Patent · US Active

Method for selectivity enhancement during dry plasma etching

US9666447B2 · kind B2 · utility

37Cited by
3References
23Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateOct 22, 2015
Grant dateMay 30, 2017
Priority date
Expiry dateOct 22, 2035

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH01L21/0337
  • WIPO fieldSemiconductors
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A method of etching a layer on a substrate is described. The method includes disposing a substrate having a heterogeneous layer composed of a first material and a second material in a processing space of a plasma processing system, wherein the heterogeneous layer has an initial upper surface exposing the first material and the second material to a plasma environment in the processing space, and performing a modulated plasma etching process to selectively remove the first material at a rate greater than removing the second material. The modulated plasma etching process includes a modulation cycle that preferentially reacts an etchant with the first material during a first phase of the modulation cycle, and differentially adheres a passivant on the second material relative to the first material during a second phase of the modulation cycle.

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