OXIDE ETCH WITH NH4-NF3 CHEMISTRY
First Claim
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1. A method for selectively removing an oxide on a substrate at a desired removal rate, comprising:
- positioning the substrate in a vacuum chamber, wherein a surface of the substrate has a structure comprises the oxide;
cooling the substrate to a first temperature;
generating active species of an etching gas mixture within the vacuum chamber, wherein the etching gas mixture comprises a first gas and a second gas, and a ratio of the first gas and a second gas is determined by the desired removal rate;
exposing the structure on the surface of the substrate to the active species to form a film on the structure;
heating the substrate to vaporize the film formed on the structure; and
removing the vaporized film from the vacuum chamber.
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Abstract
The present invention generally provides apparatus and methods for selectively removing various oxides on a semiconductor substrate. One embodiment of the invention provides a method for selectively removing an oxide on a substrate at a desired removal rate using an etching gas mixture. The etching gas mixture comprises a first gas and a second gas, and a ratio of the first gas and a second gas is determined by the desired removal rate.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method for selectively removing an oxide on a substrate at a desired removal rate, comprising:
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positioning the substrate in a vacuum chamber, wherein a surface of the substrate has a structure comprises the oxide;
cooling the substrate to a first temperature;
generating active species of an etching gas mixture within the vacuum chamber, wherein the etching gas mixture comprises a first gas and a second gas, and a ratio of the first gas and a second gas is determined by the desired removal rate;
exposing the structure on the surface of the substrate to the active species to form a film on the structure;
heating the substrate to vaporize the film formed on the structure; and
removing the vaporized film from the vacuum chamber. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method for processing a substrate having an oxide structure comprising a first oxide and a second oxide, comprising:
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positioning the substrate in a vacuum chamber;
cooling the substrate to a first temperature;
introducing an etching gas mixture into the vacuum chamber, wherein the etching gas mixture is adjusted to reduce the first oxide at a first rate and the second oxide at a second rate;
generating a plasma of the etching gas mixture within the vacuum chamber;
exposing the oxide structure to the plasma to form a film on the structure;
heating the substrate to vaporize the film formed on the oxide structure; and
removing the vaporized film from the vacuum chamber. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A method for processing a substrate, comprising:
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positioning the substrate in a vacuum chamber, wherein the substrate having a surface feature comprising a first oxide and a second oxide;
introducing an etching gas mixture to the vacuum chamber;
generating active species from the etching gas mixture;
at least partially reducing the first oxide by exposing the surface feature to the plasma of the etching gas mixture; and
reducing the second oxide by an aqueous etch process. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20)
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Specification