Lam Research Corporation

Samantha Sh Tan

Richard Stephan Wise

Thorsten B Lill

Harmeet Singh

Jeffrey S Marks

Meihua Shen

Jengyi Yu

Wenbing Yang

Nader Shamma

Da Li

Timothy William Weidman

Richard Janek

Provided are processes for development of photopatterned metal or metal oxide-based thin film photoresists post-EUV exposure for removal of non-volatile species and deterring etch stop. Repeated cycles of alternating treatment with an etchant and an oxidizing agent; or treatment with an etchant followed by treatment with a wash agent are effective techniques for removal of the undesired unexposed portion of a photoresist.

Cyclic development of metal oxide based photoresist for etch stop deterrence

Methods and apparatuses for performing cycles of aspect ratio dependent deposition and aspect ratio independent etching on lithographically patterned substrates are described herein. Methods are suitable for reducing variation of feature depths and/or aspect ratios between features formed and partially formed by lithography, some partially formed features being partially formed due to stochastic effects. Methods and apparatuses are suitable for processing a substrate having a photoresist after extreme ultraviolet lithography. Some methods involve cycles of deposition by plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition and directional etching by atomic layer etching.

Eliminating yield impact of stochastics in lithography

A method for etching a stack with an Ru containing layer disposed below a hardmask and above a magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) stack with pinned layer is provided. The hardmask is etched with a dry etch. The Ru containing layer is etched, where the etching uses hypochlorite and/or Obased chemistries. The MTJ stack is etched. The MTJ stack is capped with dielectric materials. The pinned layer is etched following the MTJ capping.

Method to etch non-volatile metal materials

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Newark, CA, United States of America

Samantha Sh Tan