Patent · US Active

Dry-etch for selective oxidation removal

US9064816B2 · kind B2 · utility

185Cited by
421References
18Claims
0Family size

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Key dates

Filing dateMar 15, 2013
Grant dateJun 23, 2015
Priority date
Expiry dateMar 17, 2033

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH01J2237/334
  • WIPO fieldSemiconductors
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

Methods of selectively etching tungsten oxide relative to tungsten, silicon oxide, silicon nitride and/or titanium nitride are described. The methods include a remote plasma etch formed from a fluorine-containing precursor and/or hydrogen (H2). Plasma effluents from the remote plasma are flowed into a substrate processing region where the plasma effluents react with the tungsten oxide. The plasmas effluents react with exposed surfaces and selectively remove tungsten oxide while very slowly removing other exposed materials. In some embodiments, the tungsten oxide selectivity results partly from the presence of an ion suppression element positioned between the remote plasma and the substrate processing region. The ion suppression element reduces or substantially eliminates the number of ionically-charged species that reach the substrate.

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