Metal doped carbon based hard mask removal in semiconductor fabrication

US11062897B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Lam Research Corporation · US

Inventors

• Yongsik Yu · Lake Oswego, US
• David Cheung · Foster City, US
• Kirk Ostrowski · San Jose, US
• Nikkon Ghosh · San Jose, US
• Karthik S. Colinjivadi · Dublin, US
• Samantha Tan · Newark, US
• Nathan Musselwhite · San Jose, US
• Mark Kawaguchi · Palo Alto, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Jun 30, 2017
• Grant date: Jul 13, 2021
• Expiry date: Jun 30, 2037

Classification

• Technology area (CPC H): Electricity
• CPC primary: H01J2237/334
• WIPO field: Semiconductors
• WIPO sector: Electrical engineering

Abstract

Methods and apparatuses for etching metal-doped carbon-containing materials are provided herein. Etching methods include using a mixture of an etching gas suitable for etching the carbon component of the metal-doped carbon-containing material and an additive gas suitable for etching the metal component of the metal-doped carbon-containing material and igniting a plasma to selectively remove metal-doped carbon-containing materials relative to underlayers such as silicon oxide, silicon nitride, and silicon, at high temperatures. Apparatuses suitable for etching metal-doped carbon-containing materials are equipped with a high temperature movable pedestal, a plasma source, and a showerhead between a plasma generating region and the substrate.