having multilevel copper conductive features which must be interconnected, it is frequently desired to remove portions of a copper layer deposited over a substrate. In particular, where lines and contacts are created by depositing a copper layer to fill trenches and vias present in a dielectric layer, it is desired to remove the portion of the copper layer which does not form the desired line or contact. The present invention provides a method of etching a copper layer (film) to remove the portion of the film which is not part of the desired conductive interconnect structure, while avoiding over etching of the structure and the formation of corrosive surface contaminants on the surface of the etched copper. The method of etching is referred to as the etchback process, since, in a typical fabrication process, the deposited copper layer is etched back to the upper or "field" surface of a substrate containing trenches and vias which are filled by the copper. The copper layer etchback may be conducted on a substrate surface using a low temperature regime, below about 150.degree. C. Within this low temperature regime, the etchback is preferably conducted using essentially physical bombardment of the copper surface. Or, the etchback may be carried out with the substrate surface at a temperature which falls within a high temperature regime, above about 150.degree. C. Within this high temperature regime, three different etch chemistries may be used. The etch plasma may be formed solely from non-reactive gases; the etch plasma may be formed solely from gases which are produce a reactive species (such as a gas which is a source of chlorine or fluorine), or, the etch plasma may be formed from a combination of non-reactive and reactive gases which are tailored to adjust selectivity and etch rate. When the gas is a source of chlorine or fluorine, it is preferred that the gas be a compound comprising at least one other element in combination with chlorine or fluorine.

公开(公告)号：US5783101A

公开(公告)日：1998-07-21

申请号：US307870

申请日：1994-09-16

申请人： Diana Xiaobing Ma ,  Gerald Zheyao Yin ,  Hiroji Hanawa

发明人： Diana Xiaobing Ma ,  Gerald Zheyao Yin ,  Hiroji Hanawa

IPC分类号： H01L21/28 ,  H01J37/32 ,  H01L21/302 ,  H01L21/3065 ,  H01L21/3213 ,  H01L21/02

CPC分类号： H01J37/321 ,  H01L21/32136

摘要： The plasma source power frequency in a plasma etch reactor is reduced to a low RF frequency such as about 2 MHz. It is a discovery of this invention that at this low frequency, capacitive coupling from the plasma power source is reduced, and the plasma source power level may be increased beyond 750 Watts to reduce capacitive coupling and provide a high density inductively coupled plasma without appreciably increasing the ion bombardment energy. Moreover, under these conditions the etchant (e.g., chlorine) concentration in the plasma may be increased to about 80 percent without decreasing etch uniformity to provide a very high metal alloy etch rate with complete residue removal, no profile microloading, and no etch rate microloading, the process being applicable over a wide window of metal alloy compositions.

摘要翻译： 等离子体蚀刻反应器中的等离子体源功率频率降低到低RF频率，例如约2MHz。 本发明的发现是，在这种低频下，来自等离子体电源的电容耦合被降低，并且等离子体源功率电平可以增加到超过750瓦特以减小电容耦合并且提供高密度感应耦合等离子体而不会明显增加 离子轰击能量。 此外，在这些条件下，等离子体中的蚀刻剂（例如，氯）浓度可以增加到约80％，而不降低蚀刻均匀性，以提供非常高的金属合金蚀刻速率，完全残留物去除，无轮廓微加载，并且没有蚀刻速率的微加载 ，该方法适用于宽窗口的金属合金组合物。

公开(公告)号：US5779926A

公开(公告)日：1998-07-14

申请号：US596960

申请日：1996-02-05

申请人： Diana Xiaobing Ma ,  Daisuke Tajima ,  Allen Zhao ,  Peter K. Loewenhardt ,  Timothy R. Webb

发明人： Diana Xiaobing Ma ,  Daisuke Tajima ,  Allen Zhao ,  Peter K. Loewenhardt ,  Timothy R. Webb

IPC分类号： C23F4/00 ,  H01J37/32 ,  H01L21/302 ,  H01L21/3065 ,  H01L21/3213 ,  B44C1/22 ,  C23F1/00 ,  H01L21/00

CPC分类号： H01J37/321 ,  C23F4/00 ,  H01L21/32136

摘要： A method of etching a multicomponent alloy on a substrate, without forming etchant residue on the substrate, is described. In the method, the substrate is placed in a process chamber comprising a plasma generator and plasma electrodes. A process gas comprising a volumetric flow ratio V.sub.r of (i) a chlorine-containing gas capable of ionizing to form dissociated Cl.sup.+ plasma ions and non-dissociated Cl.sub.2.sup.+ plasma ions, and (ii) an inert gas capable of enhancing dissociation of the chlorine-containing gas, in introduced into the process chamber. The process gas is ionized to form plasma ions that energetically impinge on the substrate by (i) applying RF current at a first power level to the plasma generator, and (ii) applying RF current at a second power level to the plasma electrodes. The combination of (i) the volumetric flow ratio V.sub.r of the process gas and (ii) the power ratio P.sub.r of the first power level to the second power level, is selected so that the chlorine-containing etchant gas ionizes to form dissociated Cl.sup.+ plasma ions and non-dissociated Cl.sub.2.sup.+ plasma ions in a number ratio of at least about 0.6:1. The increased amount of dissociated Cl.sup.+ ions relative to non-dissociated Cl.sub.2.sup.+ ions etches the multicomponent alloy on the substrate at an etch rate of at least about 500 nm/min, without forming etchant residue on the substrate.

摘要翻译： 描述了在衬底上蚀刻多组分合金而不在衬底上形成蚀刻剂残留物的方法。 在该方法中，将基板放置在包括等离子体发生器和等离子体电极的处理室中。 一种工艺气体，其包括（i）能够电离以形成离解的Cl +等离子体离子和非离解的Cl 2 +等离子体离子的含氯气体的体积流量比Vr，和（ii）能够增强氯 - 含有气体，被引入处理室。 通过（i）以等离子体发生器施加第一功率电平的RF电流，并且（ii）将第二功率电平的RF电流施加到等离子体电极，将工艺气体电离以形成能量地撞击衬底的等离子体离子。 选择（i）处理气体的体积流量比Vr和（ii）第一功率水平与第二功率水平的功率比Pr的组合，使得含氯蚀刻剂气体电离以形成离解的Cl +等离子体 离子和非离解的Cl2 +等离子体离子的数量比至少为约0.6:1。 解离的Cl +离子相对于未离解的Cl 2 +离子的量的增加量以至少约500nm / min的蚀刻速率蚀刻衬底上的多组分合金，而不在衬底上形成蚀刻剂残留物。