Pre-cleaning for etching of dielectric materials

US10720337B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• ASM IP Holding B.V. · NL

Inventors

• René Henricus Jozef Vervuurt · Leuven, BE
• Nobuyoshi Kobayashi · Tokyo, JP
• Takayoshi Tsutsumi · Nagoya, JP
• Masaru Hori · Nagoya, JP

Key dates

• Filing date: Jul 20, 2018
• Grant date: Jul 21, 2020
• Expiry date: Jul 20, 2038

Classification

• Technology area (CPC H): Electricity
• CPC primary: H01L21/67069
• WIPO field: Semiconductors
• WIPO sector: Electrical engineering

Abstract

An etching process is provided that includes a pre-clean process to remove a surface oxide of a dielectric material. The removal of the oxide can be executed through a thermal reaction and/or plasma process before the etch process. In some embodiments, the removal of the oxide increases etch process control and reproducibility and can improve the selectivity versus oxides.