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.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Aug. 25, 2026
Filed:
Aug. 12, 2021
Lam Research Corporation, Fremont, CA (US);
Wenbing Yang, Campbell, CA (US);
Ran Lin, Fremont, CA (US);
Samantha Siamhwa Tan, Newark, CA (US);
Mohand Brouri, Brussels, BE;
Yang Pan, Los Altos, CA (US);
Lam Research Corporation, Fremont, CA (US);
Abstract
A method for atomic layer etching copper or copper alloy over a substrate in a plasma processing chamber comprising a plurality of cycles is provided. Each cycle of the plurality of cycles comprises a copper modification phase and an activation phase. The copper modification phase comprises flowing a modification gas into the plasma processing chamber, transforming the modification gas into a modification plasma, and exposing the copper or copper alloy to the modification plasma, wherein at least a part of the copper or copper alloy is modified. The activation phase comprises flowing an activation gas into the plasma processing chamber, wherein the activation gas, comprises a hydrogen containing gas, transforming the activation gas into an activation plasma, and exposing the modified copper or copper alloy to the activation plasma, wherein at least a volatile copper or copper alloy complex is formed.