https://tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/14686996.2019.1599694

New development of atomic layer deposition: processes, methods and applications.

Various embodiments herein relate to methods, apparatus and systems for forming a recessed feature in dielectric material on a substrate. Separate etching and deposition operations are employed in a cyclic manner. Each etching operation partially etches the feature. Each deposition operation forms a protective coating on the sidewalls of the feature to prevent lateral etch of the dielectric material during the etching operations. The protective coating may be deposited using methods that result in substantial preservation of a mask layer on the substrate. The protective coating may be deposited using particular reactants and/or reaction conditions that are unlikely to damage the mask layer. The protective coating may also be deposited using particular reaction mechanisms that result in substantially complete sidewall coating. In some cases the protective coating is deposited using plasma assisted atomic layer deposition, a modified plasma assisted atomic layer deposition, or plasma assisted chemical vapor deposition.

Technique to deposit sidewall passivation for high aspect ratio cylinder etch

An improved exhaust system for a gas-phase reactor and a reactor and system including the exhaust system are disclosed. The exhaust system includes a channel fluidly coupled to an exhaust plenum. The improved exhaust system allows operation of a gas-phase reactor with desired flow characteristics while taking up relatively little space within a reaction chamber.

Gas-phase reactor and system having exhaust plenum and components thereof

Semiconductor systems and methods may include a semiconductor processing chamber having a gas box defining an access to the semiconductor processing chamber. The chamber may include a spacer characterized by a first surface with which the gas box is coupled, and the spacer may define a recessed ledge on an interior portion of the first surface. The chamber may include a support bracket seated on the recessed ledge that extends along a second surface of the spacer. The chamber may also include a gas distribution plate seated on the support bracket.

Systems and methods for improved semiconductor etching and component protection

The invention relates to a method of providing a structure by depositing a layer on a substrate in a reactor. The method comprising:
 introducing a silicon halide precursor in the reactor; introducing a reactant gas comprising oxygen in the reactor; and, providing an energy source to create a plasma from the reactant gas so that the oxygen reacts with the first precursor in a layer comprising silicon dioxide.

Method of forming a structure on a substrate

Provided herein are methods and related apparatus that facilitate patterning by performing highly non-conformal (directional) deposition on patterned structures. The methods involve depositing films on a patterned structure, such as a hard mask. The deposition may be both substrate-selective such that the films have high etch selectivity with respect to an underlying material to be etched and pattern-selective such that the films are directionally deposited to replicate the pattern of the patterned structure. In some embodiments, the deposition is performed in the same chamber as a subsequent etch is performed. In some embodiments, the deposition may be performed in a separate chamber (e.g., a PECVD deposition chamber) that is connected to the etch chamber by a vacuum transfer chamber. The deposition may be performed prior to or at selected intermittences during at etch process. In some embodiments, the deposition involves multiple cycles of a deposition and treatment process.

Directional deposition on patterned structures

Atomic layer etching (ALE) is a multistep process used today in manufacturing for removing ultrathin layers of material. In this article, the authors report on ALE of Si, Ge, C, W, GaN, and SiO2 using a directional (anisotropic) plasma-enhanced approach. The authors analyze these systems by defining an “ALE synergy” parameter which quantifies the degree to which a process approaches the ideal ALE regime. This parameter is inspired by the ion-neutral synergy concept introduced in the 1979 paper by Coburn and Winters [J. Appl. Phys. 50, 5 (1979)]. ALE synergy is related to the energetics of underlying surface interactions and is understood in terms of energy criteria for the energy barriers involved in the reactions. Synergistic behavior is observed for all of the systems studied, with each exhibiting behavior unique to the reactant–material combination. By systematically studying atomic layer etching of a group of materials, the authors show that ALE synergy scales with the surface binding energy of the bu...

https://avs.scitation.org/doi/pdf/10.1116/1.4979019

Predicting synergy in atomic layer etching

Methods are provided for integrating atomic layer etch and atomic layer deposition by performing both processes in the same chamber or reactor. Methods involve sequentially alternating between atomic layer etch and atomic layer deposition processes to prevent feature degradation during etch, improve selectivity, and encapsulate sensitive layers of a semiconductor substrate.

Integrating atomic scale processes: ALD (atomic layer deposition) and ALE (atomic layer etch)

Metallic hard masks (MHM) are routinely employed in Cu/low k dual damascene (DD) etching, but can create defectivity problem. N2 plasma post-etch treatment (N2PET) based on high substrate temperature has been developed to provide effective TiFx residue reduction and MHM defect prevention without low k damage and productivity concerns. Strong gains in surface de-fluorination with substrate temperature and N2PET time was determined. SLIC, XPS, SEM data show 90% reduction of F residue on TiN and no defects on pattern at optimized N2PET. AES and EELS data show that "TiFx" defects are actually TiOx crystals covered by TiFx residue catalyzing the crystal growth. N2PET de-fluorination and defect growth are in focus of this study. An alternative approach in preventing defect growth by surface passivation in CF4/C4F8 etch chemistry was also studied. Both methods, N2PET cleaning and surface passivation, provide effective defect control in TiN MHM Cu/low-k DD etch process.

Effective Defect Control in TiN Metal Hard Mask Cu/Low-k Dual Damascene Process

SOLUTION: Methods are provided for integrating atomic layer etching and atomic layer deposition by performing both processes in the same chamber or reactor. Methods involve sequentially alternating between atomic layer etching and atomic layer deposition processes to protect feature degradation during etching, improve selectivity, and encapsulate sensitive layers of a semiconductor substrate.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1C

Alexander Kabansky

Papers

Directional deposition on patterned structures

Predicting synergy in atomic layer etching

Integrating atomic scale processes: ALD (atomic layer deposition) and ALE (atomic layer etch)

Effective Defect Control in TiN Metal Hard Mask Cu/Low-k Dual Damascene Process

Integrating atomic scale ald (atomic layer deposition) process and ale (atomic layer etching) process