Method of atomic layer etching using hydrogen plasma
First Claim
1. A method for etching a target layer on a substrate by a dry etching process which comprises at least one etching cycle, wherein an etching cycle comprises:
- (i) depositing a carbon halide film using reactive species on the target layer on the substrate, wherein the carbon halide film and the target layer are in contact with each other; and
(ii) etching the carbon halide film using a plasma of a non-halogen hydrogen-containing etching gas without etching the target layer, which plasma alone does not substantially etch the target layer, wherein a hydrogen halide is generated as a by-product of the etching of the carbon halide film as etchant species at a boundary region of the carbon halide film and the target layer, thereby chemically etching a portion of the target layer in the boundary region without a plasma other than the plasma of the non-halogen hydrogen-containing etching gas.
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Abstract
A method for etching a target layer on a substrate by a dry etching process includes at least one etching cycle, wherein an etching cycle includes: depositing a carbon halide film using reactive species on the target layer on the substrate; and etching the carbon halide film using a plasma of a non-halogen hydrogen-containing etching gas, which plasma alone does not substantially etch the target layer, thereby generating a hydrogen halide as etchant species at a boundary region of the carbon halide film and the target layer, thereby etching a portion of the target layer in the boundary region.
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Citations
19 Claims
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1. A method for etching a target layer on a substrate by a dry etching process which comprises at least one etching cycle, wherein an etching cycle comprises:
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(i) depositing a carbon halide film using reactive species on the target layer on the substrate, wherein the carbon halide film and the target layer are in contact with each other; and (ii) etching the carbon halide film using a plasma of a non-halogen hydrogen-containing etching gas without etching the target layer, which plasma alone does not substantially etch the target layer, wherein a hydrogen halide is generated as a by-product of the etching of the carbon halide film as etchant species at a boundary region of the carbon halide film and the target layer, thereby chemically etching a portion of the target layer in the boundary region without a plasma other than the plasma of the non-halogen hydrogen-containing etching gas. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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Specification