Plasma reactor and processes using RF inductive coupling and scavenger temperature control

• US 5,888,414 A
• Filed: 09/24/1997
• Issued: 03/30/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 06/27/1991
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Applied Materials Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Applied Materials Incorporated
• Inventors: Keswick, Peter R., Collins, Kenneth S., Yang, Chan-Lon, Marks, Jeffrey, Groechel, David W., Wong, Jerry Yuen-Kui
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Nam
• Assistant Examiner(s): MCDONALD, RODNEY GLENN
• Application Number:
  US08/936,777
• Time in Patent Office: 552 Days
• Field of Search: 156/345, 204/192.32, 216/58, 216/63, 216/67, 216/68, 216/70, 216/71
• US Class Current: 216/68
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/517 using a combination of discharges covered by two or more of groups C23C16/503 - C23C16/515
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 2029/143 with control winding for generating magnetic bias
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/321 the radio frequency energy being inductively coupled to the plasma
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/32165 Plural frequencies
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/32458 Vessel
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/32522 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/3266 Magnetic control means
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/32706 Polarising the substrate
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/31116 by dry-etching

Abstract

A plasma reactor chamber uses an antenna driven by RF energy (LF, MF, or VHF) which is inductively coupled inside the reactor dome. The antenna generates a high density, low energy plasma inside the chamber for etching oxygen-containing layers overlying non-oxygen-containing layers with high selectivity. Auxiliary RF bias energy applied to the wafer support cathode controls the cathode sheath voltage and controls the ion energy independent of density. Various magnetic and voltage processing enhancement techniques are disclosed, along with other etch processes, deposition processes and combined etch/deposition processes. The disclosed invention provides processing of sensitive devices without damage and without microloading, thus providing increased yields. Etching of an oxygen-containing layer overlying a non-oxygen-containing layer can be achieved with high selectivity.

Claims

1. A plasma etch process comprising:

a) providing a vacuum chamber for generating a plasma,

b) supporting an article to be processed on a support electrode in the chamber,

c) supplying a fluorocarbon etch gas to the chamber,

d) electromagnetically coupling RF energy from an RF power supply into the chamber for generating a plasma in a plasma region of the chamber for processing said article,

e) capacitively coupling RF energy into the chamber via the support electrode;

f) providing a source of silicon or carbon aside from said etch gas and being operatively associated with said plasma; and

g) additionally and independently heating said source to maintain a surface thereof to be reactive.

2. An etch process according to claim 1 wherein the source is situate in the plasma region of the chamber.

3. An etch process according to claim 1 wherein the article to be processed comprises a non-oxygen-containing material and an overlying oxygen-containing material.

4. An etch process according to claim 3 wherein said non-oxygen-containing material is selected from the group consisting of single crystal silicon, polysilicon, silicon nitride, tungsten silicide, titanium nitride and aluminum.

5. An etch process according to claim 4 wherein the article further comprises an oxygen-containing material selected from the group consisting of silicon oxide and glass.

6. An etch process according to claim 1 wherein said fluorocarbon gas contains only fluorine and carbon.

7. An etch process according to claim 1 wherein a passivating polymer containing more than 50% of carbon and 40% or less of fluorine is formed on the article by said process.

8. A process according to claim 1, wherein said heating step heats said source to a temperature of at least 150°

C.

9. An etch process, comprising processing with an etch gas comprising a fluorine-containing gas a substrate having a first surface area comprising a first material comprising oxygen and a second surface area comprising a material not containing oxygen, wherein said etch gas forms over said second surface a polymer containing by weight more than 50% of carbon and 40% or less of fluorine but etches said first material in said first surface area.

10. An etch process as recited in claim 9, wherein said etch gas comprises a fluorocarbon.

11. An etch process as recited in claim 10, wherein said fluorocarbon consists essentially of only fluorine and carbon.

12. An etch process as recited in claim 9, further comprising generating a plasma to assist said processing.

13. An etch process as recited in claim 9, wherein said second material comprises silicon.

14. An etch process as recited in claim 13, wherein said second material consists essentially of polysilicon.

15. An etch process as recited in claim 13, wherein said first material additionally comprises silicon.

16. A plasma etch process comprising:

a) providing a vacuum chamber for generating a plasma,

b) supporting an article to be processed on a support electrode in the chamber,

c) supplying a fluorine-containing etch gas to the chamber,

d) coupling RF electromagnetic energy from an RF power supply into the chamber for generating a plasma from said etch gas,

e) additionally capacitively coupling RF energy into the chamber via the support electrode,

f) providing a solid source of silicon or carbon aside from said support electrode and having a surface operatively associated with said plasma; and

g) additionally electrically biasing said solid source to maintain said surface thereof to be reactive.

17. A process according to claim 16, further including:

h) independently heating said source so as to maintain said surface thereof to be reactive.

18. A process according to claim 16, wherein said step of electromagnetically coupling RF energy comprises inductively coupling said RF energy through a coil antenna.

19. A plasma etch process comprising:

a) providing a vacuum chamber for generating a plasma,

b) supporting an article to be processed on a support in the chamber,

c) supplying a fluorocarbon etch gas to the chamber,

d) electromagnetically coupling RF energy from an RF power supply into the chamber for generating a plasma for processing said article,

e) providing a source of silicon or carbon aside from said etch gas for scavenging fluorine, and

g) regulating a temperature of said source.

20. A process according to claim 19, wherein said electromagnetically coupling step inductively couples said RF energy from a coil antenna into the chamber and wherein said source is a solid source.

21. A process according to claim 20, further comprising capacitively coupling RF energy into the chamber via the support which is an electrode.

22. A process according to claim 21, wherein said source comprises silicon.

23. A process according to claim 19, wherein said temperature is regulated to a temperature of at least 150°

C.

24. A plasma etch process comprising:

a) providing a vacuum chamber for generating a plasma,

b) supporting an article to be processed on a support in the chamber,

c) supplying a fluorocarbon etch gas to the chamber,

d) inductively coupling RF energy via a coil antenna through a dielectric wall of said chamber into said chamber so as to generate said plasma, and

e) additionally and independently heating said dielectric wall adjacent to said coil.

25. A plasma etch process according to claim 24, further comprising providing a solid scavenger comprising silicon or carbon adjacent to said plasma for scavenging fluorine therefrom.

26. A plasma processing reactor, comprising:

a vacuum chamber;

a source of processing gas to said vacuum chamber;

a support for a workpiece to be processed;

at least one RF power supply;

a coil antenna disposed above said workpiece for inductively coupling an RF signal from said RF power supply into said chamber to generate a plasma from said processing gas; and

a solid source of carbon or silicon aside from said workpiece in contact with said plasma for scavenging fluorine from said plasma and a temperature of which is additionally controlled.

27. A reactor according to claim 26, further comprising additional means for heating said solid source.

28. A reactor according to claim 26, wherein said solid source is disposed above a top surface of said workpiece to be processed.

29. A reactor according to claim 26, wherein said solid source comprises silicon.

30. A reactor according to claim 29, wherein said solid source is an electrode supplied with a second RF signal from said at least one RF power supply.

31. A reactor according to claim 26, wherein said coil antenna comprises multiple turns configured as a cylinder.