Lam Research Corporation

Applied Materials, Inc.

Thomas S Choi

Peter K Loewenhardt

Kenji Takeshita

Helen H Zhu

Siyi Li

Howard Dang

Nitin K Ingle

John Patrick Holland

Eric A Hudson

Tuqiang Q Ni

Sean S Kang

Mark Henry Wilcoxson

James V Tietz

Ji Zhu

Reza Sadjadi

Sangheon Lee

Peter Cirigliano

Seokmin Yun

Jungmin Ko

David R Pirkle

Rao Annapragada

Kwang-Soo Kim

Odette Turmel

Lily Zheng

Nancy Tran

Sang Jun Cho

Exemplary methods of etching semiconductor substrates may include flowing a fluorine-containing precursor into a processing region of a semiconductor processing chamber. The processing region may house a substrate having an exposed region of a first silicon-containing material and an exposed region of a second silicon-containing material. The second silicon-containing material may be exposed within a recessed feature defined by the substrate. The methods may include flowing a silicon-containing precursor into the processing region of the semiconductor processing chamber. The methods may include forming a plasma within the processing region of the semiconductor processing chamber to generate plasma effluents of the fluorine-containing precursor and the silicon-containing precursor. The methods may include contacting the substrate with the plasma effluents. The methods may include removing at least a portion of the second silicon-containing material.

Selective removal of silicon-containing materials

A method of forming features in a porous low-k dielectric layer disposed below a patterned organic mask is provided. Features are etched into the porous low-k dielectric layer through the patterned organic mask, and then the patterned organic mask is stripped. The stripping of the patterned organic mask includes providing a stripping gas comprising COS, forming a plasma from the stripping gas, and stopping the stripping gas. A cap layer may be provided between the porous low-k dielectric layer and the patterned organic mask. The stripping of the patterned organic mask leaves the cap layer on the porous low-k dielectric layer.

Reducing damage to low-K materials during photoresist stripping

A method for removing organic material over a substrate is provided. The substrate is placed in a plasma processing chamber. A first gas is provided to an inner zone within the plasma processing chamber. A second gas is provided to an outer zone of the plasma processing chamber, wherein the outer zone surrounds the inner zone and the second gas has a carbon containing component, wherein a concentration of the carbon containing component of the second gas is greater than a concentration of the carbon containing component in the first gas. Plasmas are simultaneously generated from the first gas and second gas. Some or all of the organic material is removed using the generated plasmas.

Method for providing uniform removal of organic material

A method of forming a feature in a low-k dielectric layer is provided. A low-k dielectric layer is placed over a substrate. A patterned photoresist mask is placed over the low-k dielectric layer. At least one feature is etched into the low-k dielectric layer. A CO conditioning is preformed on the at least one feature after the at least one feature is etched. The patterned photoresist mask is stripped after the CO conditioning.

Preventing damage to low-k materials during resist stripping

A method for etching a feature in a low-k dielectric layer through a photoresist etch mask over a substrate. A gas-modulated cyclic stripping process is performed for more than three cycles for stripping a single photoresist mask. Each cycle of the gas-modulated cyclic stripping process comprises performing a protective layer formation phase and a stripping phase. The protective layer forming phase using first gas chemistry with a deposition gas chemistry, wherein the protective layer forming phase is performed in about 0.005 to 10 seconds for each cycle. The performing the stripping phase for stripping the photoresist mask using a second gas chemistry using a stripping gas chemistry, where the first gas chemistry is different than the second gas chemistry, wherein the etching phase is performed in about 0.005 to 10 seconds for each cycle.

Method for plasma stripping using periodic modulation of gas chemistry and hydrocarbon addition

A method of etching a tungsten film, comprising the steps of supporting a semiconductor substrate having a tungsten film thereon on a substrate support in an interior of a plasma etcher, supplying process gas to the interior of the plasma etcher, energizing the process gas into a plasma state, etching the tungsten film by exposing the substrate to the plasma, and heating the substrate to a temperature of at least 100&deg; C. during the etching step. The etching step can include a low temperature main etch below 100&deg; C. followed by a high temperature overetch above 100&deg; C., the process gas including a fluorine containing gas during the main etch and a chlorine containing gas during the overetch. The tungsten film can be located over a dielectric film which serves as a stop layer during the etching step. The tungsten film can be pure tungsten and the dielectric layer can be a silicon oxide film having a thickness of 200 &angst; or less.

High temperature tungsten etching process

A method for processing a substrate having an aluminum neodymium-containing layer is disclosed. The aluminum neodymium-containing layer has residual chlorine proximate to its etch surface. The method includes providing a first gas chemistry including HBr and SF,which supplies a first plurality of fluorine ions, forming a first plasma from said first gas chemistry, passivating the etch surface of the aluminum neodymium-containing layer with the first plasma to cause a second plurality of fluorine ions to replace a first portion of the residual chlorine. This second plurality of fluorine ions is a subset of the first plurality of fluorine ions. The method further includes providing a second gas chemistry having hydrofluorocarbon and oxygen which provides a third plurality of fluorine ions and oxygen, forming a second plasma with the second gas chemistry, bombarding the etch surface of the aluminum neodymium-containing layer with the second plasma, causing a fourth plurality of fluorine ions to replace a second portion of the residual chlorine. This fourth plurality of fluorine ions is a subset of the third plurality of fluorine ions. The method additionally includes depositing a polymer material using a third plasma having hydrofluorocarbon to coat the etch surface of the aluminum neodymium-containing layer.

Methods of preventing post-etch corrosion of an aluminum neodymium-containing layer

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San Jose, CA, United States of America

Thomas S Choi