Methods for etching a material layer for semiconductor applications

US12165877B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Applied Materials, Inc. · US

Inventors

• Zhigang Wang · Lexington, US
• Jiao Yang · Xi'an, CN
• Heng Wang · Holmdel, US
• Alfredo Granados · San Antonio, US
• Jon C. Farr · Tempe, US
• Ruizhe Ren · Tuji, CN

Key dates

• Filing date: Dec 23, 2019
• Grant date: Dec 10, 2024
• Expiry date: Aug 25, 2040

Classification

• Technology area (CPC H): Electricity
• CPC primary: H01J2237/3341
• WIPO field: Semiconductors
• WIPO sector: Electrical engineering

Abstract

An apparatus and method for etching a material layer with a cyclic etching and deposition process. The method for etching a material layer on a substrate includes: (a) etching at least a portion of a material layer (302) on a substrate (101) in an etch chamber (100) to form an open feature (360) having a bottom surface (312) and sidewalls in the material layer (302); (b) forming a protection layer (314) on the sidewalls and the bottom surface (312) of the open feature (360) from a protection layer (314) gas mixture comprising at least one carbon-fluorine containing gas; (c) selectively removing the protection layer (314) formed on the bottom surface (312) of the open feature (360) from a bottom surface (312) open gas mixture comprising the carbon-fluorine containing gas; and (d) continuingly etching the material layer (302) from the bottom surface (312) of the open feature (360) until a desired depth of the open feature (360) is reached.