Selective metal removal with flowable polymer

US12272551B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Applied Materials, Inc. · US

Inventors

• Liqi Wu · San Jose, US
• Feng Q. Liu · San Jose, US
• Bhaskar Jyoti Bhuyan · San Jose, US
• James Hugh Connolly · Dublin, IE
• Zhimin QI · Fremont, US
• Jie Zhang · Sunnyvale, US
• Wei Dou · Longbeilingcun, CN
• Aixi ZHANG · Santa Clara, US
• Mark Saly · Santa Clara, US
• Jiang Lu · Zhanjiang, CN
• Rongjun Wang · Dublin, US
• David Thompson · San Jose, US
• Xianmin Tang · San Jose, US

Key dates

• Filing date: May 25, 2022
• Grant date: Apr 8, 2025
• Expiry date: Aug 2, 2043

Classification

• Technology area (CPC H): Electricity
• CPC primary: H01L21/32136
• WIPO field: Semiconductors
• WIPO sector: Electrical engineering

Abstract

Embodiments of the disclosure relate to methods for selectively removing metal material from the top surface and sidewalls of a feature. The metal material which is covered by a flowable polymer material remains unaffected. In some embodiments, the metal material is formed by physical vapor deposition resulting in a relatively thin sidewall thickness. Any metal material remaining on the sidewall after removal of the metal material from the top surface may be etched by an additional etch process. The resulting metal layer at the bottom of the feature facilitates selective metal gapfill of the feature.