METHODS OF PATTERNING NICKEL SILICIDE LAYERS ON A SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICE
First Claim
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1. A method of etching a nickel silicide film, comprising:
- flowing an etching gas comprising a mixture of gases into a process chamber having a substrate disposed therein, the substrate comprising a nickel silicide layer having a patterned film stack disposed thereon, the patterned film stack covering a first portion of the nickel silicide layer and exposing a second portion of the nickel silicide layer; and
contacting the nickel silicide layer with the etching gas to remove the second portion while forming one or more nickel silicide edges to the patterned film stack, wherein the one or more nickel silicide edges have a profile of greater than 80 degrees.
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Abstract
Methods and apparatus for processing a substrate and etching a nickel silicide layer are provided herein. In some embodiments, a method of etching a nickel silicide film in a semiconductor device include: contacting a nickel silicide film disposed on a substrate in a process chamber with an etching gas sufficient to form one or more soluble or volatile products in order to reduce or eliminate re-deposition of products formed from the nickel silicide film upon the nickel silicide film.
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20 Claims
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1. A method of etching a nickel silicide film, comprising:
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flowing an etching gas comprising a mixture of gases into a process chamber having a substrate disposed therein, the substrate comprising a nickel silicide layer having a patterned film stack disposed thereon, the patterned film stack covering a first portion of the nickel silicide layer and exposing a second portion of the nickel silicide layer; and contacting the nickel silicide layer with the etching gas to remove the second portion while forming one or more nickel silicide edges to the patterned film stack, wherein the one or more nickel silicide edges have a profile of greater than 80 degrees. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A method of etching a nickel silicide film in a semiconductor device, comprising:
contacting a nickel silicide film disposed on a substrate in a process chamber with an etching gas sufficient to form a first nickel silicide portion having an edge profile greater than 80 degrees and a second nickel silicide portion, wherein the etching gas comprises a mixture of gases preselected to react with the second nickel silicide portion to extract silicon and nickel from the second nickel silicide portion, react with nickel to form a volatile nickel carbonyl, react with silicon to form one or more volatile by-products, and to form a passivation layer upon the first nickel silicide portion. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A semiconductor film stack, comprising:
a nickel silicide layer disposed upon a substrate within a plurality of layers, wherein the nickel silicide layer has a an angled edge comprising a side profile that contacts the substrate on an angle in the amount of 80 degrees to 90 degrees to a substrate plane of the substrate, and wherein the nickel silicide layer is suitable as a metal line within a film stack.
Specification