METHODS FOR ETCHING SUBSTRATES USING PULSED DC VOLTAGE

• US 20120088371A1
• Filed: 04/19/2011
• Published: 04/12/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/07/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Applied Materials Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Applied Materials Incorporated
• Inventors: GANI, NICOLAS, SHEN, MEIHUA, RANJAN, ALOK, KHAN, ANISUL H.
• Application Number:
  US13/089,374
• Publication Number:
  US 20120088371A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 438/711
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 2237/334 Etching
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/32082 Radio frequency generated discharge H01J37/32357, H01J37/32366, H01J37/32394 and H01J37/32403 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/32697 Electrostatic control
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/3065 Plasma etching; Reactive-ion etching
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/31116 by dry-etching
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/32136 using plasmas

Abstract

Methods for etching substrates using a pulsed DC voltage are provided herein. In some embodiments, a method for method for etching a substrate disposed on a substrate support within a process chamber may include providing a process gas to the process chamber; forming a plasma from the process gas; applying a pulsed DC voltage to a first electrode disposed within the process chamber; and etching the substrate while applying the pulsed DC voltage.

Claims

1. A method for etching a substrate disposed on a substrate support within a process chamber, comprising:

providing a process gas to the process chamber;

forming a plasma from the process gas;

applying a pulsed DC voltage to a first electrode disposed within the process chamber; and

etching the substrate while applying the pulsed DC voltage.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein pulsing the DC voltage comprises pulsing the DC voltage from a positive voltage to a negative voltage.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the positive or negative voltage is about 100 to about 2000 V.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein pulsing the DC voltage comprises:

providing the DC voltage at the positive voltage for a first period of time; and

providing the DC voltage at the negative voltage for a second period of time.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the first period of time and the second period of time each are about 10 micro-seconds to about 10 milliseconds.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the pulsed DC voltage is pulsed at a frequency of about 100 Hz to about 100 kHz.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein first electrode is disposed within the process chamber and opposes the substrate support.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

applying a first RF energy to a second electrode disposed within the substrate support.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the first RF energy is provided at a frequency of about 2 to about 13.5 MHz.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising applying a second RF energy to the second electrode.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the second RF energy is provided at a frequency of about 13.56 to about 162 MHz.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

applying an RF energy to an inductive coil disposed proximate the first electrode.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the RF energy is provided at a frequency of about 2 to about 60 MHz.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising applying an RF energy to the first electrode.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the RF energy is provided at a frequency of about 2 to about 162 MHz.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein etching the substrate comprises etching one or more features into the substrate having an aspect ratio of greater than about 10:

1.

17. A computer readable medium having instructions stored thereon that, when executed by the controller, causes a dual chamber processing system comprising a first process chamber and a second process chamber that share resources to perform a method for processing substrates, the method comprising:

providing a process gas to the process chamber;

forming a plasma from the process gas;

applying a pulsed DC voltage to a first electrode disposed within the process chamber; and

etching the substrate while applying the pulsed DC voltage.

18. The computer readable medium of claim 17, wherein pulsing the DC voltage comprises pulsing the DC voltage from a positive voltage to a negative voltage.

19. The computer readable medium of claim 18, wherein pulsing the DC voltage comprises:

providing the DC voltage at the positive voltage for a first period of time; and

providing the DC voltage at the negative voltage for a second period of time.

20. The computer readable medium of claim 17, wherein the pulsed DC voltage is pulsed at a frequency of about 100 Hz to about 100 kHz.