Patent Application
20230298896
A PCT Request Form is filed concurrently with this specification as part of the present application. Each application that the present application claims benefit of or priority to as identified in the concurrently filed PCT Request Form is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety and for all purposes.
One process frequently employed during fabrication of semiconductor devices is formation of an etched feature. Example contexts where such a process may occur include, but are not limited to, memory applications. As the semiconductor industry advances and device dimensions become smaller, such features become increasingly harder to etch in a uniform manner, especially for high aspect ratio features having narrow widths and/or deep depths.
The background provided herein is for the purposes of generally presenting the context of the disclosure. Work of the presently named inventors, to the extent that it is described in this background, as well as aspects of the description that may not otherwise qualify as prior art at the time of filing, are neither expressly nor impliedly admitted as prior art against the present disclosure.
Provided herein is a method of depositing a protective film on sidewalls of a feature. The method includes: (a) generating a first plasma in a plasma etch chamber, and exposing a substrate to the first plasma to partially etch a feature in the substrate; (b) after (a), depositing the protective film on sidewalls of the feature in the plasma etch chamber using one or more deposition reactants, where the protective film includes a metal; and (c) after (b), generating a second plasma in the plasma etch chamber, and exposing the substrate to the second plasma to additionally etch the feature in the substrate, where the protective film substantially prevents lateral etch of the feature during (c) in regions where the protective film is deposited.
In some implementations, deposition occurs at a deposition temperature equal to or less than about 100° C. The deposition temperature may be between about −100° C. and about −10° C. The etch temperature during exposure of the substrate to the first plasma may be the same or substantially the same as the deposition temperature. In some implementations, the metal includes tungsten. In some implementations, the feature has an aspect ratio of about 5 or greater after (c). In some implementations, the one or more deposition reactants include a metal-containing gas, a reducing agent, an inert gas, and a fluorine-containing gas. The metal-containing gas may be selected from a group consisting of: tungsten hexafluoride (WF6), rhenium hexafluoride (ReF6), molybdenum hexafluoride (MoF6), tantalum pentafluoride (TaF5), and vanadium fluoride (VF5). The reducing agent may be selected from a group consisting of: hydrogen (H2), hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), methane (CH4), silane (SiH4), borane (BH3), and ammonia (NH3). The fluorine-containing gas may be selected from a group consisting of: nitrogen trifluoride (NF3), sulfur hexafluoride (SF6), carbon tetrafluoride (CF4), and silicon tetrafluoride (SiF4). In some implementations, a localization of the protective film on the sidewalls of the feature is based at least in part on one or both of a concentration of the fluorine-containing gas and an RF power. In some implementations, one or both of a localization and thickness of the protective film on the sidewalls of the feature are based at least in part on one or more of the following deposition conditions: exposure time, pressure, temperature, total flow rate, RF power, concentration of reducing agent, concentration of the inert gas, and concentration of the metal-containing gas. In some implementations, depositing the protective film includes generating a third plasma comprising the one or more deposition reactants, and exposing the substrate to the third plasma to deposit the protective film on the sidewalls of the feature. The third plasma may be generated at a low frequency between about 100 kHz and about 2 MHz using a low-frequency RF component. The first plasma may include one or more first etch reactants, where the one or more deposition reactants of the third plasma are different than the one or more first etch reactants of the first plasma. An RF power and exposure time when exposing the substrate to the third plasma may be different than an RF power and exposure time when exposing the substrate to the first plasma. In some implementations, the substrate includes a mask over one or more layers of materials to be etched in the substrate, where the protective film is conformally deposited along a substantial portion of the sidewalls of the feature and without being deposited on the mask. In some implementations, the protective film is conformally deposited along a middle portion of the sidewalls of the feature. In some implementations, the method further includes: (d) repeating (b)-(c) until a final depth of the feature is reached.
Also provided herein is a method of depositing a protective film on sidewalls of a feature. The method includes: (a) generating a first plasma in a plasma etch chamber, and exposing a substrate to the first plasma to partially etch a feature in the substrate; (b) after (a), depositing a protective film on sidewalls of the feature in the plasma etch chamber using one or more deposition reactants, where the one or more deposition reactants include a metal-containing gas, a reducing agent, an inert gas, and a fluorine-containing gas; and (c) after (b), generating a second plasma in the plasma etch chamber, and exposing the substrate to the second plasma to additionally etch the feature in the substrate, where the protective film substantially prevents lateral etch of the feature during (c) in regions where the protective film is deposited. In some implementations, the metal-containing gas is selected from a group consisting of: tungsten hexafluoride (WF6), rhenium hexafluoride (ReF6), molybdenum hexafluoride (MoF6), tantalum pentafluoride (TaF5), and vanadium fluoride (VF5). In some implementations, the reducing agent is selected from a group consisting of: hydrogen (H2), hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), methane (CH4), silane (SiH4), borane (BH3), and ammonia (NH3). In some implementations, the fluorine-containing gas is selected from a group consisting of: nitrogen trifluoride (NF3), sulfur hexafluoride (SF6), carbon tetrafluoride (CF4), and silicon tetrafluoride (SiF4). In some implementations, a localization of the protective film on the sidewalls of the feature is based at least in part on one or both of a concentration of the fluorine-containing gas and an RF power. In some implementations, a deposition temperature when depositing the protective film is equal to or less than about 100° C. In some implementations, the feature has an aspect ratio of about 5 or greater after (c).
Also provided herein is an apparatus for depositing a protective film on sidewalls of a feature. The apparatus includes a plasma etch chamber, a substrate support in the plasma etch chamber for supporting a substrate, and a controller. The controller is configured with instructions to perform the following operations: (a) generate a first plasma in the plasma etch chamber, and expose the substrate to the first plasma to partially etch a feature in the substrate; (b) after (a), deposit a protective film on sidewalls of the feature in the plasma etch chamber using one or more deposition reactants, wherein the protective film comprises a metal; and after (a), deposit a protective film on sidewalls of the feature in the plasma etch chamber using one or more deposition reactants, where the protective film comprises a metal.
In some implementations, the controller configured with instructions to deposit the protective film is configured with instructions to deposit the protective film at a deposition temperature equal to or less than about 100° C. In some implementations, the one or more deposition reactants include a metal-containing gas, a reducing agent, an inert gas, and a fluorine-containing gas. In some implementations, the controller configured with instructions to deposit the protective film is configured with instructions to generate a third plasma including the one or more deposition reactants, and expose the substrate to the third plasma to deposit the protective film on the sidewalls of the feature. In some implementations, the feature has an aspect ratio of about 5 or greater after (c).
Also provided herein is an apparatus for depositing a protective film on sidewalls of a feature. The apparatus includes a plasma etch chamber, a substrate support in the plasma etch chamber for supporting a substrate, and a controller. The controller is configured with instructions to perform the following operations: (a) generate a first plasma in the plasma etch chamber, and expose the substrate to the first plasma to partially etch a feature in the substrate, (b) after (a), deposit a protective film on sidewalls of the feature in the plasma etch chamber using one or more deposition reactants, where the one or more deposition reactants comprise a metal-containing gas, a reducing agent, an inert gas, and a fluorine-containing gas, where the protective film comprises a metal; and after (b), generate a second plasma in the plasma etch chamber, and expose the substrate to the second plasma to additionally etch the feature in the substrate, where the protective film deposited in (b) substantially prevents lateral etch of the feature during (c) in regions where the protective film is deposited.
In the present disclosure, the terms “semiconductor wafer,” “wafer,” “substrate,” “wafer substrate,” and “partially fabricated integrated circuit” are used interchangeably. One of ordinary skill in the art would understand that the term “partially fabricated integrated circuit” can refer to a silicon wafer during any of many stages of integrated circuit fabrication. A wafer or substrate used in the semiconductor device industry typically has a diameter of 200 mm, or 300 mm, or 450 mm. The following detailed description assumes the present disclosure is implemented on a wafer. However, the present disclosure is not so limited. The work piece may be of various shapes, sizes, and materials. In addition to semiconductor wafers, other work pieces that may take advantage of the present invention include various articles such as printed circuit boards, magnetic recording media, magnetic recording sensors, mirrors, optical elements, micro-mechanical devices and the like.
Fabrication of certain semiconductor devices involves etching features into one or more layers of materials. The one or more layers may be a single layer of material or a stack of materials. In some cases a stack includes alternating layers of dielectric materials such as alternating layers of silicon nitride and silicon oxide. An etched feature may have a high aspect ratio. One example etched feature is a cylinder. As the aspect ratio of such etched features continues to increase, it is increasingly challenging to etch the features of the one or more layers of materials. One problem that arises during etching of high aspect ratio features is a non-uniform etching profile. In other words, the features do not etch in a straight downward direction. Instead, the sidewalls of the features are often bowed such that a middle portion of the etched feature is wider (i.e., further etched) than a top and/or bottom portion of the feature. This over-etching near the middle portion of the features can result in compromised structural and/or electronic integrity of the remaining material. The portion of the feature that bows outwards may occupy a relatively small portion of the total feature depth, or a relatively larger portion. The portion of the feature that bows outward is where the critical dimension (CD) of the feature is at its maximum. The critical dimension corresponds to the diameter of the feature at a given spot. It is generally desirable for the maximum CD of the feature to be about the same as the CD elsewhere in the feature, for example at or near the bottom of the feature.
Without being bound by any theory or mechanism of action, it is believed that the over-etching at the middle portion of a cylinder or other feature occurs at least partially because the sidewalls of the cylinder are insufficiently protected from etching. While the following discussion sometimes refers to cylinders, the concepts apply to other feature shapes such as rectangles and other polygons. Conventional etch chemistry often utilizes fluorocarbon etchants to form the features in the one or more layers of materials. The fluorocarbon etchants are excited by plasma exposure, which results in the formation of various fluorocarbon fragments including, for example, CF, CF2, and CF3. Reactive fluorocarbon fragments etch away the one or more layers of materials at the bottom of a feature with the assistance of ions. Other fluorocarbon fragments are deposited on the sidewalls of the feature being etched, thereby forming a protective polymeric sidewall coating. This protective sidewall coating promotes preferential etching at the bottom of the feature as opposed to the sidewalls of the feature. Without this sidewall protection, the feature begins to assume a non-uniform profile, with a wider etch/cylinder width where the sidewall protection is inadequate.
Sidewall protection is especially difficult to achieve in high aspect ratio features. One reason for this difficulty is that existing fluorocarbon-based processes cannot form the protective polymeric sidewall coating deep in the feature being etched.
Etching features in a substrate generally involve plasma-based etching processes. Feature formation may occur in stages: one stage directed at etching one or more layers of materials and another stage directed at forming a protective sidewall coating without substantially etching the one or more layers of materials. The protective sidewall coating passivates the sidewalls and prevents the feature from being over-etched. In other words, the protective sidewall coating prevents lateral etch of the feature.
The two main processing stages (etching and deposition) may be repeated until the feature is etched to its final depth. By cycling these two stages, the diameter of the feature can be controlled over the entire depth of the feature, thereby forming features having more uniform diameters and improved profiles.
A feature is a recess in the surface of a substrate. Features can have many different shapes including but not limited to, cylinders, rectangles, squares, or other polygonal recesses, trenches, holes, grooves, etc.
Aspect ratios are a comparison of the depth of a feature to the critical dimension of the feature (often its width/diameter). For example, a cylinder having a depth of 2 μm and a width of 50 nm has an aspect ratio of 40:1, often stated more simply as 40. Since the feature may have a non-uniform critical dimension over the depth of the feature, the aspect ratio can vary depending on where it is measured. For instance, sometimes an etched cylinder may have a middle portion that is wider than the top and bottom portions. This wider middle section may be referred to as the bow. An aspect ratio measured based on the critical dimension at the top of the cylinder (i.e., the neck) would be higher than an aspect ratio measured based on the critical dimension at the wider middle/bow of the cylinder. As used herein, aspect ratios are measured based on the critical dimension proximate the opening of the feature, unless otherwise stated.
The features formed through the methods of the present disclosure may be high aspect ratio features. In some applications, a high aspect ratio feature is one having an aspect ratio of at least about 5:1, at least about 10:1, at least about 20:1, at least about 30:1, at least about 40:1, at least about 50:1, at least about 60:1, at least about 80:1, or at least about 100:1. The critical dimension of the features formed through the methods of the present disclosure may be about 200 nm or less, for example about 100 nm or less, about 50 nm or less, or about 20 nm or less.
The one or more layers of materials into which the feature is formed may include dielectric, conducting, and/or semiconducting materials. Non-limiting examples of dielectric materials include silicon oxides, silicon nitrides, silicon carbides, oxynitrides, oxycarbides, carbo-nitrides, doped versions of these materials (e.g., doped with boron, phosphorus, etc.), and laminates from any combinations of these materials. Particular example materials include stoichiometric and non-stoichiometric formulations of SiO2, SiN, SiON, SiOC, SiCN, etc. One application for the methods of the present disclosure is in the context of forming a DRAM device. The feature may be etched primarily in silicon oxide or a silicon oxide layer sandwiched between two silicon nitride layers. Another application for the methods of the present disclosure is in the context of forming a vertical NAND (VNAND, also referred to as 3D NAND) device. The feature may be etched in alternating layers of oxide (e.g., SiO2) and nitride (e.g., SiN) or alternating layers of oxide (e.g., SiO2) and polysilicon.
The first sidewall coating may form from the fluorocarbon-based chemistry as certain fluorocarbon species/fragments deposit on the sidewalls of the feature (i.e., certain fluorocarbon species are precursors for the first sidewall coating). Without being limited by any theory, one reason that the first sidewall coating does not reach the bottom of the feature may relate to the sticking coefficient of the precursors that form the first sidewall coating. It is believed that for certain etchants the sticking coefficient of the first sidewall coating precursors is too high, which causes a substantial majority of the precursor molecules to attach to the sidewalls soon after entering the feature. As such, few sidewall coating precursor molecules are able to penetrate deep into the feature where sidewall protection is beneficial. The first sidewall coating therefore provides only partial protection against over-etching of the sidewalls of the feature.
A reaction chamber used for etching may be a Flex™ reaction chamber, for example from the 2300® Flex™ product family available from Lam Research Corporation of Fremont, CA.
The process 200 continues at block 203 where the etching process is stopped. After etching is stopped, a second sidewall coating is deposited at block 205. In some cases, the second sidewall coating may be more effective than the first sidewall coating. The deposition may occur through various reaction mechanisms including, but not limited to, chemical vapor deposition (CVD) and atomic layer deposition (ALD) methods, either of which may or may not be plasma-assisted. ALD methods may be particularly well-suited for forming conformal films that line the sidewalls of the features. For instance, ALD methods are useful for delivering reactants deep into features due to the adsorption-driven nature of such methods. The method chosen to deposit the second sidewall coating should allow for a protective film to be formed deep into the etched feature.
In various cases, the second sidewall coating may be formed through cyclic processes resulting in a conformal film. In some embodiments where the second sidewall coating is deposited through plasma-assisted ALD, the deposition at block 205 may include (a) flowing a low sticking coefficient reactant into the reaction chamber and allowing the reactant to adsorb onto the surface of the substrate, thereby forming an adsorbed precursor layer, (b) optionally purging the reaction chamber (e.g., by sweeping with a purge gas, evacuating the reaction chamber, or both), (c) exposing the substrate to a plasma generated from an oxygen-containing and/or nitrogen-containing reactant to thereby drive a surface reaction to form a layer of the second sidewall coating, (d) optionally purging the reaction chamber, and (e) repeating (a)-(d) to form additional layers of the second sidewall coating. Precursor adsorption and film formation may be cycled a number of times to form a film having a desired thickness.
In other cases, the second sidewall coating may be deposited through CVD. In such cases, the deposition at block 205 may include flowing a reactant into the reaction chamber, optionally with a co-reactant (e.g., oxygen-containing reactant, nitrogen-containing reactant, carbon-containing reactant, boron-containing reactant, etc.), while optionally exposing the substrate to plasma. The plasma may drive a gas phase reaction that results in deposition of the second sidewall coating.
One or more reactants used to deposit the second sidewall coating may have a particularly low sticking coefficient and/or loss coefficient. The fluorocarbon species such as those employed in conventional etch processes have relatively high sticking coefficients, and therefore become more concentrated near the top of the feature where they first impinge upon the sidewalls. By comparison, species having lower sticking coefficients, even if they impinge upon the surface near the top of the sidewalls, are less likely to adsorb during each impact, and therefore have a greater probability of reaching the bottom portion of the feature.
Adsorption-based ALD methods are particularly suited for forming a second sidewall coating that reaches the bottom of an etched feature because the reactant can be delivered until it substantially coats the entire sidewalls of the feature. The reactant does not build up near the top of the feature since only a monolayer of reactant typically adsorbs onto the surface during each cycle. Further, thermal deposition methods (as opposed to plasma deposition methods) are advantageous because they generally achieve more uniform deposition results across the substrate, and more conformal results within a feature.
A reaction chamber used for deposition may be chamber from the Vector® product family or the Altus® product family, both available from Lam Research Corporation. A reaction chamber used to deposit the second sidewall coating may be a reactor from the ALTUS® family of products (including but not limited to the ALTUS® DirectFill™ Max or ALTUS® ICE).
The process 200 continues at block 207 where the deposition process is stopped. The process 200 then repeats the operations of partially etching a feature in the substrate at block 211 (analogous to block 201), stopping the etch at block 213 (analogous to block 203), depositing the protective coating on sidewalls of the partially etched feature at block 215 (analogous to block 205), and stopping the deposition at block 217 (analogous to block 207). Next, at block 219, it is determined whether the feature is fully etched. If the feature is not fully etched, the process 200 repeats from the operation at block 211 with additional etching and deposition of protective coatings. Once the feature is fully etched, the process 200 is complete.
The etching at block 201 and the protective sidewall coating deposition at block 205 may be cyclically repeated a number of times. For instance, these operations may each occur at least twice, for example at least three times, or at least about five times. Each time the etching operation occurs, the etch depth increases. The thickness of the second sidewall coating deposited in each deposition operation may be uniform between cycles, or the thickness of such coatings may vary. Example thicknesses for the second sidewall coating during each cycle may range between about 1 nm and about 10 nm. In some implementations, the second sidewall coating may be deposited as a bilayer, where sublayers of the bilayer may have different compositions.
Current sidewall passivation techniques may be limited up to certain aspect ratios and lead to undesirable scalloping or interface notching. As discussed above, deposition of a sidewall coating (e.g., first sidewall coating) may occur during an etch process (e.g., block 201). The sidewall coating may include polymer species or fluorocarbon-based species on sidewalls of the etched features that may be effective only up to certain aspect ratios. Precursor molecules adsorb near a top portion of the feature and provide little protection at a middle portion and/or bottom portion of the feature. Accordingly, deposition of polymer species and/or fluorocarbon-based species do not adequately protect against bowing when higher aspect ratios are desired. Furthermore, with current etch processes there is an evolution of notch defect formation at specific interfaces, which can result in detrimental device yields.
Current sidewall passivation techniques may require multistep processing and additional equipment or chambers, thereby increasing integration complexity. As discussed above, a sidewall coating (e.g., second sidewall coating) may occur during a deposition process (e.g., block 205). The sidewall coating may be formed using CVD or ALD processes. Though this sidewall coating may be more resilient than a sidewall coating based on polymer species or fluorocarbon species/fragments, this sidewall coating is ordinarily formed at high temperatures and pressures, and is generally formed ex situ. The ex situ sidewall coating is formed in a separate reaction chamber than an etch chamber. In other words, deposition of this sidewall coating is performed in a deposition chamber while etch is performed in an etch chamber, thereby necessitating multiple chambers and transfers. The use of separate chambers for deposition and etch increases processing time, processing steps, and costs, thereby having an adverse impact on throughput. Moreover, the use of separate chambers requires transporting substrates from one chamber to another, which entails vacuum breaks and increases the likelihood of exposure to atmosphere causing modification of surface properties. This may result in loss of material functionality and integrity on the substrate.
Several problems may arise during plasma-based etching of high aspect ratio features. One problem that arises in a non-uniform etch profile. In other words, the features are not etched in a straight downward direction. Instead, the etch profile is twisted and has striations, resulting in an uneven profile that gets more pronounced towards the bottom of the features. Another problem that arises regards local critical dimension non-uniformity. Non-uniform etch profiles with twisting, striations, waviness, surface roughness, and bowing may cause variations in local critical dimension. Current passivation methods as presented above attempt to solve the foregoing problems by depositing protective sidewall coatings to “freeze” an etch profile and limit the effects of over-etching. However, the current passivation methods may not be effective in mitigating such problems and may even exacerbate some of the problems.
Aspects of the present disclosure relate to plasma-based etching of high aspect ratio features using an in situ metal-based liner for sidewall passivation. The in situ metal-based liner is deposited in a plasma etch chamber instead of a separate deposition chamber. The same plasma etch chamber is used to etch the high aspect ratio feature and deposit the metal-based liner. The metal-based liner may be conformally deposited along portions of the sidewalls of the feature and resistant to lateral etch. The metal-based liner may be deposited at comparable temperatures for performing etch. In some implementations, the metal-based liner may be deposited at a temperature equal to or less than about 100° C. or even at cryogenic temperatures. Localization of the metal-based liner may be controlled by adjusting one or more deposition conditions. For example, localization of the metal-based liner may be based at least in part on a concentration of a fluorine-containing gas and/or RF power(s). In some implementations, the metal-based liner includes tungsten. Cycles of etch and in situ deposition of the metal-based liner may be repeated until a desired depth of the feature is reached.
At block 410 of the process 400, a first plasma is optionally generated in a plasma etch chamber and a substrate is exposed to the first plasma to partially etch a feature in the substrate. The feature is etched to a first depth that is only a fraction of the final depth to be achieved. The substrate may have one or more layers of materials to be etched. Such materials may include dielectric materials, conducting materials, semiconducting materials, or combinations thereof. For example, the one or more layers of materials may include alternating layers of oxide and nitride or alternating layers of oxide and polysilicon. The substrate may have an overlying mask layer that defines where the feature is to be etched. In some implementations, the mask layer is a silicon-containing mask such as a silicon mask. In some implementations, the mask layer is a carbon-containing mask such as an amorphous carbon mask. In some implementations, the mask layer is a metal-containing mask such as a tungsten-containing mask.
The first plasma may be generated from a fluorine-based chemistry. Alternatively, the first plasma may not include a fluorine-based chemistry.
The etch may be a reactive ion etch process that involves flowing the etchant compound(s) into the plasma etch chamber (often through a showerhead) and generating the first plasma from the etchant compound(s). In some implementations, the first plasma dissociates the etchant compound(s) into neutral species and ion species (e.g., charged or neutral materials such as CF, CF2, CF3). The first plasma may be a capacitively coupled plasma, though other types of plasma may be used as appropriate. Ions in the first plasma are directed towards the substrate and cause the one or more layers of materials to be etched away upon impact. The ions of the first plasma promote a vertical etch through the one or more layers of materials.
In one example, the etch chemistry includes one or more fluorocarbons and/or hydrogen. Other conventional etch chemistries may be used, as may non-conventional chemistries. The fluorocarbons may flow at a rate between about 0 sccm and about 500 sccm such as between about 10 sccm and about 200 sccm. The hydrogen may flow at a rate between about 0 sccm and about 500 sccm such as between about 100 sccm and about 300 sccm. The flow rates herein may be scaled as appropriate for etch chambers of different sizes, and may be scaled linearly based on substrate area for substrates of different sizes.
In some implementations, the substrate temperature during etching is less than about 100° C., less than about 0° C., or between about −150° C. and about 100° C. In some implementations, the pressure during etching is between about 5 mTorr and about 400 mTorr or between about 10 mTorr and about 100 mTorr. In various cases, dual-frequency RF power is used to generate the first plasma. Thus, the RF power may include a low-frequency component (e.g., 400 kHz) and a high-frequency component (e.g., 60 MHz). Different powers may be provided at each frequency component. For instance, the low-frequency component (e.g., 400 kHz) may be provided at a power between about 0 kW and about 100 kW or between about 2 kW and about 50 kW, and the high-frequency component (e.g., 60 MHz) may be provided at a lower power, such as a power between about 0 kW and about 80 kW or between about 1 kW and about 10 kW. These power levels assume that the RF power is delivered to a single 300 mm wafer. The power levels can be scaled linearly based on substrate area for additional substrates and/or substrates of other sizes (thereby maintaining a uniform power density delivered to the substrate).
Each cycle of the etching process etches the one or more layers of materials to some degree. The distance etched during each cycle may be between about 10 nm and about 2000 nm or between about 50 nm and about 500 nm.
The etch process may produce an initial sidewall coating such as a polymeric sidewall coating in some cases. Such a polymeric sidewall coating is described above. The initial sidewall coating may be deposited simultaneous with the etch process. The initial sidewall coating may be deposited along portions of the sidewalls of the feature, where the initial sidewall coating may be formed from adsorbed fluorocarbon species/fragments. However, the depth of the initial sidewall coating may be limited to regions near an upper portion of the feature or limited to regions that do not cover certain lengths of the etched feature. The initial sidewall coating may not be as resistant to various etch chemistries as a metal-based liner.
Returning to
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Prior to depositing the protective film, the substrate may be received in the plasma etch chamber. The substrate may include the feature recessed to a first depth. Or, the substrate may undergo a partial etch in the plasma etch chamber as described at block 410 prior to depositing the protective film.
The protective film is a metal-containing film. Metal-containing films have been shown to provide improved etch resistance/sidewall protection compared to other types of films such as silicon oxide, boron nitride, and hydrocarbon polymers. Example metals that may be included in the protective film include but are not limited to tungsten (W), molybdenum (Mo), rhenium (Re), vanadium (V), and tantalum (Ta). In some implementations, the protective film includes tungsten. In some cases, the protective film may further include nitrogen, carbon, silicon, oxygen, hydrogen, or combinations thereof. Thus, the protective film may be a metal carbide, metal nitride, metal silicide, or metal oxide. In some other cases, the protective film is metallic. Where the protective film is metallic, the protective film substantially includes an elemental metal, where at least 95 atomic % of the protective film is the elemental metal.
The metal-containing film may be deposited with a high degree of conformality in many cases. Various metal-containing films can be deposited with higher conformality than silicon oxide and other silicon-containing and boron-containing films. The improved conformality is advantageous at least because it decreases the likelihood that a top of the feature will become blocked during deposition/etch stages.
Typically, metal-based liners serving as protective sidewall coatings are formed ex situ. When formed ex situ, the metal-based liner is deposited using a separate deposition chamber from the plasma etch chamber. Ex situ metal-based liners are often formed by atomic layer deposition or chemical vapor deposition processes. Such deposition processes operate at high temperatures, where such deposition temperatures are ordinarily at least 150° C., at least 180° C., at least 200° C., or at least 250° C. For example, ex situ deposition processes often run between about 200° C. and about 600° C. or between about 200° C. and about 400° C. Such ex situ deposition processes may require substrate heating controls, which can add to hardware costs and complexity.
Etch temperatures are generally lower than deposition temperatures. In the present disclosure, the protective film may be formed in the plasma etch chamber at a temperature comparable to etch temperatures. Such temperatures may be achieved without assistance from additional substrate heating controls. The protective film is formed in the plasma etch chamber at a temperature equal to or less than about 150° C., equal to or less than about 100° C., or equal to or less than about 40° C., or less than about 0° C. As discussed above, such a temperature may be measured according to a temperature maintained at the substrate support, pedestal, or electrostatic chuck supporting the substrate. In some implementations, the protective film is formed in the plasma etch chamber at a cryogenic temperature. For example, the protective film is formed at a temperature between about −100° C. and about −10° C.
Generally speaking, a metal-based liner formed ex situ may require higher chamber pressures than a metal-based liner formed in situ. A metal-based liner formed ex situ may be deposited at a pressure at least about 400 mTorr. However, the metal-based liner of the present disclosure is formed in situ at pressures comparable to etch processes. In some implementations, a pressure during in situ deposition of the protective film is between about 5 mTorr and about 400 mTorr, between about 5 mTorr and about 300 mTorr, between about 5 mTorr and about 200 mTorr, or between about 10 mTorr and about 50 mTorr.
protective film of the present disclosure is deposited on sidewalls of the feature using one or more deposition reactants or deposition precursors. Deposition may be a plasma-based process. Consequently, depositing the protective film may include generating a plasma of the one or more deposition reactants, and exposing the substrate to the plasma to deposit the protective film on the sidewalls of the feature. In some implementations, the plasma may be a capacitively coupled plasma. In some other implementations, the plasma may be an inductively coupled plasma, a remotely generated plasma, a microwave plasma, etc. In some implementations, the plasma may be generated using dual-frequency components such as low frequency (LF) components and high frequency (HF) components. Where the first etch is performed with a first plasma and a second etch after sidewall passivation is performed with a second plasma, the plasma formed for deposition of the protective film may be referred to as a “third plasma.”
The deposition chemistry at block 420 is different than the etch chemistry at block 410. Where the first plasma comprises one or more etch reactants, the one or more deposition reactants of the plasma for depositing the protective film are different than the one or more etch reactants. In some implementations, the one or more deposition reactants include a metal-containing gas such as a metal fluoride. Example metal-containing gases may include but are not limited to tungsten hexafluoride (WF6), rhenium hexafluoride (ReF6), molybdenum hexafluoride (MoF6), tantalum pentafluoride (TaF5), and vanadium fluoride (VF5). In some implementations, the metal-containing gas is a tungsten-containing gas such as tungsten hexafluoride. The disclosed metal-containing gases are not intended to be limiting. Other reactants may also be used as known by those of ordinary skill in the art.
In some implementations, the one or more deposition reactants include a reducing agent. Without being limited by any theory, the reducing agent serves to turn the metal-containing gas into a “polymerizable” monomer source. The reducing agent reduces the metal-containing gas to form intermediate radicals, and the intermediate radicals are further reduced to form an elemental metal and/or metal-containing nitride, silicide, oxide, or carbide. By way of an example, tungsten hexafluoride may be reduced to tungsten metal Example reducing agents may include but are not limited to hydrogen (H2), hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), methane (CH4), silane (SiH4), borane (BH3), and ammonia (NH3). In some implementations, the reducing agent includes hydrogen. The disclosed reducing agents are not intended to be limiting. Other reducing agents may also be used as known by those of ordinary skill in the art.
In some implementations, the one or more deposition reactants include an inert gas species. The inert gas species may be flowed with the metal-containing gas and the reducing agent. It will be understood that in some implementations, the deposition of the protective film may occur without an inert gas species. Ionized inert gas species are generated in the plasma for deposition of the protective film. The ionized inert gas species may facilitate ion-assisted deposition of the protective film. Example inert gas species may include but are not limited to argon (Ar), neon (Ne), krypton (Kr), and xenon (Xe). In some implementations, the inert gas species includes argon. The disclosed inert gas species are not intended to be limiting. Other inert gas species may also be used as known by those of ordinary skill in the art.
In some implementations, the one or more deposition reactants include a fluorine-containing gas. The fluorine-containing gas may be flowed with the metal-containing gas and the reducing agent. It will be understood that in some implementations, deposition of the protective film may occur without a fluorine-containing gas. In some instances, tuning a concentration of the fluorine-containing gas influences how deep or where the protective film is formed in the feature. Examples of fluorine-containing gases may include but are not limited to nitrogen trifluoride (NF3), sulfur hexafluoride (SF6), carbon tetrafluoride (CF4), and silicon tetrafluoride (SiF4). In some implementations, the fluorine-containing gas includes nitrogen trifluoride. The disclosed fluorine-containing gases are not intended to be limiting. Other fluorine-containing gases may also be used as known by those of ordinary skill in the art.
Flow rates of the one or more deposition reactants may be tuned to optimize deposition of the protective film in the plasma etch chamber. During in situ deposition of the protective film, a flow rate of the metal-containing gas may be between about 0.1 sccm and about 20 sccm or between about 0.5 sccm and about 10 sccm. A flow rate of the reducing agent may be between about 10 sccm and about 500 sccm or between about 20 sccm and about 200 sccm. A flow rate of the inert gas species may be between about 0 sccm and about 500 sccm or between about 0 sccm and about 100 sccm. A flow rate of the fluorine-containing gas may be between about 0 sccm and about 500 sccm or between about 0 sccm and about 50 sccm.
As used herein, flow rates of the one or more deposition reactants may be used interchangeably with a concentration of the one or more deposition reactants.
A concentration of the fluorine-containing gas may be tuned to control localization of the protective film. In other words, localization of the protective film on the sidewalls of the feature may be based at least in part on the concentration of the fluorine-containing gas. Localization may refer to a depth or position of the protective film along the sidewalls of the feature. In some cases, the protective film may be deposited along portions of sidewalls where bowing has occurred from lateral etching. That way, the protective film may be positioned/localized in regions of the feature to prevent further lateral etching. In some cases, the concentration of the fluorine-containing gas may be controlled to allow deposition of the protective film on the mask layer.
Various plasma parameters may be tuned to optimize deposition of the protective film in the plasma etch chamber. The power and frequency supplied to a matching network of an RF power source may be sufficient to generate a plasma for the one or more deposition reactants. The plasma may be generated using at least a high-frequency component, where the high-frequency component may generally be between about 2 MHz and about 60 MHz or between about 5 MHz and about 60 MHz. In some implementations, the plasma may be generated using also a low-frequency component, where the low-frequency component is between about 100 kHz and about 2 MHz or between about 200 kHz and about 1 MHz. In some implementations, the plasma is generated using both high-frequency and low-frequency components. In some implementations, the RF power of the low-frequency component is between about 0 W and about 10,000 kW, between about 0 W and about 100 kW, or between about 500 W and about 10 kW. In some implementations, the RF power of the high-frequency component is between about 0 W and about 8000 kW, between about 500 W and about and about 100 kW, or between about 500 W and about 10 kW. These power levels assume that the RF power is delivered to a single 300 mm wafer. The power levels can be scaled linearly based on substrate area for additional substrates and/or substrates of other sizes (thereby maintaining a uniform power density delivered to the substrate). From the RF power source, the generated plasma may be a pulsing plasma or a continuous wave plasma. In some implementations, the substrate may be exposed to the plasma for a sufficient duration to deposit the protective film. In some implementations, the exposure time for exposing the substrate to the plasma may be between about 0.5 seconds and about 1000 seconds, between about 2 seconds and about 500 seconds, or between about 5 seconds and about 300 seconds. The RF power(s) and the exposure time for exposing the substrate to the plasma during deposition may be different than the RF power(s) and the exposure time for exposing the substrate to the plasma during etching.
In some implementations, localization of the protective film may be controlled at least in part by RF power(s). Put another way, localization of the protective film on the sidewalls of the feature may be based at least in part on the RF power(s) applied for generating the plasma. Adjusting RF power(s) may be used in addition to or in the alternative to adjusting a concentration of the fluorine-containing gas to influence localization of the protective film.
In some implementations, one or more co-reactants may be optionally flowed with the one or more deposition reactants. The plasma for deposition of the protective film may be generated including the one or more co-reactants and the one or more deposition reactants. The plasma may drive a chemical reaction that results in the deposition of the protective film. Example co-reactants include but are not limited to methane (CH4), nitrogen (N2), silicon tetrachloride (SiCl4), silicon tetrafluoride (SiF4), and silane (SiH4). By incorporating the one or more co-reactants, the deposited protective film may be a metal carbide, metal nitride, or metal silicide.
Deposition length and thickness of the protective film may be controlled by a variety of deposition parameters. A length and thickness of the protective film deposited on the sidewalls of the feature may be based at least in part on one or more of the following deposition conditions: exposure time, pressure, temperature, total flow rate, RF power(s), concentration of the reducing agent, concentration of the inert gas species, and concentration of the metal-containing gas. These knobs may be tuned to achieve varying lengths and thicknesses of the protective film. In some implementations, a length of the protective film is between about 0.1 μm and about 8 μm or between about 0.5 μm and about 5 μm. In some implementations, an average thickness of the protective film is between about 1 nm and about 5 nm or between about 2 nm and about 5 nm. thickness of the protective film may taper further down the feature. In some implementations, the average thickness of the protective film is calculated before tapering.
Conformality of the protective film may be controlled by a variety of deposition parameters. As used herein, conformality may be calculated as T1/T2, where T1 is a thickness of the film at a midpoint of a certain length of the protective film and T2 is the thickness of the film at the thickest portion of the protective film (both thicknesses measured along the sidewall). The length of the protective film may be measured according to a depth range so that conformality may be different at different depth ranges. For example, the protective film may have a conformality of at least about 90% for a depth range of 0 μm to 3.5 μm, and the protective film may have a conformality of at least about 50% between 3.5 μm to 4 μm. In some implementations, the protective film is conformally deposited along a substantial portion of the sidewalls of the feature and without being deposited on the mask layer. In some implementations, the protective film is conformally deposited along a middle portion of the sidewalls of the feature. Conformality of the protective film deposited on the sidewalls of the feature may be based at least in part on one or more of the following deposition conditions: exposure time, pressure, temperature, total flow rate, RF power(s), concentration of the reducing agent, concentration of the inert gas species, concentration of the metal-containing gas, and concentration of the fluorine-containing gas. These knobs may be tuned to achieve varying degrees of conformality of the protective film.
Returning to
The second plasma may continue etching through the one or more layers of materials. The etch may be selective to the one or more layers of materials and nonselective to the mask layer and the protective film. The etch with the second plasma may have a selectivity for the one or more layers of materials relative to the protective film that is greater than about 7:1, greater than about 10:1, or greater than about 50:1. The protective film is strongly resistant to the etch with the second plasma such that the one or more layers of materials etch at a substantially faster rate than the protective film.
The etch may be a reactive ion etch process that involves flowing the etchant compound(s) into the plasma etch chamber (often through a showerhead) and generating the second plasma from the etchant compound(s). The second plasma dissociates the etchant compound(s) into neutral species and ion species. Ions of the second plasma are directed towards the substrate and cause the one or more layers of materials to be etched away upon impact. The ions of the second plasma promote a vertical etch through the one or more layers of materials.
Because the protective film is strongly resistant to etch, the etch using the second plasma may be highly aggressive. This opens up greater process windows for etching after deposition of the protective film. Therefore, the etch using the second plasma may have a more aggressive chemistry, higher temperature, higher pressure, and/or higher RF power(s) than the etch using the first plasma.
The second plasma may be generated from a fluorine-based chemistry. For example, the second plasma may be generated from one or more fluorocarbons, one or more co-reactants, a hydrogen-containing reactant, or combinations thereof. In some implementations, an etchant chemistry of the second plasma may be different than an etchant chemistry of the first plasma. Or, the etchant chemistry of the second plasma may be the same as the etchant chemistry of the first plasma. Additionally or alternatively, the etchant chemistry of the second plasma may have higher concentrations of more aggressive reactants. For example, the etchant chemistry of the second plasma may include higher concentrations of more aggressive reactants and/or flow rates of etchant compound(s) of the second plasma may be different than flow rates of the etchant compound(s) of the first plasma. The second plasma may be biased to provide a larger vertical etch rate, and may be highly selective against the mask layer so that the mask layer etches at a relatively slow rate.
In some implementations, the substrate support temperature during etching with the second plasma may be the same or different than during etching with the first plasma. For instance the substrate support temperature may be higher during etching with the second plasma. In some implementations, the pressure during etching with the second plasma may be the same or different than during etching with the first plasma. For example, the pressure may be higher during etching with the second plasma. In some implementations, RF power(s) during etching with the second plasma may be the same or different than during etching with the first plasma. Specifically, RF power(s) for both a low-frequency component and high-frequency component may be higher during etching with the second plasma.
In some implementations, the etch with the second plasma may extend the feature to a desired final depth. The distance etched with the second plasma may be greater than a distance etched with the first plasma. The total etch depth may depend on the particular application. For DRAM cases, the total etch depth may be between about 1 μm and about 3 μm. For VNAND cases, the total etch depth may be between about 2 μm and about 7 μm or more.
In some implementations, the etch with the second plasma may extend the feature partially without reaching the desired final depth. Accordingly, the process 400 may proceed with block 440 by repeating deposition at block 420 and etch at block 430 until a final depth of the feature is reached. In some implementations, deposition and etch cycles are repeated at least once, at least twice, or at least three times until the final depth of the feature is reached. In some implementations, the etch with the second plasma may include an over-etch through additional layers of materials such as an etch stop. In some implementations, the etch with the second plasma may promote deeper etching of the feature and may also promote some lateral etching in regions where the protective film is not deposited. In such instances, the CD at a bottom of the feature or elsewhere may be increased.
The methods described herein may be performed by any suitable apparatus or combination of apparatuses. A suitable apparatus includes hardware for accomplishing the process operations and a system controller having instructions for controlling process operations in accordance with the present invention. For example, in some embodiments, the hardware may include one or more process stations included in a process tool. At least one process station is an etching station. Etching and deposition may occur in a single station/chamber in the present disclosure.
In the implementation shown in
An RF bias housing 830 supports the lower electrode 806 on an RF bias housing bowl 832. The bowl 832 is connected through an opening in a chamber wall plate 818 to a conduit support plate 838 by an arm 834 of the RF bias housing 830. In one implementation, the RF bias housing bowl 832 and RF bias housing arm 834 are integrally formed as one component, however, the arm 834 and bowl 832 can also be two separate components bolted or joined together.
The RF bias housing arm 834 includes one or more hollow passages for passing RF power and facilities, such as gas coolant, liquid coolant, RF energy, cables for lift pin control, electrical monitoring and actuating signals from outside the vacuum chamber 802 to inside the vacuum chamber 802 at a space on the backside of the lower electrode 806. The RF supply conduit 822 is insulated from the RF bias housing arm 834, the RF bias housing arm 834 providing a return path for RF power to the RF power supply 820. A facilities conduit 840 provides a passageway for facility components. Further details of the facility components are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,948,704 and 7,732,728 and are not shown here for simplicity of description. The gap 810 is preferably surrounded by a confinement ring assembly or shroud (not shown), details of which can be found in commonly owned published U.S. Pat. No. 7,740,736 herein incorporated by reference. The interior of the vacuum chamber 802 is maintained at a low pressure by connection to a vacuum pump through vacuum portal 880.
The conduit support plate 838 is attached to an actuation mechanism 842. Details of an actuation mechanism are described in commonly owned U.S. Pat. No. 7,732,728 incorporated herein by above. The actuation mechanism 842, such as a servo mechanical motor, stepper motor or the like is attached to a vertical linear bearing 844, for example, by a screw gear 846 such as a ball screw and motor for rotating the ball screw. During operation to adjust the size of the gap 810, the actuation mechanism 842 travels along the vertical linear bearing 844.
This implementation allows the gap 810 between the lower and upper electrodes 806, 808 in the CCP chamber 802 during multi-step process recipes (BARC, HARC, and STRIP etc.) to be adjusted, for example, in order to maintain uniform etch across a large diameter substrate such as 300 mm wafers or flat panel displays. In particular, this chamber pertains to a mechanical arrangement that permits the linear motion necessary to provide the adjustable gap between lower and upper electrodes 806, 808.
The laterally deflected bellows 850 provides a vacuum seal while allowing vertical movement of the RF bias housing 830, conduit support plate 838, and actuation mechanism 442. The RF bias housing 830, conduit support plate 838, and actuation mechanism 842 can be referred to as a cantilever assembly. Preferably, the RF power supply 820 moves with the cantilever assembly and can be attached to the conduit support plate 838.
A labyrinth seal 848 provides a particle barrier between the bellows 850 and the interior of the plasma processing chamber housing 804. A fixed shield 856 is immovably attached to the inside inner wall of the chamber housing 804 at the chamber wall plate 818 so as to provide a labyrinth groove 860 (slot) in which a movable shield plate 858 moves vertically to accommodate vertical movement of the cantilever assembly. The outer portion of the movable shield plate 858 remains in the slot at all vertical positions of the lower electrode 806.
In the implementation shown, the labyrinth seal 848 includes a fixed shield 856 attached to an inner surface of the chamber wall plate 818 at a periphery of the opening 812 in the chamber wall plate 818 defining a labyrinth groove 860. The movable shield plate 858 is attached and extends radially from the RF bias housing arm 834 where the housing arm 834 passes through the opening 812 in the chamber wall plate 818. The movable shield plate 858 extends into the labyrinth groove 860 while spaced apart from the fixed shield 856 by a first gap and spaced apart from the interior surface of the chamber wall plate 818 by a second gap allowing the cantilevered assembly to move vertically. The labyrinth seal 848 blocks migration of particles spalled from the bellows 850 from entering the vacuum chamber interior 805 and blocks radicals from process gas plasma from migrating to the bellows 850 where the radicals can form deposits which are subsequently spalled.
Within the reactor, a wafer pedestal 918 may support a substrate 916. The wafer pedestal 918 may include a chuck, a fork, or lift pins (not shown) to hold and transfer the substrate during and between certain operations. The chuck may be an electrostatic chuck, a mechanical chuck, or various other types of chuck as are available for use in the industry and/or for research.
Various process gases may be introduced via inlet 912. Multiple source gas lines 910 are connected to manifold 908. The gases may be premixed or not. Appropriate valving and mass flow control mechanisms may be employed to ensure that the correct process gases are delivered during the deposition and plasma etch phases of the process. In the case where a chemical precursor(s) is delivered in liquid form, liquid flow control mechanisms may be employed. Such liquids may then be vaporized and mixed with process gases during transportation in a manifold heated above the vaporization point of the chemical precursor supplied in liquid form before reaching the deposition chamber.
Process gases may exit process chamber 924 via an outlet 922. A vacuum pump, e.g., a one or two stage mechanical dry pump and/or turbomolecular pump 940, may be used to draw process gases out of the process chamber 924 and to maintain a suitably low pressure within the process chamber 924 by using a closed-loop-controlled flow restriction device, such as a throttle valve or a pendulum valve.
As discussed above, the techniques for deposition and etch discussed herein may be implemented on a multi-station or single station tool. In specific implementations, a 300 mm Lam Vector™ tool having a 4-station deposition scheme or a 200 mm Sequel™ tool having a 6-station deposition scheme may be used. In some implementations, tools for processing 450 mm wafers may be used. In various implementations, the wafers may be indexed after every deposition and/or post-deposition plasma treatment, or may be indexed after etching operations if the etching chambers or stations are also part of the same tool, or multiple depositions and treatments may be conducted at a single station before indexing the wafer.
In some implementations, an apparatus may be provided that is configured to perform the techniques described herein. A suitable apparatus may include hardware for performing various process operations as well as a system controller 930 having instructions for controlling process operations in accordance with the disclosed embodiments. The system controller 930 will typically include one or more memory devices and one or more processors communicatively connected with various process control equipment, e.g., valves, RF generators, wafer handling systems, etc., and configured to execute the instructions so that the apparatus will perform a technique in accordance with the disclosed embodiments. Machine-readable media containing instructions for controlling process operations in accordance with the present disclosure may be coupled to the system controller 930. The system controller 930 may be communicatively connected with various hardware devices, e.g., mass flow controllers, valves, RF generators, vacuum pumps, etc. to facilitate control of the various process parameters that are associated with the deposition and etch operations as described herein.
In some implementations, a system controller 930 may control all of the activities of the reactor 900. The system controller 930 may execute system control software stored in a mass storage device, loaded into a memory device, and executed on a processor. The system control software may include instructions for controlling the timing of gas flows, wafer movement, RF generator activation, etc., as well as instructions for controlling the mixture of gases, the chamber and/or station pressure, the chamber and/or station temperature, the wafer support temperature, the target power levels, the RF power levels, the substrate pedestal, chuck, and/or susceptor position, and other parameters of a particular process performed by the reactor apparatus 900. The system control software may be configured in any suitable way. For example, various process tool component subroutines or control objects may be written to control operation of the process tool components necessary to carry out various process tool processes. The system control software may be coded in any suitable computer readable programming language.
The system controller 930 may typically include one or more memory devices and one or more processors configured to execute the instructions so that the apparatus will perform a technique in accordance with the present disclosure. Machine-readable media containing instructions for controlling process operations in accordance with disclosed embodiments may be coupled to the system controller 930.
One or more process stations may be included in a multi-station processing tool.
The depicted processing chamber 1014 includes four process stations, numbered from 1 to 4 in the embodiment shown in
In some implementations, a controller is part of a system, which may be part of the above-described examples. Such systems can comprise semiconductor processing equipment, including a processing tool or tools, chamber or chambers, a platform or platforms for processing, and/or specific processing components (a wafer pedestal, a gas flow system, etc.). These systems may be integrated with electronics for controlling their operation before, during, and after processing of a semiconductor wafer or substrate. The electronics may be referred to as the “controller,” which may control various components or subparts of the system or systems. The controller, depending on the processing requirements and/or the type of system, may be programmed to control any of the processes disclosed herein, including the delivery of processing gases, temperature settings (e.g., heating and/or cooling), pressure settings, vacuum settings, power settings, radio frequency (RF) generator settings, RF matching circuit settings, frequency settings, flow rate settings, fluid delivery settings, positional and operation settings, wafer transfers into and out of a tool and other transfer tools and/or load locks connected to or interfaced with a specific system.
Broadly speaking, the controller may be defined as electronics having various integrated circuits, logic, memory, and/or software that receive instructions, issue instructions, control operation, enable cleaning operations, enable endpoint measurements, and the like. The integrated circuits may include chips in the form of firmware that store program instructions, digital signal processors (DSPs), chips defined as application specific integrated circuits (ASICs), and/or one or more microprocessors, or microcontrollers that execute program instructions (e.g., software). Program instructions may be instructions communicated to the controller in the form of various individual settings (or program files), defining operational parameters for carrying out a particular process on or for a semiconductor wafer or to a system. The operational parameters may, in some embodiments, be part of a recipe defined by process engineers to accomplish one or more processing operations during the fabrication of one or more layers, materials, metals, oxides, silicon, silicon dioxide, surfaces, circuits, and/or dies of a wafer.
The controller, in some implementations, may be a part of or coupled to a computer that is integrated with, coupled to the system, otherwise networked to the system, or a combination thereof. For example, the controller may be in the “cloud” or all or a part of a fab host computer system, which can allow for remote access of the wafer processing. The computer may enable remote access to the system to monitor current progress of fabrication operations, examine a history of past fabrication operations, examine trends or performance metrics from a plurality of fabrication operations, to change parameters of current processing, to set processing operations to follow a current processing, or to start a new process. In some examples, a remote computer (e.g. a server) can provide process recipes to a system over a network, which may include a local network or the Internet. The remote computer may include a user interface that enables entry or programming of parameters and/or settings, which are then communicated to the system from the remote computer. In some examples, the controller receives instructions in the form of data, which specify parameters for each of the processing operations to be performed during one or more operations. It should be understood that the parameters may be specific to the type of process to be performed and the type of tool that the controller is configured to interface with or control. Thus as described above, the controller may be distributed, such as by comprising one or more discrete controllers that are networked together and working towards a common purpose, such as the processes and controls described herein. An example of a distributed controller for such purposes would be one or more integrated circuits on a chamber in communication with one or more integrated circuits located remotely (such as at the platform level or as part of a remote computer) that combine to control a process on the chamber.
Without limitation, example systems may include a plasma etch chamber or module, a deposition chamber or module, a spin-rinse chamber or module, a metal plating chamber or module, a clean chamber or module, a bevel edge etch chamber or module, a physical vapor deposition (PVD) chamber or module, a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) chamber or module, an atomic layer deposition (ALD) chamber or module, an atomic layer etch (ALE) chamber or module, an ion implantation chamber or module, a track chamber or module, and any other semiconductor processing systems that may be associated or used in the fabrication and/or manufacturing of semiconductor wafers.
As noted above, depending on the process operation or operations to be performed by the tool, the controller might communicate with one or more of other tool circuits or modules, other tool components, cluster tools, other tool interfaces, adjacent tools, neighboring tools, tools located throughout a factory, a main computer, another controller, or tools used in material transport that bring containers of wafers to and from tool locations and/or load ports in a semiconductor manufacturing factory.
In certain implementations, the controller has instructions to perform the operations shown and described in relation to
Returning to the embodiment of
In some embodiments, system control software 1058 may include input/output control (IOC) sequencing instructions for controlling the various parameters described above. For example, each phase of a deposition/etch process may include one or more instructions for execution by system controller 1050.
Other computer software and/or programs stored on mass storage device 1054 and/or memory device 1056 associated with system controller 1050 may be employed in some embodiments. Examples of programs or sections of programs for this purpose include a substrate positioning program, a process gas control program, a pressure control program, a heater control program, and a plasma control program.
A substrate positioning program may include program code for process tool components that are used to load the substrate onto pedestal 1018 and to control the spacing between the substrate and other parts of process tool 1000.
A process gas control program may include code for controlling gas composition and flow rates and optionally for flowing gas into one or more process stations prior to deposition in order to stabilize the pressure in the process station. In some embodiments, the controller includes instructions for cyclically or non-cyclically (a) etching recessed features, and (b) in situ depositing a metal-containing protective layer on sidewalls of the partially etched features, including appropriate instructions regarding flow of various process gasses.
A pressure control program may include code for controlling the pressure in the process station by regulating, for example, a throttle valve in the exhaust system of the process station, a gas flow into the process station, etc. In some embodiments, a pressure control program may include instructions for maintaining the reaction chamber(s) at appropriate pressure levels during the various stages of the etching/deposition methods as described herein.
A heater control program may include code for controlling the current to a heating unit that is used to heat the substrate. Alternatively, the heater control program may control delivery of a heat transfer gas (such as helium) to the substrate. In certain implementations, the controller includes instructions for etching the substrate at a first temperature and depositing a protective metal-containing sidewall coating at a second temperature. In some implementations, the first temperature may be the same or substantially similar to the second temperature.
A plasma control program may include code for setting RF power levels and exposure times in one or more process stations in accordance with the implementations herein. In some implementations, the controller includes instructions for controlling plasma characteristics during etching and/or deposition of a metal-containing protective sidewall coating. The instructions may relate to appropriate power levels, frequencies, duty cycles, etc.
In some embodiments, there may be a user interface associated with system controller 1050. The user interface may include a display screen, graphical software displays of the apparatus and/or process conditions, and user input devices such as pointing devices, keyboards, touch screens, microphones, etc.
In some embodiments, parameters adjusted by system controller 1050 may relate to process conditions. Non-limiting examples include process gas composition and flow rates, temperature, pressure, plasma conditions (such as RF bias power levels and exposure times), etc. These parameters may be provided to the user in the form of a recipe, which may be entered utilizing the user interface.
Signals for monitoring the process may be provided by analog and/or digital input connections of system controller 1050 from various process tool sensors. The signals for controlling the process may be output on the analog and digital output connections of process tool 1000. Non-limiting examples of process tool sensors that may be monitored include mass flow controllers, pressure sensors (such as manometers), thermocouples, etc. Appropriately programmed feedback and control algorithms may be used with data from these sensors to maintain process conditions.
System controller 1050 may provide program instructions for implementing the above-described deposition processes. The program instructions may control a variety of process parameters, such as DC power level, RF bias power level, pressure, temperature, etc. The instructions may control the parameters to operate in situ deposition of protective films according to various implementations described herein.
The system controller will typically include one or more memory devices and one or more processors configured to execute the instructions so that the apparatus will perform a method in accordance with the disclosed embodiments. Machine-readable, non-transitory media containing instructions for controlling process operations in accordance with the disclosed embodiments may be coupled to the system controller.
The various hardware and method embodiments described above may be used in conjunction with lithographic patterning tools or processes, for example, for the fabrication or manufacture of semiconductor devices, displays, LEDs, photovoltaic panels and the like. Typically, though not necessarily, such tools/processes will be used or conducted together in a common fabrication facility.
In one example, processing module 1120a may be configured for etching and processing module 1120b may be configured for deposition. In another example, processing module 1120a may be configured for etching, processing module 1120b may be configured to deposit a first sub-layer of the protective sidewall coating, and processing module 1120c may be configured to deposit a second sub-layer of the protective sidewall coating.
Robot 1122 transfers substrates between stations. In one implementation, the robot may have one arm, and in another implementation, the robot may have two arms, where each arm has an end effector 1124 to pick substrates for transport. Front-end robot 1132, in atmospheric transfer module (ATM) 1140, may be used to transfer substrates from cassette or Front Opening Unified Pod (FOUP) 1134 in Load Port Module (LPM) 1142 to airlock 1130. Module center 1128 inside process modules 1120a-1120d may be one location for placing the substrate. Aligner 1144 in ATM 1140 may be used to align substrates.
In an exemplary processing method, a substrate is placed in one of the FOUPs 1134 in the LPM 1142. Front-end robot 1132 transfers the substrate from the FOUP 1134 to the aligner 1144, which allows the substrate 1126 to be properly centered before it is etched, or deposited upon, or otherwise processed. After being aligned, the substrate is moved by the front-end robot 1132 into an airlock 1130. Because airlock modules have the ability to match the environment between an ATM and a VTM, the substrate is able to move between the two pressure environments without being damaged. From the airlock module 1130, the substrate is moved by robot 1122 through VTM 1138 and into one of the process modules 1120a-1120d, for example process module 1120a. In order to achieve this substrate movement, the robot 1122 uses end effectors 1124 on each of its arms. In process module 1120a, the substrate undergoes etching as described herein to form a partially etched feature. The substrate may undergo deposition of a protective film in the process module 1120a as described in the present disclosure. The partially etched feature is further etched in the process module 1120a. Alternatively, the robot 1122 moves the substrate out of processing module 1120a, into the VTM 1138, and then into a different processing module 1120b where the protective film is deposited on sidewalls of the partially etched feature. Then, the robot 1122 moves the substrate out of processing module 1120b, into the VTM 1138, and into processing module 1120a, where the partially etched feature is further etched. The etching/deposition can be repeated until the feature is fully etched.
It should be noted that the computer controlling the substrate movement can be local to the cluster architecture, or can be located external to the cluster architecture in the manufacturing floor, or in a remote location and connected to the cluster architecture via a network.
Lithographic patterning of a film typically comprises some or all of the following operations, each operation enabled with a number of possible tools: (1) application of photoresist on a workpiece, e.g., a substrate having a silicon nitride film formed thereon, using a spin-on or spray-on tool; (2) curing of photoresist using a hot plate or furnace or other suitable curing tool; (3) exposing the photoresist to visible or UV or x-ray light with a tool such as a wafer stepper; (4) developing the resist so as to selectively remove resist and thereby pattern it using a tool such as a wet bench or a spray developer; (5) transferring the resist pattern into an underlying film or workpiece by using a dry or plasma-assisted etching tool; and (6) removing the resist using a tool such as an RF or microwave plasma resist stripper. In some embodiments, an ashable hard mask layer (such as an amorphous carbon layer) and another suitable hard mask (such as an antireflective layer) may be deposited prior to applying the photoresist.
In the foregoing description, numerous specific details are set forth to provide a thorough understanding of the presented embodiments. The disclosed embodiments may be practiced without some or all of these specific details. In other instances, well-known process operations have not been described in detail to not unnecessarily obscure the disclosed embodiments. While the disclosed embodiments are described in conjunction with the specific embodiments, it will be understood that it is not intended to limit the disclosed embodiments.
Although the foregoing embodiments have been described in some detail for purposes of clarity of understanding, it will be apparent that certain changes and modifications may be practiced within the scope of the appended claims. It should be noted that there are many alternative ways of implementing the processes, systems, and apparatus of the present embodiments. Accordingly, the present embodiments are to be considered as illustrative and not restrictive, and the embodiments are not to be limited to the details given herein.
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/US2022/017276 | 2/22/2022 | WO |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 63200254 | Feb 2021 | US |
