Thermal atomic layer etching processes
AssigneeASM IP Holding B.V.
InventorsTom E. Blomberg, Varun Sharma, Suvi Haukka, Marko Tuominen, Chiyu Zhu
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Abstract
Thermal atomic layer etching processes are disclosed. In some embodiments, the methods comprise at least one etch cycle in which the substrate is alternately and sequentially exposed to a first vapor phase halide reactant and a second vapor halide reactant. In some embodiments, the first reactant may comprise an organic halide compound. During the thermal ALE cycle, the substrate is not contacted with a plasma reactant.
Claims28
A method of etching a film on the surface of a substrate in a reaction chamber by chemical atomic layer etching, the method comprising one or more etching cycles, each cycle comprising:
- exposing the substrate to a first vapor-phase halide reactant comprising a first halide ligand to form adsorbed species on the substrate surface, wherein the first vapor-phase halide reactant does not comprise hydrogen;
- and
- subsequently exposing the substrate to a second vapor-phase halide reactant comprising a second halide ligand that converts the adsorbed species into volatile species such that at least some material is removed from the film, wherein the second vapor-phase halide reactant does not comprise hydrogen;
- and
- wherein the substrate is not contacted with a plasma reactant during the etching cycle.
A method of etching a film on the surface of a substrate in a reaction chamber by chemical atomic layer etching, the method comprising one or more etching cycles, each cycle comprising:
- exposing the substrate to a first vapor-phase reactant such that the first vapor-phase reactant reacts with a molecule on the substrate surface to form reactant species on the substrate surface;
- and
- subsequently exposing the substrate to a second vapor-phase reactant such that the reactant species are converted into volatile reaction products and a portion of the film is removed from the substrate surface, wherein the substrate is not contacted with a plasma reactant during the etching cycle, wherein the first vapor-phase reactant comprises CSe2.
A method of etching a film on the surface of a substrate in a reaction chamber by chemical atomic layer etching, the method comprising one or more etching cycles, each cycle comprising:
- exposing the substrate to a first vapor-phase reactant such that the first vapor-phase reactant reacts with a molecule on the substrate surface to form reactant species on the substrate surface;
- and
- subsequently exposing the substrate to a second vapor-phase reactant such that the reactant species are converted into volatile reaction products and a portion of the film is removed from the substrate surface, wherein the substrate is not contacted with a plasma reactant during the etching cycle, wherein the first vapor-phase reactant comprises compounds with S═R═S structure in which R can be carbon or any hydrocarbon, such as C2-C8.
A method of etching a film on the surface of a substrate in a reaction chamber by chemical atomic layer etching, the method comprising one or more etching cycles, each cycle comprising:
- exposing the substrate to a first vapor-phase reactant such that the first vapor-phase reactant reacts with a molecule on the substrate surface to form reactant species on the substrate surface;
- and
- subsequently exposing the substrate to a second vapor-phase reactant such that the reactant species are converted into volatile reaction products and a portion of the film is removed from the substrate surface, wherein the substrate is not contacted with a plasma reactant during the etching cycle, wherein the second vapor-phase reactant comprises triethylaluminum (TEA) or trimethylaluminum (TMA).
A method of etching a film on a substrate in a reaction chamber comprising two or more etching cycles, each cycle comprising:
- exposing the substrate to a first vapor-phase halide reactant that does not comprise hydrogen;
- and
- subsequently exposing the substrate to a second, different vapor-phase halide reactant that does not comprise hydrogen;
- and
- exposing the substrate to a third vapor-phase reactant that is different from the first and second vapor-phase reactants,
- wherein the substrate is not contacted with a plasma reactant during the etching cycle.
A method for etching a thin film on a substrate surface comprising:
- exposing the substrate surface to a first vapor-phase halide reactant comprising a first halide ligand to form first reactant species on the substrate surface, wherein the first vapor-phase halide reactant does not comprise hydrogen;
- and
- subsequently exposing the substrate to a second vapor-phase halide reactant comprising a second halide ligand such that the second vapor-phase halide reactant converts the first reactant species to vapor phase reaction products, wherein the second vapor-phase halide reactant does not comprise hydrogen, and,
- wherein the formation of the first reactant species or the conversion of the second vapor-phase halide reactant to vapor phase reaction products are not self-limiting.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.