EP0601468A1
Expired / Lapsed
EP
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Process and electromagnetically coupled planar plasma apparatus for etching oxides
Assignee: Applied Materials Inc
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Filing: 1993-12-01
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2013-12-01
Abstract
Abstract Described is an apparatus (10) for producing an electomagnetically coupled planar plasma comprising a chamber (12) having a dielectric shield (18) in a wall (16) thereof and a planar coil (20) outside of said chamber (12) coupled to a radio frequency source (30), whereby a scavenger (26) for fluorine is mounted in or added to said chamber (12). When a silicon oxide is etched with a plasma of a fluorohydrocarbon gas, the fluorine scavenger (26) reduces the free fluorine radicals, thereby improving the selectivity and anisotropy of etching and improving the etch rate while reducing particle formation.
Inventors
- 👤 Kenneth S. Collins
- 👤 Jeffrey Marks
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-30 15:14
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01J; H01J37/00; H01J37/32; H01J37/32009; H01J37/32082; H01J37/321; H01F; H01F29/00; H01F29/14; H01F29/143; H01J37/32137; H01J37/32155; H01J37/32165; H01J37/32431; H01J37/32458; H01J37/32522; H01J37/32798; H01J37/32853; H01J37/32871; H10; H10P; H10P50/00; H10P50/20; H10P50/28; H10P50/282; H10P50/283; H10P72/00; H10P72/70; H10P72/72; H01J2237/00; H01J2237/32; H01J2237/33; H01J2237/334; H01J2237/3343; H01J2237/3345; H01J2237/3346
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 21
Claim 1
Independent Claim
66 words
An apparatus for producing a planar plasma, comprising a chamber (12), having a dielectric window (18), a port (14) for plasma precursor gases to be fed to said chamber (12), a substrate support (13) within said chamber (12), an electrically conductive planar coil (20), means (36) for coupling a radio frequency source (30) to said coil (20), and a scavenger (26) in or near the plasma.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
13 words
The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the scavenger (26), is for fluorine.
Claim 3
Independent Claim
28 words
The apparatus according to any of claims 1 or 2, further comprising a port for ingress and egress of a substrate to be processed in said chamber (12).
Claim 4
Independent Claim
25 words
The apparatus according to any of claims 1 to 3, wherein the substrate support (13) holds the substrate generally parallel to the access port (14).
Claim 5
Independent Claim
23 words
The apparatus according to any of claims 1 to 4, wherein the electrically conductive planar coil (20) is located outside the chamber (12).
Claim 6
Independent Claim
25 words
The apparatus according to any of claims 1 to 5, wherein the electrically conductive planar coil (20) is located proximate to the dielectric window (18).
Claim 7
Independent Claim
28 words
The apparatus according to any of claims 1 to 6, wherein said scavenger (26) is an article of silicon or a compound of silicon and/or a carbon-containing compound.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
31 words
The apparatus according to any of claims 1 to 7, wherein said scavenger (26) is a silicon article mounted between said dielectric window and said substrate support and generally parallel thereto.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
21 words
The apparatus according to any of claims 1 to 8, wherein said scavenger (26) is a ring or cylinder of graphite.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
29 words
The apparatus according to any of claims 1 to 8, wherein said scavenger (26) is a ring or a plate of silicon carbide overlying the periphery of the substrate.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
23 words
The apparatus according to any of claims 1 to 10, wherein a second radio frequency source is connected to said substrate support (13).
Claim 12
Independent Claim
100 words
A method for processing a substrate containing an oxygen-containing layer thereon comprising the steps of: mounting said substrate in a vacuum chamber fitted with a dielectric shield so that said substrate is essentially parallel to said shield, applying a radio frequency bias to the substrate, introducing an etch gas to said chamber, forming a plasma from said gas by applying a radio frequency current to a substantially planar coil located outside of said chamber proximate said dielectric window, and introducing a scavenger into said chamber, thereby etching the oxygen-containing layer selectively with respect to a non-oxygen-containing layer on said substrate.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method according to claim 12, wherein said scavenger is for fluorine and said etch gas is a fluorohydrocarbon etch gas.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
18 words
The method according to claims 12 or 13, wherein said fluorine scavenger is a solid article of silicon.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
26 words
The method according to any of claims 12 to 14, wherein said scavenger is mounted between said substrate and said dielectric shield and substantially parallel thereto.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
21 words
The method according to any of claims 12 to 15, wherein said fluorine scavenger is a silicon-containing compound and/or carbon-containing compound.
Claim 17
Independent Claim
20 words
The method according to any of claims 12 to 16, wherein said fluorine scavenger is a plate of silicon carbide.
Claim 18
Independent Claim
21 words
The method or apparatus according to any of claims 12 or 1 to 6, wherein said scavenger is a silicon-containing gas.
Claim 19
Independent Claim
22 words
The method or apparatus according to any of claims 12 or 1 to 6, wherein said fluorine scavenger is a carbon-rich gas.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method or apparatus according to claim 19, wherein said carbon-rich gas is selected from the group consisting of benzene and acetylene.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method or apparatus according to claim 16 or 7, wherein said carbon-containing compound is an article of graphite.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US4948458A
Cited
EP0552491A1
Cited
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