Water-free etching methods
First Claim
1. An etching method comprising:
- flowing a plasma-free fluorine-containing precursor into a processing region of a semiconductor processing chamber while maintaining the processing region plasma free, wherein the processing region houses a substrate comprising a region of exposed oxide and an exposed region of metal-containing material;
while flowing the plasma-free fluorine-containing precursor into the processing region, providing a hydrogen-containing precursor to the processing region to produce an etchant;
condensing the hydrogen-containing precursor on the region of exposed oxide; and
removing at least a portion of the exposed oxide.
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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 and a region of exposed metal. 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.
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Citations
19 Claims
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1. An etching method comprising:
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flowing a plasma-free fluorine-containing precursor into a processing region of a semiconductor processing chamber while maintaining the processing region plasma free, wherein the processing region houses a substrate comprising a region of exposed oxide and an exposed region of metal-containing material; while flowing the plasma-free fluorine-containing precursor into the processing region, providing a hydrogen-containing precursor to the processing region to produce an etchant; condensing the hydrogen-containing precursor on the region of exposed oxide; and removing at least a portion of the exposed oxide. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A removal method comprising:
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flowing a fluorine-containing precursor into a processing region of a semiconductor processing chamber, wherein the fluorine-containing precursor is plasma free, wherein the processing region houses a substrate comprising a high-aspect-ratio feature having an exposed region of oxide and an exposed region of metal-containing material, wherein the high-aspect-ratio feature is at least partially defined by an oxide material that is characterized by an aspect ratio of height to width greater than 1, and wherein the oxide material further defines the exposed region of oxide; while flowing the fluorine-containing precursor into the processing region, providing a hydrogen-containing precursor to the processing region to produce an etchant; condensing the hydrogen-containing precursor on the exposed region of oxide and the exposed region of metal-containing material; and selectively removing at least a portion of the exposed oxide with the etchant relative to the exposed metal-containing material, wherein the processing region is maintained plasma free during the removing operations. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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Specification