# US 10,312,079 B2 · Etching method

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- Number: US 10,312,079 B2
- Document ID: US10312079B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/517,497
- Filed: 2015-09-25
- Published: 2017-10-26
- Granted: 2019-06-04
- Earliest claimed: 2014-10-09
- Assignees: Tokyo Electron Limited
- Applicants: Tokyo Electron Limited
- Inventors: Koji Takeya; Kazuaki Nishimura; Nobuhiro Takahashi; Junichiro Matsunaga
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10312079B2

## CPC

- H10P 14/2905: {Silicon, silicon germanium or germanium}
- C23C 16/45557: {Pulsed pressure or control pressure}
- H01J 37/32009: {Arrangements for generation of plasma specially adapted for examination or treatment of objects, e.g. plasma sources (plasma generation in general H05H1/24)}
- H01J 37/32357: {Generation remote from the workpiece, e.g. down-stream}
- H01J 37/32449: {Gas control, e.g. control of the gas flow}
- H10D 62/822: comprising only Group IV materials heterojunctions, e.g. Si/Ge heterojunctions
- H10P 50/242: {of Group IV materials}
- H10P 50/266: {by vapour etching only}
- H10P 50/268: {of silicon-containing layers}
- H10P 50/283: {by chemical means}
- H10P 72/0421: {for drying etching}
- G05B 19/04: Program control other than numerical control, i.e. in sequence controllers or logic controllers (G05B19/418 takes precedence)
- G05B 2219/45212: Etching, engraving, sculpturing, carving
- H10P: GENERIC PROCESSES OR APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10
- C23C: COATING METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING MATERIAL WITH METALLIC MATERIAL; SURFACE TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL BY DIFFUSION INTO THE SURFACE, BY CHEMICAL CONVERSION OR SUBSTITUTION; COATING BY VACUUM EVAPORATION, BY SPUTTERING, BY ION IMPLANTATION OR BY CHEMICAL VAPOUR DEPOSITION, IN GENERAL (making metal-coated products by extrusion B21C23/22; covering with metal by connecting pre-existing layers to articles, see the relevant places, e.g. B21D39/00, B23K; metallising of glass C03C; metallising mortars, concrete, artificial stone, ceramics or natural stone C04B41/00; enamelling of, or applying a vitreous layer to, metals C23D; treating metal surfaces or coating of metals by electrolysis or electrophoresis C25D; single-crystal film growth C30B; by metallising textiles D06M11/83; decorating textiles by locally metallising D06Q1/04)
- H01J: ELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS (spark-gaps H01T; electric arc lamps H05B31/00; particle accelerators H05H)
- H10D: INORGANIC ELECTRIC SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES
- G05B: CONTROL OR REGULATING SYSTEMS IN GENERAL; FUNCTIONAL ELEMENTS OF SUCH SYSTEMS; MONITORING OR TESTING ARRANGEMENTS FOR SUCH SYSTEMS OR ELEMENTS (systems for controlling or regulating non-electric variables G05D; systems for regulating electric or magnetic variables G05F; control devices or systems insofar as characterised by mechanical features only G05G)

## Abstract

An etching method includes: disposing a target substrate which includes silicon and silicon-germanium in a chamber; supplying the chamber with processing gas which comprises H2 gas and Ar gas in an excited state; and selectively etching the silicon with respect to the silicon-germanium by the processing gas which is in the excited state. Due to this configuration, silicon can be etched, with high selectivity, with respect to the silicon-germanium.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An etching method comprising: providing a target substrate having silicon and silicon-germanium in a chamber; supplying a processing gas containing H2 gas and Ar gas into the chamber in an excited state, the processing gas being devoid of species comprising halogen; and selectively etching the silicon with respect to the silicon-germanium by the processing gas in the excited state.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The etching method of claim 1, wherein the silicon is a silicon film and the silicon-germanium is a silicon-germanium film.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The etching method of claim 1, wherein during the etching, a pressure in the chamber is within a range from 1.33 Pa to 133 Pa.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The etching method of claim 1, wherein during the etching, a temperature of a mounting table on which the target substrate is mounted is within a range from 0 to 80° C.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The etching method of claim 1, wherein during the etching, a volume ratio of the H2 gas and the Ar gas is within a range from 1:20 to 20:1.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The etching method of claim 1, wherein the H2 gas and the Ar gas are turned into a plasma outside the chamber and introduced as the plasma into the chamber.