公开(公告)号：US10319649B2

公开(公告)日：2019-06-11

申请号：US15484985

申请日：2017-04-11

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： Tae Seung Cho ,  Soonam Park ,  Junghoon Kim ,  Dmitry Lubomirsky ,  Shankar Venkataraman

IPC: H01L21/26 ,  H01L21/66 ,  G01N21/73 ,  H01L21/67 ,  H01J37/32 ,  H01L21/311

Abstract: Methods and systems for etching substrates using a remote plasma are described. Remotely excited etchants are formed in a remote plasma and flowed through a showerhead into a substrate processing region to etch the substrate. Optical emission spectra are acquired from the substrate processing region just above the substrate. The optical emission spectra may be used to determine an endpoint of the etch, determine the etch rate or otherwise characterize the etch process. A weak plasma may be present in the substrate processing region. The weak plasma may have much lower intensity than the remote plasma. In cases where no bias plasma is used above the substrate in an etch process, a weak plasma may be ignited near a viewport disposed near the side of the substrate processing region to characterize the etchants.

公开(公告)号：US20180294198A1

公开(公告)日：2018-10-11

申请号：US15484985

申请日：2017-04-11

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： Tae Seung Cho ,  Soonam Park ,  Junghoon Kim ,  Dmitry Lubomirsky ,  Shankar Venkataraman

IPC: H01L21/66 ,  G01N21/73 ,  H01L21/3065 ,  H01L21/67 ,  H01J37/32

CPC classification number: H01L22/26 ,  G01N21/73 ,  G01N2201/08 ,  G01N2201/0833 ,  H01J37/32082 ,  H01J37/32568 ,  H01J37/32743 ,  H01J2237/3341 ,  H01L21/31116 ,  H01L21/67253

Abstract: Methods and systems for etching substrates using a remote plasma are described. Remotely excited etchants are formed in a remote plasma and flowed through a showerhead into a substrate processing region to etch the substrate. Optical emission spectra are acquired from the substrate processing region just above the substrate. The optical emission spectra may be used to determine an endpoint of the etch, determine the etch rate or otherwise characterize the etch process. A weak plasma may be present in the substrate processing region. The weak plasma may have much lower intensity than the remote plasma. In cases where no bias plasma is used above the substrate in an etch process, a weak plasma may be ignited near a viewport disposed near the side of the substrate processing region to characterize the etchants.

公开(公告)号：US10424487B2

公开(公告)日：2019-09-24

申请号：US15792252

申请日：2017-10-24

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： Jungmin Ko ,  Tom Choi ,  Junghoon Kim ,  Sean Kang ,  Mang-Mang Ling

IPC: H01L21/3065 ,  H01L21/67 ,  H01J37/32 ,  H01L21/3213 ,  H01L21/311

Abstract: Processing methods may be performed to remove unwanted materials from a substrate. The methods may include forming a remote plasma of an inert precursor in a remote plasma region of a processing chamber. The methods may include forming a bias plasma of the inert precursor within a processing region of the processing chamber. The methods may include modifying a surface of an exposed material on a semiconductor substrate within the processing region of the processing chamber with plasma effluents of the inert precursor. The methods may include extinguishing the bias plasma while maintaining the remote plasma. The methods may include adding an etchant precursor to the remote plasma region to produce etchant plasma effluents. The methods may include flowing the etchant plasma effluents to the processing region of the processing chamber. The methods may also include removing the modified surface of the exposed material from the semiconductor substrate.

公开(公告)号：US20190272999A1

公开(公告)日：2019-09-05

申请号：US15909812

申请日：2018-03-01

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： Tae Seung Cho ,  Soonwook Jung ,  Junghoon Kim ,  Satoru Kobayashi ,  Kenneth D. Schatz ,  Soonam Park ,  Dmitry Lubomirsky

IPC: H01L21/3213 ,  H01L21/67 ,  H01L21/3105 ,  H01J37/32 ,  H05H1/46

Abstract: Exemplary magnetic induction plasma systems for generating plasma products are provided. The magnetic induction plasma system may include a first plasma source including a plurality of first sections and a plurality of second sections arranged in an alternating manner and fluidly coupled with each other such that at least a portion of plasma products generated inside the first plasma source may circulate through at least one of the plurality of first sections and at least one of the plurality of second sections inside the first plasma source. Each of the plurality of second sections may include a dielectric material. The system may further include a plurality of first magnetic elements each of which may define a closed loop. Each of the plurality of second sections may define a plurality of recesses for receiving one of the plurality of first magnetic elements therein.

公开(公告)号：US20190259580A1

公开(公告)日：2019-08-22

申请号：US16400615

申请日：2019-05-01

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： Tae Seung Cho ,  Soonam Park ,  Junghoon Kim ,  Dmitry Lubomirsky ,  Shankar Venkataraman

IPC: H01J37/32 ,  H01L21/67 ,  H01L21/311 ,  G01J3/02 ,  G01N21/73 ,  G01J3/443

Abstract: Methods and systems for etching substrates using a remote plasma are described. Remotely excited etchants are formed in a remote plasma and flowed through a showerhead into a substrate processing region to etch the substrate. Optical emission spectra are acquired from the substrate processing region just above the substrate. The optical emission spectra may be used to determine an endpoint of the etch, determine the etch rate or otherwise characterize the etch process. A weak plasma may be present in the substrate processing region. The weak plasma may have much lower intensity than the remote plasma. In cases where no bias plasma is used above the substrate in an etch process, a weak plasma may be ignited near a viewport disposed near the side of the substrate processing region to characterize the etchants.