Integrated process for etching and cleaning oxide surfaces during the manufacture of microelectronic devices
First Claim
1. A method of treating an in-process microelectronic device precursor, wherein the precursor comprises a substrate, a first oxide layer over at least a portion of the substrate and a patterned photoresist over the first oxide layer and exposing one or more portions of the first oxide layer, comprising the steps of:
- (a) causing a first etchant comprising aqueous HF and a buffering amount of a fluoride salt to etch one or more of the exposed portions of the first oxide layer to expose one or more portions of the substrate; and
(b) causing a first oxidant comprising ozone to strip at least a portion of the patterned photoresist, and to form a second oxide layer on the portions of the substrate exposed by the etching step.
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Abstract
The present invention provides integrated systems and methods for carrying out manufacturing steps relating to etching, photoresist stripping and optionally, particle removal. More specifically, the present invention provides integrated systems and methods which may be utilized to etch oxide with subsequent removal of photoresist using BOE solutions that are desirably blended on-line. Advantageously, systems and methods embodying features of the present invention include a single process chamber so that cycle time and individual step processing time are reduced, further resulting in increased productivity of the systems and methods.
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Citations
44 Claims
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1. A method of treating an in-process microelectronic device precursor, wherein the precursor comprises a substrate, a first oxide layer over at least a portion of the substrate and a patterned photoresist over the first oxide layer and exposing one or more portions of the first oxide layer, comprising the steps of:
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(a) causing a first etchant comprising aqueous HF and a buffering amount of a fluoride salt to etch one or more of the exposed portions of the first oxide layer to expose one or more portions of the substrate; and
(b) causing a first oxidant comprising ozone to strip at least a portion of the patterned photoresist, and to form a second oxide layer on the portions of the substrate exposed by the etching step. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A method of treating an in-process microelectronic device precursor, wherein the precursor comprises a substrate, a first oxide layer over at least a portion of the substrate and a patterned photoresist over the first oxide layer and exposing one or more portions of the first oxide layer, comprising the steps of
a. causing a first etchant to etch one or more of the exposed portions of the first oxide layer; -
b. causing a first oxidant to strip at least a portion of the patterned photoresist, and to form a second oxide layer on the portions of the substrate exposed by the etching step; and
c. causing a second etchant to contact the device precursor under conditions effective to selectively remove at least a portion of the second oxide layer relative to the first oxide layer. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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33. A method of treating an in-process microelectronic device precursor, wherein the precursor comprises a substrate, a first oxide layer over at least a portion of the substrate and a patterned photoresist over the first oxide layer and exposing one or more portions of the first oxide layer, comprising the steps of
a. causing a first etchant comprising aqueous HF and a buffering amount of a fluoride salt to etch one or more of the exposed portions of the first oxide layer to expose one or more portions of the substrate; -
b. causing a first oxidant comprising ozone to strip at least a portion of the patterned photoresist, and to form a second oxide layer on the portions of the substrate exposed by the etching step; and
c. causing a second etchant comprising HF to contact the device precursor under conditions effective to selectively remove at least a portion of the second oxide layer relative to the first oxide layer.
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34. A method of treating an in-process microelectronic device precursor, wherein the precursor comprises a substrate, a first oxide layer over at least a portion of the substrate and a patterned photoresist over the first oxide layer and exposing one or more portions of the first oxide layer, comprising the steps of
a. causing a first etchant to etch one or more of the exposed portions of the first oxide layer to expose one or more portions of the substrate; -
b. causing a first oxidant to strip at least a portion of the patterned photoresist, and to form a second oxide layer on the portions of the substrate exposed by the etching step;
c. causing a second etchant to contact the device precursor under conditions effective to selectively remove at least a portion of the second oxide layer relative to the first oxide layer; and
d. causing a second oxidant to contact the device precursor under conditions effective to cause a third oxide layer to form on the device precursor. - View Dependent Claims (35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43)
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44. A method of treating an in-process microelectronic device precursor, wherein the precursor comprises a substrate, a first oxide layer over at least a portion of the substrate and a patterned photoresist over the first oxide layer and exposing one or more portions of the first oxide layer, comprising the steps of
a. causing a first etchant comprising aqueous HF and a buffering amount of a fluoride salt to etch one or more of the exposed portions of the first oxide layer to expose one or more portions of the substrate; -
b. causing a first oxidant comprising ozone to strip at least a portion of the patterned photoresist, and to form a second oxide layer on the portions of the substrate exposed by the etching step;
c. causing a second etchant comprising HF to contact the device precursor under conditions effective to selectively remove at least a portion of the second oxide layer relative to the first oxide layer; and
d. causing a second oxidant comprising ozone to contact the device precursor under conditions effective to cause a third oxide layer to form on the device precursor.
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Specification