Methods and apparatus for in-situ substrate processing

• US 7,662,723 B2
• Filed: 12/08/2006
• Issued: 02/16/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/13/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lam Research Corporation
• Original Assignee: Lam Research Corporation
• Inventors: Hwang, Guang-Yaw, Yang, Yu-Wei, Lui, Pu-Lun
• Primary Examiner(s): Vinh; Lan
• Application Number:
  US11/608,738
• Publication Number:
  US 20070175861A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,166 Days
• Field of Search: 438/706, 438/710, 438/712, 438/714, 438/720, 438/725, 156/345.33, 156/34
• US Class Current: 438/725
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/3244 Gas supply means
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/32449 Gas control, e.g. control of the gas flow
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02063 the processing being the formation of vias or contact holes
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/31116 by dry-etching
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/31138 by dry-etching
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/31144 using masks
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67017 Apparatus for fluid treatment H01L21/67126, H01L21/6715 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/6708 using mainly spraying means, e.g. nozzles
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/76808 involving intermediate temporary filling with material
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/76811 involving multiple stacked pre-patterned masks

Abstract

A plasma processing system for processing a substrate is disclosed. The plasma processing system includes a gas distribution system. The plasma processing system also includes a gas flow control assembly coupled to the gas distribution system and configured to control a set of input gases provided by the gas distribution system. The plasma processing system further includes a first set of nozzles coupled to the gas flow control assembly and configured to supply a first set of gases for processing a first portion of the substrate. The plasma processing system further includes a second set of nozzles coupled to the gas flow control assembly and configured to supply a second set of gases for processing a second portion of the substrate.

Claims

1. A method for processing a substrate, the substrate including a barrier layer and a deposited photoresist element, the method comprising:

supplying and ionizing a first set of gases to partially etch the deposited photoresist element at a first portion of the substrate in a plasma processing chamber to result in a remaining portion of the deposited photoresist element;

supplying and ionizing a second set of gases to partially etch the deposited photoresist element at a second portion of the substrate in the plasma processing chamber to remove the remaining portion of the deposited photoresist element; and

removing the barrier layer in the plasma processing chamber,

wherein the first portion of the substrate represents a center zone of the substrate,

the second portion of the substrate represent an edge zone of the substrate,

the first set of gases and the second set of gases have the same composition, and

the first set of gases and the second set of gases have different flow rates.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the first set of gases and the second set of gases are simultaneously supplied into the plasma processing chamber.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising controlling the first set of gases and the second set of gases such that the first set of gases and the second set of gases have different flow rates.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising controlling a set of input gases to generate the first set of gases and the second set of gases.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the first set of gases is supplied through a first set of nozzles, the second set of gases is supplied through a second set of nozzles, and at least one of the first set of nozzles and the second set of nozzles represents part of an electrode of the plasma processing system.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising executing a waferless auto clean process.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the deposited photoresist is deposited in at least one of a via feature and a trench feature of the substrate.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising heating at least a portion of the plasma processing chamber to reduce an amount of contaminants that attach to the plasma processing chamber.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising heating an electrode of the plasma processing system, the electrode configured to supply at least one of the first set of gases and the second set of gases.

10. The method of claim 1 further comprising supplying an inert gas to collide with plasma generated from at least one of the first set of gases and the second set of gases, thereby reducing a processing rate of the processing.

11. A method for processing a substrate in a plasma processing chamber in a plasma processing system, the method comprising:

injecting a first portion of a first set of gases into the plasma processing chamber through a first set of nozzles of a showerhead with a first flow rate, the first set of nozzles being positioned above a center zone of the substrate;

after the injecting the first portion of the first set of gases, injecting a second portion of the first set of gases into the plasma processing chamber through a second set of nozzles of the showerhead with a second flow rate, the first portion of the first set of gases and the second portion of the first set of gases having the same composition, the first flow rate being different from the second flow rate, the second set of nozzles being positioned above an edge zone of the substrate;

injecting a second set of gases into the plasma processing chamber;

exciting the first portion of the first set of gases into first plasma;

performing at least one of etching and deposition on the substrate utilizing the first plasma;

exciting the second portion of the first set of gases into second plasma;

after the performing, processing the substrate using the second plasma;

providing a temperature control system surrounding an electrode, the electrode representing the showerhead for delivering at least one of the first set of gases and the second set of gases into the plasma processing chamber; and

heating the electrode using the temperature control system to increase collision between the first plasma and the second set of gases, thereby reducing a processing rate of the at least one of etching and deposition.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising using the electrode to inject the first portion of the first set of gases though the first set of nozzles of the showerhead and the second set of gases through the second set of nozzles of the showerhead.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein the first set of gases includes oxygen.

14. The method of claim 11 wherein the second set of gases includes an inert gas.

15. The method of claim 11 further comprising heating at least a portion of the plasma processing chamber to reduce an amount of contaminants that attach to the plasma processing chamber.