The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.

The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.

Date of Patent:
Jun. 30, 2020

Filed:

Nov. 01, 2018
Applicant:

Tokyo Electron Limited, Minato-ku, Tokyo, JP;

Inventors:

Erdinc Karakas, Portland, OR (US);

Sonam D. Sherpa, Albany, NY (US);

Alok Ranjan, Austin, TX (US);

Assignee:
Attorney:
Primary Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
H01L 21/311 (2006.01); H01L 29/66 (2006.01);
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
H01L 21/31116 (2013.01); H01L 29/6653 (2013.01); H01L 29/66795 (2013.01);
Abstract

Plasma processing methods that provide for conformal etching of silicon nitride while also providing selectivity to another layer are described. In one embodiment, an etch is provided that utilizes gases which include fluorine, nitrogen, and oxygen, for example a gas mixture of SF, Nand Ogases. Specifically, a plasma etch utilizing SF, Nand Ogases at high pressure with no bias is provided. The process accelerates silicon nitride etching by chemical reactions of [NO]molecules from the plasma and [N] atoms from silicon nitride film. The etch provides a conformal (isotropic) etch that is selective to other materials such as silicon and silicon oxides (for example, but not limited to, silicon dioxide).


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