Reliable gap-filling process and apparatus for performing the process in the manufacturing of semiconductor devices
First Claim
1. A semiconductor device manufacturing apparatus comprising:
- an etching chamber;
a chuck disposed in the etching chamber to support a substrate to be etched in the chamber;
a plasma generator operatively associated with the chamber to produce plasma from an etching gas, and provide the plasma within the etching chamber to etch a substrate supported on the chuck;
an end point detection unit that monitors the etching process in the etching chamber and based on the monitoring instantaneously determines when the etching process is to be terminated, the end point detection unit comprising a sensor mounted to the etching chamber and exposed to the interior of the chamber so as to sense directly a condition of the etching process as the process progresses in the etching chamber; and
a controller operatively connected to the end point detection unit and to the plasma generator so as to turn off the plasma generator when the end point detection unit determines that the etching process is to be terminated.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A reliable gap-filling process is performed in the manufacturing of a semiconductor device. An apparatus for performing the gap-filling process includes a chamber in which a wafer chuck is disposed, a plasma generator for generating plasma used to etch the wafer, an end-point detection unit for detecting the point at which the etching of the wafer is to be terminated, and a controller connected to the end-point detection unit. The end-point detection unit monitors the structure being etched at a region outside the opening that is to be filled, and generates in real time data representative of the layer that is being etched. As soon as an underlying layer is exposed and begins to be etched, an end-point detection signal is generated and the etching process is terminated. In the case in which the layer being etched is an oxide layer, a uniform etching is achieved despite any irregularity that exists in the thickness to which the oxide layer is formed.
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Citations
8 Claims
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1. A semiconductor device manufacturing apparatus comprising:
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an etching chamber; a chuck disposed in the etching chamber to support a substrate to be etched in the chamber; a plasma generator operatively associated with the chamber to produce plasma from an etching gas, and provide the plasma within the etching chamber to etch a substrate supported on the chuck; an end point detection unit that monitors the etching process in the etching chamber and based on the monitoring instantaneously determines when the etching process is to be terminated, the end point detection unit comprising a sensor mounted to the etching chamber and exposed to the interior of the chamber so as to sense directly a condition of the etching process as the process progresses in the etching chamber; and a controller operatively connected to the end point detection unit and to the plasma generator so as to turn off the plasma generator when the end point detection unit determines that the etching process is to be terminated. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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Specification