Dry etching apparatus, etching method, and method of forming a wiring

• US 6,930,047 B2
• Filed: 09/27/2001
• Issued: 08/16/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 10/04/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Suzawa, Hideomi, Yamazaki, Shunpei
• Primary Examiner(s): CHEN, KIN CHAN
• Application Number:
  US09/966,689
• Publication Number:
  US 20020125213A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,419 Days
• Field of Search: 438/706, 438/710, 438/714, 438/720, 438/728, 216/71, 216/67, 156/345
• US Class Current: 438/706
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 15/00 Surface treatment of glass, not in the form of fibres or filaments, by etching etching or surface-brightening compositions, in general C09K13/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/32009 Arrangements for generation of plasma specially adapted for examination or treatment of objects, e.g. plasma sources plasma generation in general H05H1/24
• 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 37/32532 Electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/31116 by dry-etching
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/1214 comprising a plurality of TFTs formed on a non-semiconducting substrate, e.g. driving circuits for AMLCDs
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/1259 Multistep manufacturing methods
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/42384 for thin film field effect transistors, e.g. characterised by the thickness or the shape of the insulator or the dimensions, the shape or the lay-out of the conductor
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/4908 for thin film semiconductor, e.g. gate of TFT
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/66757 Lateral single gate single channel transistors with non-inverted structure, i.e. the channel layer is formed before the gate
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/66765 Lateral single gate single channel transistors with inverted structure, i.e. the channel layer is formed after the gate
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/78621 with LDD structure or an extension or an offset region or characterised by the doping profile
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/78624 the source and the drain regions being asymmetrical
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/78633 with a light shield

Abstract

An etching apparatus is provided, in which a plurality of electrodes are disposed for placing a substrate, high-frequency power sources as many as electrodes are provided, and the electrodes and the high-frequency power sources are connected to each other independently. Among a plurality of electrodes, a high-frequency power applied to an electrode disposed below the central portion of the substrate and a high-frequency power applied to electrodes disposed below comer portions of the substrate are controlled respectively, whereby in-plane uniformity of etching can be enhanced.

Claims

1. An etching method using an ICP etching apparatus provided with an upper electrode and a lower electrode being opposed to said upper electrode, said lower electrode comprising at least first and second electrodes, said upper electrode comprising one coil electrode overlapping said first and second electrodes, the method comprising the steps of:

disposing a substrate on said first and second electrodes in a chamber;

supplying a reaction gas into said chamber under a reduce pressure;

applying a first high-frequency power to said coil electrode to generate plasma;

applying a second high-frequency power to said first electrode disposed below a central portion of said substrate and applying a third high-frequency power to said second electrode disposed below corner portions of said substrate to apply an AC electric field between said coil electrode and said first and second electrodes;

etching a material film on said substrate disposed on said first and second electrodes,

wherein said second electrode is flush with said first electrode.

2. An etching method according to claim 1, wherein a frequency of each of said first, second, and third high-frequency power is the same.

3. An etching method using an ICP etching apparatus, the method comprising the steps of:

disposing a substrate on a plurality of electrodes provided in a chamber;

supplying a reaction gas into said chamber under a reduced pressure;

applying a first high-frequency power to a coil electrode to generate plasma, said coil electrode being opposed to said plurality of electrodes, and said coil electrode overlapping said plurality of electrodes;

applying a second high-frequency power to an electrode disposed below a central portion of said substrate and applying a third high-frequency power to electrodes disposed below corner portions of said substrate;

etching a material film on said substrate disposed on said plurality of electrodes,

wherein said plurality of electrodes are flush with each other.

4. A method of forming a wiring, the method comprising the steps of:

forming a conductive film on a substrate;

selectively forming a mask on said conductive film;

disposing said substrate on at least first and second electrodes provided in a chamber provided with a third electrode opposed to said first and second electrodes, said coil electrode overlapping said first and second electrodes;

supplying a reaction gas into said chamber under a reduced pressure;

applying a first high-frequency power to said coil electrode to generate plasma;

applying a second high-frequency power to said first electrode disposed below a central portion of said substrate and applying a third high-frequency power to said second electrode disposed below corner portions of said substrate to apply an AC electric field between said coil electrode and said first and second electrodes;

selectively etching said conductive film on said substrate,

wherein said first electrode is flush with said second electrode.

5. A method of forming a wiring according to claim 4, wherein said wiring is a gate electrode or a gate wiring of a TFT.

6. An etching method using an ICP etching apparatus,

providing at least first, and second electrodes, and a coil electrode overlapping said first and second electrodes, the electrodes being independent from each other, said coil electrode being opposed to said first and second electrodes, and at least first, second, and third high-power sources independently connected to each of said first, second and coil electrodes, respectively, the method comprising the steps of:

disposing a substrate on said first and second electrodes provided in a chamber;

supplying a reaction gas into said chamber under a reduced pressure;

generating plasma by applying high-frequency power to said coil electrode by using said third high-power source; and

etching a material film on said substrate disposed on said first and second electrodes,

wherein said first and second electrodes are disposed so that an electric power applied to an entire surface of said substrate becomes uniform,

wherein said second electrode is flush with said first electrode.

7. A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device using a dry etching apparatus,

providing at least first, and second electrodes, and a coil electrode overlapping said first and second electrodes, the electrodes being independent from each other, said coil electrode being opposed to said first and second electrodes, the method comprising the steps of:

forming a material film on a substrate;

selectively forming a mask on said material film;

disposing said substrate on said first and second electrodes provided in a chamber;

supplying a reaction gas into said chamber under a reduced pressure;

applying a first high-frequency power to said coil electrode to generate plasma;

applying a second high-frequency power to said first electrode disposed below a central portion of said substrate and applying a third high-frequency power to said second electrode disposed below corner portions of said substrate;

etching a material film on said substrate disposed on said first and second electrodes; and

dividing said substrate in order to obtain a plurality of second substrates,

wherein said second electrode is flush with said first electrode.

8. A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device according to claim 7, wherein said semiconductor device is incorporated into an electronic device selected from the group consisting of a personal computer, a video camera, a mobile computer a goggle type display, a player, a digital camera, a front type projector, a rear type projector, a portable telephone a portable book, and a display.

9. An etching method comprising:

providing a radial line slot antenna supplying a microwave, at least first and second electrodes and at least first and second high-power sources independently connected to each of said first and second electrodes;

disposing a substrate on said first and second electrodes provided in a chamber;

supplying a reaction gas into said chamber under a reduced pressure;

generating plasma in a region between said radial slot antenna and said first and second electrodes by supplying the microwave from said radial slot antenna; and

etching a material film on said substrate disposed on said first and second electrodes,

wherein said first and second electrodes are disposed so that an electric power applied to an entire surface of said substrate becomes uniform, and

wherein said first electrode is flush with said second electrode.

10. A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device comprising:

providing a radial line slot antenna supplying a microwave, at least first and second electrodes,

forming a material film on a substrate;

selectively forming a mask on said material film;

disposing said substrate on said first and second electrodes provided in a chamber;

supplying a reaction gas into said chamber under a reduced pressure;

applying a first high-frequency power to said first electrode disposed below a central portion of said substrate and applying a second high-frequency power to said second electrode disposed below corner portions of said substrate;

generating plasma in a region between said radial slot antenna and said first and second electrodes by supplying the microwave from said radial slot antenna; and

etching a material film on said substrate disposed on said first and second electrodes,

wherein said first electrode is flush with said second electrode.

11. A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device according to claim 10, wherein said semiconductor device is incorporated into an electronic device selected from the group consisting of a personal computer, a video camera, a mobile computer a goggle type display, a player, a digital camera, a front type projector, a rear type projector, a portable telephone a portable book, and a display.

12. An etching method comprising:

providing at least first, second, third, fourth, fifth, and coil electrodes and at least first, second, third, fourth, fifth, and sixth high-power sources independently connected to each of said first, second, third, fourth, fifth, and coil electrodes, said coil electrode overlapping said first, second, third, fourth, and fifth electrodes;

disposing a substrate on said first, second, third, fourth and fifth electrodes provided in a chamber, wherein said first electrode is located below a central portion of said substrate and second, third, fourth and fifth electrodes are located below corner portions of said substrate;

supplying a reaction gas into said chamber under a reduced pressure;

generating plasma in a region between said first, second, third, fourth, and fifth electrodes and said coil electrode by applying a high-frequency power to said coil electrode using said sixth high-power source; and

etching a material film on said substrate,

wherein said first, second, third, fourth and fifth electrodes are disposed so that an electric power applied to an entire surface of said substrate becomes uniform, and

wherein plasma is generated outside edge portions of said substrate, and

wherein said first, second, third, fourth and fifth electrodes flush with each other.

13. A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device by using an ICP etching apparatus, the ICP etching apparatus comprising an upper electrode and a lower electrode being opposed to the upper electrode, the lower electrode comprising at least first and second electrodes, the upper electrode comprising one coil electrode overlapping the first and second electrodes, the method comprising:

forming a thin film transistor over a substrate;

forming an interlayer insulating film over the thin film transistor

disposing the substrate over said first and second electrodes in a chamber;

supplying a reaction gas into said chamber under a reduced pressure;

applying a first high-frequency power to the coil electrode to generate plasma;

applying a second high-frequency power to the first electrode disposed below a central portion of the substrate and applying a third high-frequency power to the second electrode disposed below a corner portion of the substrate; and

etching the interlayer insulating film in order to form a contact hole.

14. A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device by using an ICP etching apparatus, the ICP etching apparatus comprising an upper electrode and a lower electrode being opposed to the upper electrode, the lower electrode comprising at least first and second electrodes, the upper electrode comprising one coil electrode overlapping the first and second electrodes, the method comprising:

forming a semiconductor film over a substrate;

forming a conductive film over the semiconductor film;

forming a mask over the conductive film;

disposing the substrate over the first and second electrodes in a chamber;

supplying a reaction gas into said chamber under a reduced pressure;

applying a first high-frequency power to the coil electrode to generate plasma;

applying a second high-frequency power to the first electrode disposed below a central portion of the substrate and applying a third high-frequency power to the second electrode disposed below a corner portion of the substrate; and

etching the conductive film in order to form a gate electrode.