Method of processing substrate, method of manufacturing solid-state imaging device, method of manufacturing thin film device, and programs for implementing the methods

• US 7,622,392 B2
• Filed: 02/21/2006
• Issued: 11/24/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/18/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
• Original Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
• Inventors: Nishimura, Eiichi, Iwasaki, Kenya
• Primary Examiner(s): CHEN, KIN CHAN
• Application Number:
  US11/357,168
• Publication Number:
  US 20060191865A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,372 Days
• Field of Search: 438/689, 438/706, 216/58, 216/59
• US Class Current: 438/706
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/31055 the removal being a chemical etching step, e.g. dry etching etching per se H01L21/311
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67207 comprising a chamber adapted to a particular process
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/14621 Colour filter arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/14627 Microlenses
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/14683 Processes or apparatus peculiar to the manufacture or treatment of these devices or parts thereof not peculiar thereto H01L21/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/14685 Process for coatings or optical elements
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/14806 Structural or functional details thereof

Abstract

A method of processing a substrate that enables the amount removed of an insulating film to be controlled precisely, without damaging an electronic device. An insulating film on a substrate of a solid-state imaging device is exposed to an atmosphere of a mixed gas containing ammonia and hydrogen fluoride under a predetermined pressure. The insulating film that has been exposed to the atmosphere of the mixed gas is heated to a predetermined temperature.

Claims

1. A method of manufacturing a solid-state imaging device, the method comprising:

an insulating film exposure step of exposing an insulating film on a substrate of the solid-state imaging device to an atmosphere of a mixed gas containing ammonia and hydrogen fluoride under a predetermined pressure; and

an insulating film heating step of heating to a predetermined temperature the insulating film that has been exposed to the atmosphere of the mixed gas,

wherein in said insulating film heating step, in order to produce viscous flow around the substrate, a nitrogen gas is supplied such that a gas flow rate of the supplied nitrogen gas around the substrate is in a range of 500 to 3000 SCCM and a pressure around the substrate is set to a range of 6.7×

10 to 1.3×

10² Pa, and

wherein molecules vaporized from a product which is produced in said insulating film exposure step are discharged by using the produced viscous flow.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein in said insulating film exposure step, the substrate is subjected to plasma-less etching.

3. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein in said insulating film exposure step, the substrate is subjected to dry cleaning.

4. A method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a product production condition deciding step of measuring a shape of the insulating film, and deciding at least one of a volumetric flow rate ratio of the hydrogen fluoride to the ammonia in the mixed gas and the predetermined pressure in accordance with the measured shape.

5. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein a volumetric flow rate ratio of the hydrogen fluoride to the ammonia in the mixed gas is in a range of 1 to ½

, and the predetermined pressure is in a range of 6.7×

10<sup>−

2</sup> to 4.0 Pa.

6. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the predetermined temperature is in a range of 80 to 200°

C.

7. A method of manufacturing a solid-state imaging device, the method comprising:

a film thickness deciding step of deciding a desired film thickness of an insulating film on a substrate of the solid-state imaging device;

a pre-processing shape measuring step of measuring a shape of the insulating film;

a processing condition deciding step of deciding a first processing condition and a second processing condition based on a comparison of the measured shape and the decided film thickness;

an insulating film exposure step of exposing the insulating film to an atmosphere of a mixed gas containing ammonia and hydrogen fluoride under a predetermined pressure based on the first processing condition; and

an insulating film heating step of heating to a predetermined temperature based on the second processing condition the insulating film that has been exposed to the atmosphere of the mixed gas,

wherein in said insulating film heating step, in order to produce viscous flow around the substrate, a nitrogen gas is supplied such that a gas flow rate of the supplied nitrogen gas around the substrate is in a range of 500 to 3000 SCCM and a pressure around the substrate is set to a range of 6.7×

10 to 1.3×

10² Pa, and

wherein molecules vaporized from a product which is produced in said insulating film exposure step are discharged by using the produced viscous flow.

8. A method as claimed in claim 7, further comprising:

a post-processing shape measuring step of measuring a shape of the insulating film after said insulating film heating step; and

a processing condition changing step of changing the first processing condition and the second processing condition based on a comparison of the shape measured in said post-processing shape measuring step and the decided film thickness.

9. A method as claimed in claim 7, wherein the first processing condition comprises at least one of a volumetric flow rate ratio of the hydrogen fluoride to the ammonia in the mixed gas, and the predetermined pressure, and the second processing condition comprises the predetermined temperature.

10. A method of manufacturing a solid-state imaging device having a substrate, a plurality of photoelectric transducers provided in a matrix shape on the substrate, an insulating film formed on the substrate having the plurality of photoelectric transducers provided thereon, signal charge transfer electrodes constructed from switching elements and wiring that are formed adjacent to the photoelectric transducers, interlayer insulating films each formed on a corresponding one of the signal charge transfer electrodes, and light-shielding films made of a metal each formed on a corresponding one of the signal charge transfer electrodes via a corresponding one of the interlayer insulating films, the method comprising:

a metallic film formation step of forming a metallic film for forming the light-shielding films;

a resist patterning step of forming a resist in a predetermined pattern for forming the light-shielding films from the metallic film;

a patterning step of patterning by dry etching the metallic film, and the insulating film as far as close to immediately above the photoelectric transducers using the resist, thus forming the light-shielding films and holes;

a resist removal step of removing the resist;

a silicon nitride film formation step of forming a silicon nitride film in recesses defined by the light-shielding films and the holes;

a flattening film formation step of coating on a transparent insulating material having a lower refractive index than the silicon nitride film so as to form a first insulating layer, and flattening the first insulating layer so as to form a flattening film;

a color filter formation step of forming color filters on the flattening film; and

a protective film formation step of forming a second insulating layer on the color filters, and thinning the second insulating layer so as to form a protective film;

wherein said flattening film formation step has an insulating film exposure step of exposing the first insulating layer to an atmosphere of a mixed gas containing ammonia and hydrogen fluoride under a predetermined pressure, and an insulating film heating step of heating to a predetermined temperature the first insulating layer that has been exposed to the atmosphere of the mixed gas;

and said protective film formation step has an insulating film exposure step of exposing the second insulating layer to an atmosphere of a mixed gas containing ammonia and hydrogen fluoride under a predetermined pressure, and an insulating film heating step of heating to a predetermined temperature the second insulating layer that has been exposed to the atmosphere of the mixed gas.

11. A method of manufacturing a solid-state imaging device, the method comprising:

a light-receiving portion formation step of forming on a substrate a plurality of light-receiving portions that produce signal charges in response to received light;

an insulating film formation step of forming an insulating film on the substrate on which the light-receiving portions have been formed;

a signal charge transfer portion formation step of forming signal charge transfer portions that transfer signal charges obtained by the light-receiving portions;

a light-shielding film formation step of forming conductive light-shielding films on the signal charge transfer portions; and

a light-transmitting electrode formation step of forming a light-transmitting electrode comprising an amorphous silicon thin film by chemical vapor deposition on the light-receiving portions via the insulating film, and directly on the light-shielding films;

wherein said insulating film formation step has an insulating material coating step of coating an insulating material onto the substrate on which the light-receiving portions have been formed, for forming the insulating film, an insulating material exposure step of exposing the coated on insulating material to an atmosphere of a mixed gas containing ammonia and hydrogen fluoride under a predetermined pressure, and an insulating material heating step of heating to a predetermined temperature the insulating material that has been exposed to the atmosphere of the mixed gas.

12. A method of manufacturing a CCD thin film device having a substrate, a plurality of chips having an identically shaped pattern formed on the substrate, and an optically transparent insulating thin film at least on a surface, the method comprising:

a film formation step of forming an insulating film for forming the thin film;

a film exposure step of exposing the insulating film to an atmosphere of a mixed gas containing ammonia and hydrogen fluoride under a predetermined pressure;

a film heating step of heating to a predetermined temperature the insulating film that has been exposed to the atmosphere of the mixed gas;

a film detection step of carrying out detection relating to a predetermined condition on the insulating film after the heating at a preset detection location on each of the chips; and

a transfer step of transferring the thin film device to a subsequent manufacturing step once the insulating film satisfies the predetermined condition at all of the detection locations on the chips in said film detection step.