Methods for barrier layer removal

US9514953B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Applied Materials, Inc. · US

Inventors

• Chia-Ling Kao · San Jose, US
• Sean S. Kang · San Ramon, US
• Jeremiah T. Pender · San Jose, US
• Srinivas D. Nemani · Sunnyvale, US
• He Ren · San Jose, US
• Mehul Naik · San Jose, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Nov 14, 2014
• Grant date: Dec 6, 2016
• Expiry date: Feb 4, 2035

Classification

• Technology area (CPC H): Electricity
• CPC primary: H01L21/76829
• WIPO field: Semiconductors
• WIPO sector: Electrical engineering

Abstract

Implementations described herein generally relate to semiconductor manufacturing and more particularly to methods for etching a low-k dielectric barrier layer disposed on a substrate using a non-carbon based approach. In one implementation, a method for etching a barrier low-k layer is provided. The method comprises (a) exposing a surface of the low-k barrier layer to a treatment gas mixture to modify at least a portion of the low-k barrier layer and (b) chemically etching the modified portion of the low-k barrier layer by exposing the modified portion to a chemical etching gas mixture, wherein the chemical etching gas mixture includes at least an ammonium gas and a nitrogen trifluoride gas or at least a hydrogen gas and a nitrogen trifluoride gas.