Oxygen treatment for nitride etching
First Claim
1. An etching method comprising:
- flowing an oxygen-containing precursor into a remote plasma region of a semiconductor processing chamber;
forming a plasma of the oxygen-containing precursor to produce oxygen-containing plasma effluents;
flowing the oxygen-containing plasma effluents into a processing region of the semiconductor processing chamber, wherein a substrate is positioned within the processing region, and wherein the substrate comprises a trench formed through stacked layers including alternating layers of silicon nitride and silicon oxide;
passivating exposed surfaces of the silicon nitride with the oxygen-containing plasma effluents;
flowing a fluorine-containing precursor into the remote plasma region while maintaining the flow of the oxygen-containing precursor, wherein the passivating is performed for a first period of time prior to flowing the fluorine-containing precursor;
forming plasma effluents of the fluorine-containing precursor and the oxygen-containing precursor;
flowing the plasma effluents into the processing region of the semiconductor processing chamber; and
laterally etching the layers of silicon nitride from sidewalls of the trench.
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Abstract
Exemplary methods for laterally etching silicon nitride may include flowing oxygen-containing plasma effluents into a processing region of a semiconductor processing chamber. A substrate positioned within the processing region may include a trench formed through stacked layers including alternating layers of silicon nitride and silicon oxide. The methods may include passivating exposed surfaces of the silicon nitride with the oxygen-containing plasma effluents. The methods may include flowing a fluorine-containing precursor into the remote plasma region while maintaining the flow of the oxygen-containing precursor. The methods may include forming plasma effluents of the fluorine-containing precursor and the oxygen-containing precursor. The methods may include flowing the plasma effluents into the processing region of the semiconductor processing chamber. The methods may also include laterally etching the layers of silicon nitride from sidewalls of the trench.
1865 Citations
18 Claims
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1. An etching method comprising:
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flowing an oxygen-containing precursor into a remote plasma region of a semiconductor processing chamber; forming a plasma of the oxygen-containing precursor to produce oxygen-containing plasma effluents; flowing the oxygen-containing plasma effluents into a processing region of the semiconductor processing chamber, wherein a substrate is positioned within the processing region, and wherein the substrate comprises a trench formed through stacked layers including alternating layers of silicon nitride and silicon oxide; passivating exposed surfaces of the silicon nitride with the oxygen-containing plasma effluents; flowing a fluorine-containing precursor into the remote plasma region while maintaining the flow of the oxygen-containing precursor, wherein the passivating is performed for a first period of time prior to flowing the fluorine-containing precursor; forming plasma effluents of the fluorine-containing precursor and the oxygen-containing precursor; flowing the plasma effluents into the processing region of the semiconductor processing chamber; and laterally etching the layers of silicon nitride from sidewalls of the trench. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. An etching method comprising:
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flowing an oxygen-containing precursor into a first remote plasma region of a semiconductor processing chamber; forming a plasma of the oxygen-containing precursor to produce oxygen-containing plasma effluents; flowing the oxygen-containing plasma effluents into a processing region of the semiconductor processing chamber, wherein a substrate is positioned within the processing region, and wherein the substrate comprises a trench formed through stacked layers including alternating layers of silicon nitride and silicon oxide; passivating exposed surfaces of the silicon nitride with the oxygen-containing plasma effluents for a first period of time; subsequent the first period of time, flowing a fluorine-containing precursor into a second remote plasma region while maintaining the flow of the oxygen-containing precursor into the first remote plasma region; forming a plasma within the second remote plasma region to generate plasma effluents of the fluorine-containing precursor while continuing to form a plasma within the first remote plasma region to generate plasma effluents of the oxygen-containing precursor; flowing the plasma effluents of the fluorine-containing precursor and the plasma effluents of the oxygen-containing precursor into the processing region of the semiconductor processing chamber; and laterally etching the layers of silicon nitride from sidewalls of the trench. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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Specification