公开(公告)号：US10319600B1

公开(公告)日：2019-06-11

申请号：US15918860

申请日：2018-03-12

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： Zihui Li ,  Rui Cheng ,  Anchuan Wang ,  Nitin K. Ingle ,  Abhijit Basu Mallick

IPC: H01L21/3065 ,  H01L21/311

Abstract: Exemplary methods for selectively removing silicon (e.g. polysilicon) from a patterned substrate may include flowing a fluorine-containing precursor into a substrate processing chamber to form plasma effluents. The plasma effluents may remove silicon (e.g. polysilicon, amorphous silicon or single crystal silicon) at significantly higher etch rates compared to exposed silicon oxide, silicon nitride or other dielectrics on the substrate. The methods rely on the temperature of the substrate in combination with some conductivity of the surface to catalyze the etch reaction rather than relying on a gas phase source of energy such as a plasma.

公开(公告)号：US10204796B2

公开(公告)日：2019-02-12

申请号：US15823083

申请日：2017-11-27

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： Nitin K. Ingle ,  Anchuan Wang ,  Zihui Li ,  Mikhail Korolik

IPC: H01L21/3065 ,  H01L21/308 ,  H01J37/32 ,  H01L21/311 ,  H01L21/3213

Abstract: The present disclosure provides methods for etching a silicon material in a device structure in semiconductor applications. In one example, a method for etching features in a silicon material includes performing a remote plasma process formed from an etching gas mixture including HF gas without nitrogen etchants to remove a silicon material disposed on a substrate.

公开(公告)号：US10204795B2

公开(公告)日：2019-02-12

申请号：US15096428

申请日：2016-04-12

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： Jiayin Huang ,  Lin Xu ,  Zhijun Chen ,  Anchuan Wang

IPC: H01L21/00 ,  C23C16/00 ,  H01L21/3065 ,  H01J37/32 ,  H01L21/67

Abstract: A method and apparatus for processing a semiconductor substrate are described herein. A process system described herein includes a plasma source and a flow distribution plate. A method described herein includes generating fluorine radicals or ions, delivering the fluorine radicals or ions through one or more plasma blocking screens to a volume defined by the flow distribution plate and one of one or more plasma blocking screens, delivering oxygen and hydrogen to the volume, mixing the oxygen and hydrogen with fluorine radicals or ions to form hydrogen fluoride, flowing hydrogen fluoride through the flow distribution plate, and etching a substrate using bifluoride. The concentration of fluorine radicals or ions on the surface of the substrate is reduced to less than about two percent.

公开(公告)号：US10128086B1

公开(公告)日：2018-11-13

申请号：US15792290

申请日：2017-10-24

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： Jiayin Huang ,  Zhijun Chen ,  Anchuan Wang ,  Nitin Ingle

IPC: H01L21/3065 ,  H01L21/3213 ,  H01L21/768 ,  C23C16/455 ,  H01J37/32 ,  C23C16/40 ,  C23C16/34 ,  H01L21/02

Abstract: Exemplary methods for treating a silicon-containing substrate may include flowing plasma effluents of a hydrogen-containing precursor into a processing region of the semiconductor processing chamber. A silicon-containing substrate may be positioned within the processing region and include a trench formed through stacked layers including alternating layers of silicon nitride and silicon oxide exposing a portion of the silicon-containing substrate. The methods may include contacting the exposed portion of the silicon-containing substrate with the plasma effluents. The methods may include flowing an oxygen-containing precursor into the processing region of the semiconductor processing chamber. The methods may include contacting the exposed portion of the silicon-containing substrate with the oxygen-containing precursor. The methods may also include converting the exposed portion of the silicon-containing substrate to silicon oxide.

公开(公告)号：US20180138055A1

公开(公告)日：2018-05-17

申请号：US15707638

申请日：2017-09-18

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： Lin Xu ,  Zhijun Chen ,  Jiayin Huang ,  Anchuan Wang

IPC: H01L21/3213 ,  H01L21/3065 ,  H01J37/32 ,  B08B7/00 ,  H01L21/67

CPC classification number: H01L21/32136 ,  B08B7/00 ,  H01J37/32009 ,  H01J37/32357 ,  H01J37/3244 ,  H01J37/32862 ,  H01J2237/334 ,  H01L21/02057 ,  H01L21/3065 ,  H01L21/31116 ,  H01L21/67069

Abstract: Exemplary cleaning or etching methods may include flowing a fluorine-containing precursor into a remote plasma region of a semiconductor processing chamber. Methods may include forming a plasma within the remote plasma region to generate plasma effluents of the fluorine-containing precursor. The methods may also include flowing the plasma effluents into a processing region of the semiconductor processing chamber. A substrate may be positioned within the processing region, and the substrate may include a region of exposed oxide. Methods may also include providing a hydrogen-containing precursor to the processing region. The methods may further include removing at least a portion of the exposed oxide while maintaining a relative humidity within the processing region below about 50%. Subsequent to the removal, the methods may include increasing the relative humidity within the processing region to greater than or about 50%. The methods may further include removing an additional amount of the exposed oxide.

公开(公告)号：US20180102256A1

公开(公告)日：2018-04-12

申请号：US15792328

申请日：2017-10-24

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： Zhijun Chen ,  Jiayin Huang ,  Anchuan Wang ,  Nitin Ingle

IPC: H01L21/311 ,  H01L21/02

CPC classification number: H01L21/31116 ,  H01L21/0217 ,  H01L21/02323

Abstract: Exemplary methods for laterally etching silicon nitride may include flowing a fluorine-containing precursor and an oxygen-containing precursor into a remote plasma region of a semiconductor processing chamber. The methods may include forming a plasma within the remote plasma region to generate plasma effluents of the fluorine-containing precursor and the oxygen-containing precursor. The methods may also include flowing the plasma effluents into a processing region of the semiconductor processing chamber. A substrate may be positioned within the processing region, and the substrate may include a trench formed through stacked layers including alternating layers of silicon nitride and silicon oxide. The methods may also include laterally etching the layers of silicon nitride from sidewalls of the trench while substantially maintaining the layers of silicon oxide. The layers of silicon nitride may be laterally etched less than 10 nm from the sidewalls of the trench.

公开(公告)号：US09704723B2

公开(公告)日：2017-07-11

申请号：US14936448

申请日：2015-11-09

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： Anchuan Wang ,  Xinglong Chen ,  Zihui Li ,  Hiroshi Hamana ,  Zhijun Chen ,  Ching-Mei Hsu ,  Jiayin Huang ,  Nitin K. Ingle ,  Dmitry Lubomirsky ,  Shankar Venkataraman ,  Randhir Thakur

IPC: H01L21/324 ,  H01L21/02 ,  H01L21/67 ,  C23C16/44 ,  H01L21/3105 ,  H01L21/268 ,  H01L21/677 ,  H01L21/263 ,  H01L21/306 ,  H01L21/3065 ,  H01L21/683 ,  H01L21/3213 ,  H01L21/311 ,  H01J37/32

CPC classification number: H01L21/324 ,  C23C16/4405 ,  H01J37/32357 ,  H01J37/32862 ,  H01L21/02041 ,  H01L21/02057 ,  H01L21/0206 ,  H01L21/263 ,  H01L21/2686 ,  H01L21/30604 ,  H01L21/3065 ,  H01L21/3105 ,  H01L21/31111 ,  H01L21/31116 ,  H01L21/31144 ,  H01L21/32136 ,  H01L21/32137 ,  H01L21/67069 ,  H01L21/67075 ,  H01L21/6708 ,  H01L21/67109 ,  H01L21/67115 ,  H01L21/67184 ,  H01L21/6719 ,  H01L21/67196 ,  H01L21/67201 ,  H01L21/67207 ,  H01L21/67248 ,  H01L21/67253 ,  H01L21/67288 ,  H01L21/67703 ,  H01L21/67739 ,  H01L21/67742 ,  H01L21/6831

Abstract: Systems, chambers, and processes are provided for controlling process defects caused by moisture contamination. The systems may provide configurations for chambers to perform multiple operations in a vacuum or controlled environment. The chambers may include configurations to provide additional processing capabilities in combination chamber designs. The methods may provide for the limiting, prevention, and correction of aging defects that may be caused as a result of etching processes performed by system tools.

公开(公告)号：US20170178924A1

公开(公告)日：2017-06-22

申请号：US15453786

申请日：2017-03-08

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： Zhijun Chen ,  Anchuan Wang ,  Nitin K. Ingle

IPC: H01L21/311 ,  H01J37/32

CPC classification number: H01L21/31116 ,  H01J37/32082 ,  H01J37/32357 ,  H01J2237/3341

Abstract: A method of etching exposed silicon oxide on patterned heterogeneous structures is described and includes a gas phase etch using plasma effluents formed in a remote plasma. The remote plasma excites a fluorine-containing precursor in combination with an oxygen-containing precursor. Plasma effluents within the remote plasma are flowed into a substrate processing region where the plasma effluents combine with water vapor or an alcohol. The combination react with the patterned heterogeneous structures to remove an exposed silicon oxide portion faster than an exposed silicon nitride portion. The inclusion of the oxygen-containing precursor may suppress the silicon nitride etch rate and result in unprecedented silicon oxide etch selectivity.

公开(公告)号：US09659792B2

公开(公告)日：2017-05-23

申请号：US14808904

申请日：2015-07-24

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： Anchuan Wang ,  Xinglong Chen ,  Zihui Li ,  Hiroshi Hamana ,  Zhijun Chen ,  Ching-Mei Hsu ,  Jiayin Huang ,  Nitin K. Ingle ,  Dmitry Lubomirsky ,  Shankar Venkataraman ,  Randhir Thakur

IPC: H01L21/324 ,  H01L21/02 ,  H01L21/67 ,  C23C16/44 ,  H01L21/3105 ,  H01L21/268 ,  H01L21/677 ,  H01L21/263 ,  H01L21/306 ,  H01L21/3065 ,  H01L21/683 ,  H01L21/3213 ,  H01L21/311 ,  H01J37/32

CPC classification number: H01L21/324 ,  C23C16/4405 ,  H01J37/32357 ,  H01J37/32862 ,  H01L21/02041 ,  H01L21/02057 ,  H01L21/0206 ,  H01L21/263 ,  H01L21/2686 ,  H01L21/30604 ,  H01L21/3065 ,  H01L21/3105 ,  H01L21/31111 ,  H01L21/31116 ,  H01L21/31144 ,  H01L21/32136 ,  H01L21/32137 ,  H01L21/67069 ,  H01L21/67075 ,  H01L21/6708 ,  H01L21/67109 ,  H01L21/67115 ,  H01L21/67184 ,  H01L21/6719 ,  H01L21/67196 ,  H01L21/67201 ,  H01L21/67207 ,  H01L21/67248 ,  H01L21/67253 ,  H01L21/67288 ,  H01L21/67703 ,  H01L21/67739 ,  H01L21/67742 ,  H01L21/6831

Abstract: Systems, chambers, and processes are provided for controlling process defects caused by moisture contamination. The systems may provide configurations for chambers to perform multiple operations in a vacuum or controlled environment. The chambers may include configurations to provide additional processing capabilities in combination chamber designs. The methods may provide for the limiting, prevention, and correction of aging defects that may be caused as a result of etching processes performed by system tools.

公开(公告)号：US20170040175A1

公开(公告)日：2017-02-09

申请号：US15131256

申请日：2016-04-18

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： Lin Xu ,  Zhijun Chen ,  Anchuan Wang ,  Son T. Nguyen

IPC: H01L21/3065 ,  C23C16/455 ,  C23C16/50 ,  H01J37/32

Abstract: Embodiments of the present technology may include a method of etching a substrate. The method may include striking a plasma discharge in a plasma region. The method may also include flowing a fluorine-containing precursor into the plasma region to form a plasma effluent. The plasma effluent may flow into a mixing region. The method may further include introducing a hydrogen-and-oxygen-containing compound into the mixing region without first passing the hydrogen-and-oxygen-containing compound into the plasma region. Additionally, the method may include reacting the hydrogen-and-oxygen-containing compound with the plasma effluent in the mixing region to form reaction products. The reaction products may flow through a plurality of openings in a partition to a substrate processing region. The method may also include etching the substrate with the reaction products in the substrate processing region.

Abstract translation: 本技术的实施例可以包括蚀刻衬底的方法。 该方法可以包括在等离子体区域中击打等离子体放电。 该方法还可以包括将含氟前体流入等离子体区域以形成等离子体流出物。 等离子体流出物可能流入混合区域。 该方法可以进一步包括将含氢和氧的化合物引入混合区域，而不首先使含氢氧化合物进入等离子体区域。 此外，该方法可以包括使含氢和氧的化合物与混合区域中的等离子体流出物反应以形成反应产物。 反应产物可以流过分隔件中的多个开口到基底处理区域。 该方法还可以包括在衬底处理区域中用反应产物蚀刻衬底。