ETCHING, CLEANING AND DRYING METHODS USING SUPERCRITICAL FLUID AND CHAMBER SYSTEMS USING THESE METHODS

• US 20120085495A1
• Filed: 12/15/2011
• Published: 04/12/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/24/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Chang-Ki Hong, Haldori Vuvaraj, Ha-Soo Hwang, Hyo-San Lee, Jae-Monk Jung, Jeong-Nam Han, Jung-Min Oh, Kun-Tack Lee, Kwon-Tack Lim, Woo-Gwan Shim
• Original Assignee: Chang-Ki Hong, Haldori Vuvaraj, Ha-Soo Hwang, Hyo-San Lee, Jae-Monk Jung, Jeong-Nam Han, Jung-Min Oh, Kun-Tack Lee, Kwon-Tack Lim, Woo-Gwan Shim
• Inventors: Hong, Chang-Ki, Lee, Hyo-San, Lee, Kun-Tack, Shim, Woo-Gwan, Han, Jeong-Nam, Oh, Jung-Min, Lim, Kwon-Tack, Hwang, Ha-Soo, Vuvaraj, Haldori, Jung, Jae-Monk
• Granted Patent: US 8,790,470 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 156/345.26
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02101 only involving supercritical fluids
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/31111 by chemical means
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67051 using mainly spraying means, e.g. nozzles
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/6708 using mainly spraying means, e.g. nozzles
• CPC Class Codes: H10B 12/033 the capacitor extending over the transistor
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 134/902 Semiconductor wafer

Abstract

Provided herein are etching, cleaning and drying methods using a supercritical fluid, and a chamber system for conducting the same. The etching method includes etching the material layer using a supercritical carbon dioxide in which an etching chemical is dissolved, and removing an etching by-product created from a reaction between the material layer and the etching chemical using a supercritical carbon dioxide in which a cleaning chemical is dissolved. Methods of manufacturing a semiconductor device are also provided.

Claims

1. A chamber system comprising:

a process chamber into which a semiconductor substrate having a material layer formed thereon is loaded;

a supplying unit supplying a fluid comprising a solvent in a supercritical state to the process chamber;

a discharging unit discharging a used fluid from the process chamber; and

a controller unit which controls operations, temperatures and/or pressures of the process chamber, the supplying unit and/or the discharging unit, wherein the controller unit maintains the process chamber at a condition above a critical temperature and/or pressure of the solvent during the treating step.

2. The chamber system of claim 1, wherein the supercritical fluid comprises a supercritical carbon dioxide and further comprises an additional chemical comprises a fluoride, a pyridine (C₅H₅N), F-AOT, a fluorine-based surfactant, an alcohol, and combinations thereof.

3. The chamber system of claim 2, wherein the supplying unit comprises:

at least one container in which the carbon dioxide and the additional chemical are stored separately; and

a mixer disposed between the containers and the process chamber for mixing the supercritical carbon dioxide and the additional chemical prior to entry into the process chamber.

4. The chamber system of claim 2, wherein the additional chemical comprises a block co-polymer to which is chemically bonded a fluorine-based ionic or non-ionic compound, a hydrophilic compound or a hydrophobic fluorine-based polymer compound.

5. The chamber system of claim 2, wherein the additional chemical is PEO-block-PFOMA (polyethylene oxide-block-polyfluorooctyl methacrylate).

6. The chamber system of claim 2, wherein the discharging unit comprises a separator for selectively separating the supercritical carbon dioxide and the additional chemical.

7. The chamber system of claim 1, wherein the process chamber comprises a temperature control unit for controlling a temperature inside the process chamber and/or a pressure control unit for controlling a pressure inside the process chamber.

8. The chamber system of claim 3, further comprising:

at least one circulation structure disposed between the mixer and the process chamber to circulate the supercritical fluid; and

a circulation pump disposed on the circulation structure.

9. The chamber system of claim 8, further comprising a vent portion disposed on the circulation structure to discharge a portion of the supercritical fluid.