Patent · US Expired

Method of etching WSi.sub.x films

US5492597A · kind A · utility

18Cited by
2References
20Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateMay 13, 1994
Grant dateFeb 20, 1996
Priority date
Expiry dateMay 13, 2014

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH01L21/32137
  • WIPO fieldSemiconductors
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

The present invention teaches a method for etching a tungsten silicide (WSi.sub.x) film overlying a polysilicon film in an enclosed chamber during a semiconductor fabrication process, by the steps of: providing a patterned mask overlying the WSi.sub.x film thereby providing exposed portions of the WSi.sub.x film; presenting an etchant chemistry comprising NF.sub.3 and HeO.sub.2 to the exposed portions of the WSi.sub.x film at a temperature ranging from -20.degree. C. to 100.degree. C., thereby etching away the exposed portions of the WSi.sub.x film and simultaneously etching substantially vertical sidewalls in the WSi.sub.x film, the etching continues into the polysilicon film, thereby forming a WSi.sub.x /polysilicon stack having substantially vertical sidewalls.

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