Tokyo Electron Limited

Andrew Nolan

Alok Ranjan

Christopher Talone

Sergey Alexandrovich Voronin

Hiroto Ohtake

Shyam Sridhar

Erdinc Karakas

Li Wang

Mingmei Wang

Cedric Thomas

Methods and systems for surface modification are described. In an embodiment, a method of etching includes providing a substrate having a device structure, portions of which are identified for modification. Such a method may also include passivating target surfaces of the device structure by exposing the device structure to a gas-phase composition at a processing pressure equal to or greater than 100 mTorr to form a protection layer on the target surfaces. Other embodiments of a method may include providing a substrate having a device structure, portions of which identified for removal. Such methods may further include passivating target surfaces of the device structure by exposing the device structure to a gas-phase composition, wherein the ratio of the radical content to the ion content exceeds 10-to-1.

Surface modification process

Provided is a method of modifying a surface of a substrate for improved etch selectivity of nitride etching. In an embodiment, the method includes providing a substrate with a nitride-containing structure, the nitride-containing structure having an oxygen-nitrogen layer. The method may also include performing a surface modification process on the nitride-containing structure with the oxygen-nitrogen layer using one or more gases, the surface modification process generating a cleaned nitride-containing structure. Additionally, the method may include performing a nitride etch process using the cleaned nitride-containing structure, wherein the etched nitride-containing structure are included in 5 nm or lower technology nodes, and the nitride etch process meets target etch rate and target etch selectivity, and the cleaned nitride-containing structure meet target residue cleaning objectives.

Methods of surface restoration for nitride etching

A method of etching is described. The method providing a substrate having a first material composed of silicon-containing organic material and a second material that is different from the first material, forming a chemical mixture by plasma-excitation of a process gas containing SFand an optional inert gas, controlling a processing pressure at or above 100 mtorr, and exposing the first material on the substrate to the chemical mixture to selectively etch the first material relative to the second material.

Method of plasma etching of silicon-containing organic film using sulfur-based chemistry

Systems and methods for in situ hard mask removal are described. In an embodiment, a method includes receiving a semiconductor workpiece comprising a substrate, an intermediary layer, a hard mask layer, and a photoresist layer in an etch chamber. The method may also include etching the hard mask layer to open a region left exposed by the photoresist layer. Additionally, such an embodiment may include etching the intermediary layer in a region left exposed by the hard mask layer. The method may also include removing the hard mask layer. In such embodiments, etching the hard mask layer, etching the intermediary layer, and removing the hard mask layer are performed in the etch chamber, and without the wafer being removed from the etch chamber.

Method of in situ hard mask removal

Methods and systems for selective silicon anti-reflective coating (SiARC) removal are described. An embodiment of a method includes providing a substrate in a process chamber, the substrate comprising: a resist layer, a SiARC layer, a pattern transfer layer, and an underlying layer. Such a method may also include performing a pattern transfer process configured to remove the resist layer and create a structure on the substrate, the structure comprising portions of the SiARC layer and the pattern transfer layer. The method may additionally include performing a modification process on the SiARC layer of the structure, the modification converting the SiARC layer into a porous SiARC layer. Further, the method may include performing a removal process of the porous SiARC layer of the structure, wherein the modification and removal processes of the SiARC layer are configured to meet target integration objectives.

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Albany, NY, United States of America

Andrew Nolan