Lam Research Corporation

Lam Researh Corporation

Gregory James Goldspring

Robert J O'Donnell

Hong Shih

John Edward Daugherty

Tuochuan Huang

Shenjian Liu

Susan C Abraham

Oana M Leonte

Gladys So-Wan Lo

David W Mytton

Michael C May

An on-line method of cleaning contaminants from at least one interior surface in plasma chambers comprises blasting one or more interior surfaces of a plasma chamber with dry ice to remove contaminants from the one or more surfaces.

On-line chamber cleaning using dry ice blasting

A method and apparatus are provided for simulating a standard wafer in semiconductor manufacturing equipment. The apparatus includes a support layer suitable for being handled by the semiconductor manufacturing equipment. Applied to the support layer is a mixture including a process agent and a material. During use, the present invention simulates a standard production wafer including material similar to that in the mixture of the present invention.

Method and apparatus for simulating standard test wafers

This invention relates to a method for reducing halogen gasses and byproducts in post-etch applications. The method consists of exposing the substrate to O /N plasma and water vapor in a process chamber.

Residual halogen reduction with microwave stripper

A method of improving the post-etch corrosion resistance of aluminum-containing wafers by performing a two-step post-etch passivation sequence which does not involve a plasma. In the first step the pressure is high, relative to typical passivation procedures, and the wafer temperature is relatively low. In the second step, the pressure is ramped down and the wafer temperature is ramped up. This two-step approach results in a more-efficient removal of chlorine from the wafer, and hence improved corrosion resistance.

Post-metal etch treatment to prevent corrosion

Disclosed is an inventive method for etching a gold metallization in a plasma processing chamber. The method includes introducing a substrate having a gold layer and an overlying titanium hardmask layer into the plasma processing chamber. The hardmask is first etched using conventional etching techniques. Then a plasma is formed in the chamber from an oxidizing gas and an etching gas. The etching gas is preferably a hydrochloric acid containing gas which may contain a chlorine containing gas. In addition, N,may be provided. The plasma is then used to etch the gold layer through the TiN or TiW hardmask.

Method for etching a gold metal layer using a titanium hardmask

A method for etching at least partially through a transition metal-containing layer disposed above a substrate is disclosed. The transition metal-containing layer is disposed below an etch mask. The method includes providing a plasma processing system having a plasma processing chamber, and configuring the plasma processing chamber to etch the transition metal-containing layer. The plasma processing chamber configuring process includes configuring the plasma processing chamber to receive a source gas that includes HCl and Ar, and configuring a power supply associated with the plasma processing chamber to supply energy to strike a plasma from the source gas. The plasma processing chamber configuring process further includes configuring the plasma processing chamber to etch at least partially the transition metal-containing layer with the plasma.

Techniques for etching a transition metal-containing layer

Disclosed is an inventive multiple-chemistry etching method suited for etching through selected portions of layers in a layer stack in a plasma processing chamber. The layer stack preferably includes at least an anti-reflective layer and a metallization layer disposed below the anti-reflective layer. The method includes a first etching step where the anti-reflective layer of the layer stack is at least partially etched with a first chemistry, the first chemistry comprising an etchant chemical and a polymer-forming chemical. Once the first etching step is complete, the method proceeds to a second etching step where at least part of the metallization layer of the layer stack is etched with a second chemistry different from the first chemistry.

Growing community of inventors

Alameda, CA, United States of America

Gregory James Goldspring