Patent · US Active

Thermal silicon etch

US10319600B1 · kind B1 · utility

33Cited by
885References
20Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateMar 12, 2018
Grant dateJun 11, 2019
Priority date
Expiry dateMar 12, 2038

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH10B43/27
  • WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

Exemplary methods for selectively removing silicon (e.g. polysilicon) from a patterned substrate may include flowing a fluorine-containing precursor into a substrate processing chamber to form plasma effluents. The plasma effluents may remove silicon (e.g. polysilicon, amorphous silicon or single crystal silicon) at significantly higher etch rates compared to exposed silicon oxide, silicon nitride or other dielectrics on the substrate. The methods rely on the temperature of the substrate in combination with some conductivity of the surface to catalyze the etch reaction rather than relying on a gas phase source of energy such as a plasma.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.