Plasma processing method and resist pattern modifying method

• US 8,394,720 B2
• Filed: 09/03/2009
• Issued: 03/12/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/04/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
• Original Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
• Inventors: Fujihara, Jin
• Primary Examiner(s): Deo, Duy
• Assistant Examiner(s): BERGNER, ERIN FLANAGAN
• Application Number:
  US12/553,611
• Publication Number:
  US 20100055911A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,286 Days
• Field of Search: 216/37, 216/41, 257/751, 430/296, 430/311, 430/313, 430/326, 430/328, 430/5, 438/694, 438/695, 438/705, 438/706, 438/714, 438/725
• US Class Current: 438/694
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/32091 the radio frequency energy being capacitively coupled to the plasma
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/0273 characterised by the treatment of photoresist layers
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/31138 by dry-etching

Abstract

A plasma processing method includes modifying a resist pattern of the substrate; and trimming the modified resist pattern through a plasma etching. The modifying includes: supplying the processing gas for modification from the processing gas supply unit to the inside of the processing chamber while the substrate having a surface on which the resist pattern is formed is mounted on the lower electrode; supplying the high frequency power from the high frequency power supply to generate a plasma of the processing gas for modification; and supplying the negative DC voltage from the DC power supply to the upper electrode.

Claims

1. A plasma processing method for use with a plasma processing apparatus, which includes:

a processing chamber configured to accommodate a target substrate therein and capable of exhausting its inside to vacuum;

a lower electrode arranged in the processing chamber and serving as a mounting table for the substrate;

an upper electrode arranged in the processing chamber to face the lower electrode;

a processing gas supply unit configured to supply a processing gas to the inside of the processing chamber;

a high frequency power supply configured to supply a high frequency power to at least one of the upper electrode and the lower electrode to generate a plasma; and

a DC power supply configured to supply a negative DC voltage to the upper electrode, the method comprising;

modifying a resist pattern of the substrate; and

trimming the modified resist pattern through a plasma etching,

wherein said modifying includes;

supplying the processing gas for modification from the processing gas supply unit to the inside of the processing chamber while the substrate having a surface on which the resist pattern is formed is mounted on the lower electrode;

supplying the high frequency power from the high frequency power supply to generate a plasma of the processing gas for modification;

supplying the negative DC voltage from the DC power supply to the upper electrode; and

controlling the negative DC voltage to the upper electrode to control a depth the resist pattern is modified.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said trimming and said modifying are carried out in the plasma processing apparatus.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said trimming of the modified resist pattern includes, after said modifying:

supplying a processing gas for trimming from the processing gas supply unit to the inside of the processing chamber while the target substrate is mounted in the lower electrode;

supplying a high frequency power from the high frequency power supply to generate a plasma of the processing gas for trimming; and

etching the resist pattern by use of the plasma of the gas for trimming.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the processing gas for modification includes a fluorocarbon gas.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the fluorocarbon gas is CF₄.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein, in said modifying of the resist pattern, the voltage supplied from the DC power supply has a value less than 0 V and not less than −

1500 V.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the resist pattern is made of an ArF resist.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein a modified layer is formed on the surface of the resist pattern by said modifying the resist pattern and a thickness of the modified layer is thicker than depth of the modified layer etched by said trimming of the modified resist pattern.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of controlling the negative DC voltage to the upper electrode step includes adjusting the negative DC voltage between a range of 0 and —

2000 V to control the depth the resist pattern is modified.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein a larger magnitude of negative DC voltage to the upper electrode modifies a deeper depth of the resist pattern.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein during the trimming step a width of the resist pattern is narrowed such that a width of the resist pattern is smaller after trimming.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein at least a portion of the modified resist pattern remains covering the resist pattern after said trimming.

13. A resist pattern modifying method for use with a plasma processing apparatus, which includes:

a processing chamber configured to accommodate a target substrate therein and capable of exhausting its inside to vacuum;

a lower electrode arranged in the processing chamber and serving as a mounting table for the substrate;

an upper electrode arranged in the processing chamber to face the lower electrode;

a processing gas supply unit configured to supply a processing gas to the inside of the processing chamber;

a high frequency power supply configured to supply a high frequency power to at least one of the upper electrode and the lower electrode to generate a plasma; and

a DC power supply configured to supply a negative DC voltage to the upper electrode, the method comprising

modifying a resist pattern of the substrate to form a modified resist pattern,

wherein said modifying is carried out prior to trimming the resist pattern through a plasma etching,

trimming the resist pattern to form a trimmed resist pattern by plasma etching;

wherein the resist pattern includes a top and at least two sides, including a first side and a second side,

wherein the modified resist pattern includes a first width measured from an edge of the first side to an edge of the second side,

wherein the trimmed resist pattern includes a second width measured from an edge of the first side to an edge of the second side, and

wherein the second width is smaller than the first width such that the trimmed resist pattern is narrower than the modified resist pattern

wherein said modifying includes;

supplying the processing gas for modification from the processing gas supply unit to the inside of the processing chamber while the substrate having a surface on which the resist pattern is formed is mounted on the lower electrode;

supplying the high frequency power from the high frequency power supply to generate a plasma of the processing gas for modification; and

supplying the negative DC voltage from the DC power supply to the upper electrode;

and controlling the negative DC voltage to the upper electrode to control a depth the resist pattern is modified.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the processing gas for modification includes a fluorocarbon gas.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the fluorocarbon gas is CF₄.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein, in said modifying of the resist pattern, the voltage supplied from the DC power supply has a value less than 0 V and not less than −

1500 V.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein the resist pattern is made of an ArF resist.

18. The method of claim 13, wherein a modified layer is formed on the surface of the resist pattern by said modifying the resist pattern and a thickness of the modified layer is thicker than depth of the modified layer etched by said trimming of the modified resist pattern.

19. The method as recited in claim 13, wherein the modifying of the resist pattern includes modifying of top and side portions of the resist pattern such that an entire perimeter of the resist is modified.