Substrate processing systems are described that have a capacitively coupled plasma (CCP) unit positioned inside a process chamber. The CCP unit may include a plasma excitation region formed between a first electrode and a second electrode. The first electrode may include a first plurality of openings to permit a first gas to enter the plasma excitation region, and the second electrode may include a second plurality of openings to permit an activated gas to exit the plasma excitation region. The system may further include a gas inlet for supplying the first gas to the first electrode of the CCP unit, and a pedestal that is operable to support a substrate. The pedestal is positioned below a gas reaction region into which the activated gas travels from the CCP unit.

Semiconductor processing system and methods using capacitively coupled plasma

An exemplary system may include a chamber configured to contain a semiconductor substrate in a processing region of the chamber. The system may include a first remote plasma unit fluidly coupled with a first access of the chamber and configured to deliver a first precursor into the chamber through the first access. The system may still further include a second remote plasma unit fluidly coupled with a second access of the chamber and configured to deliver a second precursor into the chamber through the second access. The first and second access may be fluidly coupled with a mixing region of the chamber that is separate from and fluidly coupled with the processing region of the chamber. The mixing region may be configured to allow the first and second precursors to interact with each other externally from the processing region of the chamber.

Semiconductor processing systems having multiple plasma configurations

A method of selectively etching a metal-containing film from a substrate comprising a metal-containing layer and a silicon oxide layer includes flowing a fluorine-containing gas into a plasma generation region of a substrate processing chamber, and applying energy to the fluorine-containing gas to generate a plasma in the plasma generation region. The plasma comprises fluorine radicals and fluorine ions. The method also includes filtering the plasma to provide a reactive gas having a higher concentration of fluorine radicals than fluorine ions, and flowing the reactive gas into a gas reaction region of the substrate processing chamber. The method also includes exposing the substrate to the reactive gas in the gas reaction region of the substrate processing chamber. The reactive gas etches the metal-containing layer at a higher etch rate than the reactive gas etches the silicon oxide layer.

Methods for etch of metal and metal-oxide films

The invention provides a process for plasma etching silicon carbide with selectivity to an overlapping and/or underlying dielectric layer of material. The etching gas includes a hydrogen-containing fluorocarbon gas such as CH 3 F, an oxygen-containing gas such as O 2 and an optional carrier gas such as Ar. The dielectric material can comprise silicon dioxide, silicon nitride, silicon oxynitride or various low-k dielectric materials including organic low-k materials. In order to achieve a desired selectivity to such dielectric materials, the plasma etch gas chemistry is selected to achieve a desired etch rate of the silicon carbide while etching the dielectric material at a slower rate. The process can be used to selectively etch a hydrogenated silicon carbide etch stop layer or silicon carbide substrates.

Method of plasma etching of silicon carbide

A method of selectively etching silicon nitride from a substrate comprising a silicon nitride layer and a silicon oxide layer includes flowing a fluorine-containing gas into a plasma generation region of a substrate processing chamber and applying energy to the fluorine-containing gas to generate a plasma in the plasma generation region. The plasma comprises fluorine radicals and fluorine ions. The method also includes filtering the plasma to provide a reactive gas having a higher concentration of fluorine radicals than fluorine ions and flowing the reactive gas into a gas reaction region of the substrate processing chamber. The method also includes exposing the substrate to the reactive gas in the gas reaction region of the substrate processing chamber. The reactive gas etches the silicon nitride layer at a higher etch rate than the reactive gas etches the silicon oxide layer.

Methods for etch of sin films

A chemical downstream etching (CDE) that is
selective to silicon nitrides (SiN) over silicon
oxides (SiO) uses at least one of a CH 3 F/CF 4 /O 2 recipe
and a CH 2 F 2 /CF 4 /O 2 recipe. Inflow rates are mapped for
the respective components of the input recipe to find
settings that provide both high nitride etch rates and
high selectivity towards the SiN material. A pins-up
scheme is used for simultaneously stripping away
backside nitride with topside nitride.

Selective plasma etching of silicon nitride in presence of silicon or silicon oxides using mixture of (CH3F or CH2F2) and CF4 and O2

(57) [Summary] CH 3 F / CF 4 / O 2 recipe and CH 2 F 2 / Achieving chemical downstream etching (CDE) with a high selectivity of silicon nitride to silicon oxide (SiO) using at least one of the CF 4 / O 2 recipes. SOLUTION: The inflow of each component of the input recipe is mapped to find a setting that achieves both a high nitride etch rate and a high selectivity to SiN material. The backside nitride and the topside nitride are simultaneously peeled off using a pin-up method.

Selective plasma etching of silicon nitride coexisting with silicon or silicon oxide using methyl fluoride or ethyl difluoride and mixture of tetrafluoro-carbon and oxygen

Gladys D. Quinones

Papers

Selective plasma etching of silicon nitride in presence of silicon or silicon oxides using mixture of (CH3F or CH2F2) and CF4 and O2

Selective plasma etching of silicon nitride coexisting with silicon or silicon oxide using methyl fluoride or ethyl difluoride and mixture of tetrafluoro-carbon and oxygen