System and method of determining process completion of post heat treatment of a dry etch process
First Claim
1. A method for determining and utilizing process completion of post heat treatment (PHT) of a dry etch process, the method comprising:
- providing a substrate in a process chamber, the substrate having a film layer and an underlying layer, the film layer having one or more regions;
performing one or more sequences of film layer or region removal on the substrate, the one or more sequences comprising;
performing a dry etch process to remove the film layer or region of the film layer, the dry etch process generating a byproduct layer; and
performing a PHT process to remove the byproduct layer on the substrate;
wherein the PHT process utilizes a real time in-situ process to concurrently determine when removal of the byproduct layer is complete, andwherein measurement of the byproduct layer thickness is performed using a laser metrology tool, a reflectometer, an ellipsometer or a spectrometer;
wherein the real time in-situ process of determining completeness of the PHT process utilizes measurement of a composition of a gaseous product of the PHT process;
or wherein the real time in-situ process of determining completeness of the PHT process utilizes residual gas analysis (RGA).
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Provided is a method for determining and utilizing process completion of post heat treatment (PHT) of a dry etch process, the method comprising: providing a substrate in a process chamber, the substrate having a film layer and an underlying layer, the film layer having one or more regions; performing a dry etch process to remove the film layer or region of the film layer, the dry etch process generating a byproduct layer; measuring one or more properties of the byproduct layer; adjusting the PHT process based on the measured one or more properties of the byproduct layer; and performing the PHT process to remove the byproduct layer on the substrate; wherein the PHT process utilizes a real time in-situ process to concurrently determine when removal of the byproduct layer is complete.
19 Citations
18 Claims
-
1. A method for determining and utilizing process completion of post heat treatment (PHT) of a dry etch process, the method comprising:
-
providing a substrate in a process chamber, the substrate having a film layer and an underlying layer, the film layer having one or more regions; performing one or more sequences of film layer or region removal on the substrate, the one or more sequences comprising; performing a dry etch process to remove the film layer or region of the film layer, the dry etch process generating a byproduct layer; and performing a PHT process to remove the byproduct layer on the substrate; wherein the PHT process utilizes a real time in-situ process to concurrently determine when removal of the byproduct layer is complete, and wherein measurement of the byproduct layer thickness is performed using a laser metrology tool, a reflectometer, an ellipsometer or a spectrometer;
wherein the real time in-situ process of determining completeness of the PHT process utilizes measurement of a composition of a gaseous product of the PHT process;
or wherein the real time in-situ process of determining completeness of the PHT process utilizes residual gas analysis (RGA). - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
-
-
10. A method for determining and utilizing process completion of post heat treatment (PHT) of a dry etch process, the method comprising:
-
providing a substrate in a process chamber, the substrate having a film layer and an underlying layer, the film layer having one or more regions; performing one or more sequences of film layer or region removal on the substrate, the one or more sequences comprising; performing a dry etch process to remove the film layer or region of the film layer, the dry etch process generating a byproduct layer; and performing a PHT process to remove the byproduct layer on the substrate; wherein the PHT process utilizes a real time in-situ process to concurrently determine when removal of the byproduct layer is complete, wherein performing the PHT process further comprises; measuring one or more properties of the byproduct layer; and adjusting the PHT process based on the measured one or more properties of the byproduct layer. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13)
-
-
14. A method for determining and utilizing process completion of post heat treatment (PHT) of a dry etch process, the method comprising:
-
providing a substrate in a process chamber, the substrate having a film layer and an underlying layer, the film layer having one or more regions; performing one or more sequences of film layer or region removal on the substrate, the one or more sequences comprising; performing a dry etch process to remove the film layer or region of the film layer, the dry etch process generating a byproduct layer; and performing a PHT process to remove the byproduct layer on the substrate; wherein the PHT process utilizes a real time in-situ process to concurrently determine when removal of the byproduct layer is complete, wherein the real time in-situ process of determining completeness of the PHT process utilizes measurement of a composition of a gaseous product of the PHT process;
or the real time in-situ process of determining completeness of PHT process utilizes residual gas analysis (RGA).
-
-
15. A fabrication system configured to determine and utilize process completion data of a post heat treatment (PHT) of a dry etch process for use in process control, the fabrication system comprising:
-
a process chamber of a PHT system; a chemical oxide removal (COR) system coupled to the PHT system; a controller coupled to the PHT system and to the COR system; and a fabrication sub-system comprising one or more of a deposition system, a plasma etch system, a dry etch system, a wet etch system, a cleaning system, an annealing system, or a doping system, the fabrication system coupled to the controller, the COR system, and the PHT system; wherein the COR system processes a substrate by performing a dry etch process to remove a film layer on the substrate or region of the film layer, the dry etch process generating a byproduct layer; and
wherein the PHT system processes the substrate by performing a PHT process to remove the byproduct layer on the substrate; andwherein the PHT process utilizes a real time in-situ process to concurrently determine when removal of the byproduct layer is complete, the real time in-situ process including one or more in-situ online metrology devices to collect metrology data.
-
-
16. A method for determining and utilizing process completion of post heat treatment (PHT) of a dry etch process, the method comprising:
-
providing a substrate in a process chamber, the substrate having a film layer and an underlying layer, the film layer having one or more regions; performing one or more sequences of film layer or region removal on the substrate, the one or more sequences comprising; performing a dry etch process to remove the film layer or region of the film layer, the dry etch process generating a byproduct layer; and performing a PHT process to remove the byproduct layer on the substrate; wherein the PHT process utilizes a real time in-situ process to concurrently determine when removal of the byproduct layer is complete, wherein the real time in-situ process comprises using one or more in situ online metrology devices to collect metrology data. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18)
-
Specification