Etching apparatus

• US 9,852,915 B2
• Filed: 11/08/2016
• Issued: 12/26/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 01/24/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited
• Inventors: Lee, Wan-Yu, Kuo, Ying-Hao, Chen, Hai-Ching, Bao, Tien-I
• Primary Examiner(s): CHOI, CALVIN Y
• Application Number:
  US15/345,780
• Publication Number:
  US 20170053809A1
• Time in Patent Office: 413 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 13/04 containing an inorganic acid
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/33 using ultraviolet light G01N21/39 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/0206 during, before or after processing of insulating layers
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/306 Chemical or electrical treatment, e.g. electrolytic etching to form insulating layers H01L21/31
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/30604 Chemical etching
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/30608 Anisotropic liquid etching H01L21/3063 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/31133 by chemical means
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67075 for wet etching
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67086 with the semiconductor substrates being dipped in baths or vessels
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67253 Process monitoring, e.g. flow or thickness monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 22/20 Sequence of activities consisting of a plurality of measurements, corrections, marking or sorting steps
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00 Indexing scheme for arrangements or methods for connecting or disconnecting semiconductor or solid-state bodies as covered by H01L24/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/0002 Not covered by any one of groups H01L24/00, H01L24/00 and H01L2224/00

Abstract

A system and method of etching a semiconductor device are provided. Etching solution is sampled and analyzed by a monitoring unit to determine a concentration of components within the etching solution, such as an oxidant concentration. Then, based upon such measurement, a makeup amount of the components may be added be a makeup unit to the etching solution to control the concentration of the components within the etching system.

Claims

1. A method of etching a semiconductor device, the method comprising:

filling an etchant tank with a liquid etching solution;

after filling the etchant tank, submerging a surface of a substrate in the liquid etching solution;

removing a sample from the liquid etching solution;

analyzing the sample to determine a concentration of an oxidant within the sample;

introducing a makeup amount of the oxidant into the liquid etching solution based upon the concentration of the oxidant from analyzing the sample; and

etching a semiconductor substrate with the liquid etching solution to form an etched surface, wherein after the etching the semiconductor substrate the etched surface is free from hillocks.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the analyzing the sample further comprises performing an oxidation reduction potential measurement of the sample.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the analyzing the sample further comprises performing an optical spectrum analysis of the sample.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the optical spectrum analysis further comprises a UV absorption spectrum analysis.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising filtering the liquid etching solution to remove oil drop by-products from the liquid etching solution.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising cooling the sample prior to the analyzing the sample.

7. A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, the method comprising:

receiving a substrate into an etchant tank holding an etchant, the etchant comprising a strong base, a surfactant, and an oxidant;

removing a sample of the etchant from the etchant tank and sending the sample to a monitoring unit, the monitoring unit comprising an oxidant analysis unit;

analyzing the sample of the etchant;

determining an amount of makeup to add to the etchant in the etchant tank;

mixing in a makeup unit one or more of a makeup strong base, a makeup surfactant, and a makeup oxidant to form the amount of makeup, the makeup unit coupled to a first output from a strong base unit, a second output from a surfactant unit, and a third output from an oxidant unit; and

adding the amount of makeup to the etchant.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the analyzing the sample of the etchant further comprises:

analyzing a first concentration of the strong base;

analyzing a second concentration of the surfactant; and

analyzing a third concentration of the oxidant.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the analyzing the first concentration of the strong base further comprises:

applying a first analyzing process for a first range of concentrations; and

applying a second analyzing process different from the first analyzing process for a second range of concentrations different from the first range of concentrations.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the applying the first analyzing process for the first range of concentrations further comprises measuring an oxidation-reduction potential.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the applying the second analyzing process for the second range of concentrations further comprises analyzing an absorption spectrum.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the analyzing the second concentration of the surfactant further comprises analyzing an absorption spectrum.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the analyzing the third concentration of the oxidant further comprises measuring a pH of the sample.

14. The method of claim 7, wherein the mixing the one or more of the makeup strong base, the makeup surfactant, and the makeup oxidant to form the amount of makeup further comprises mixing a solvent from a makeup solvent line.

15. A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, the method comprising:

applying an etchant to a surface of a substrate, the surface being submerged in the etchant, the substrate and the etchant being located in an etching tank, the etchant comprising;

a strong base to etch the substrate;

a surfactant to modify a selectivity of the etchant to a first crystallographic orientation; and

an oxidant to react with the substrate to repel chemical reaction by-products from a surface of the substrate and impede hillock regrowth;

analyzing a first concentration of the strong base;

analyzing a second concentration of the surfactant separately from the analyzing the first concentration of the strong base;

analyzing a third concentration of the oxidant separately from the analyzing the first concentration of the strong base and separately from the analyzing the second concentration of the surfactant;

determining an amount to add of each of the strong base, the surfactant, and the oxidant;

mixing a first makeup amount of the strong base, a second makeup amount of the surfactant, and a third makeup amount of the oxidant to form a makeup stream; and

titrating the makeup stream into the etchant.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the analyzing the first concentration of the strong base is performed in real time.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the mixing the first makeup amount is performed using an active mixing action.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the titrating the makeup stream into the etchant controls an oxidant concentration to within about +/−

0.02%.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein the titrating the makeup stream into the etchant controls a surfactant concentration to within about +/−

0.05%.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein the titrating the makeup stream into the etchant controls a strong base concentration to within about +/−

2%.