# US 10,483,135 B2 · Etching method

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- Number: US 10,483,135 B2
- Document ID: US10483135B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/915,782
- Filed: 2018-03-08
- Published: 2018-09-13
- Granted: 2019-11-19
- Earliest claimed: 2017-03-10
- Assignees: Tokyo Electron Limited
- Applicants: Tokyo Electron Limited
- Inventors: Kenji Ouchi
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10483135B2

## CPC

- H10P 72/0421: {for drying etching}
- C23C 16/045: {Coating cavities or hollow spaces, e.g. interior of tubes; Infiltration of porous substrates}
- C23C 16/34: Nitrides {(C23C16/303 takes precedence)}
- H01J 37/32: Gas-filled discharge tubes (heating by discharge H05B)
- H10P 50/267: {using plasmas}
- H10P 50/283: {by chemical means}
- H10P 72/0462: {characterised by the construction of the processing chambers, e.g. modular processing chambers}
- H01J 37/3211: {Antennas, e.g. particular shapes of coils}
- H01J 37/3244: {Gas supply means}
- H01J 2237/334: Etching
- H10W 20/01: {Manufacture or treatment}
- 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)
- H10W: GENERIC PACKAGES, INTERCONNECTIONS, CONNECTORS OR OTHER CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10

## Abstract

An etching method for a target object. The target object includes a main surface, grooves formed in the main surface, and an etching target film covering the main surface and surfaces of the grooves. The method includes supplying a first gas into a processing chamber, and supplying a second gas and a high frequency power to generate a plasma of a gas including the second gas in the processing chamber. The first gas contains an oxidizing agent that does not include a hydrogen atom. The second gas contains a compound that includes one or more silicon atoms and one or more fluorine atoms and does not include a hydrogen atom. The etching target film is made of a material that is dry etched by using fluorine, and portions of the etching target film covering the surfaces of the grooves are selectively removed.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An etching method for a target object including a main surface, grooves formed in the main surface, and an etching target film covering the main surface and surfaces of the grooves, the method comprising:
a first step of accommodating the target object in a processing chamber of a plasma processing apparatus;
a second step of supplying a first gas into the processing chamber; and
a third step of supplying a second gas and a high frequency power for plasma generation into the processing chamber and generating in the processing chamber a plasma of a gas including the second gas in the processing chamber,
wherein: the first gas contains an oxidizing agent that does not include a hydrogen atom;
the second gas contains a compound that includes one or more silicon atoms and one or more fluorine atoms and does not include a hydrogen atom;
the etching target film is made of a material that is dry etched by using fluorine;
portions of the etching target film which cover the surfaces of the grooves are selectively removed;
the etching target film is made of TiN; and
the temperature of the target object in the third step is lower than 250° C.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The etching method of claim 1, wherein the second gas contains one or a plurality of gases having a composition of SixFy, x and y being an integer greater than or equal to 1.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The etching method of claim 2, wherein the second gas contains SiF4 or both of SiF4 and Si2F6.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The etching method of claim 1, wherein the first gas contains at least one of O2, O3 and NxOy, x and y being an integer greater than or equal to 1.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The etching method of claim 1, wherein the second gas further contains a rare gas.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The etching method of claim 1, wherein in the third step, a first start timing of starting supply of the second gas into the processing chamber is later than or equal to a second start timing of starting supply of the high frequency power for plasma generation into the processing chamber.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The etching method of claim 1, further comprising a fourth step of terminating the generation of the plasma,
wherein in the fourth step, a first termination timing of terminating the supply of the second gas into the processing chamber is within a period between a second termination timing of terminating the supply of the high frequency power for plasma generation into the processing chamber inclusive and a third termination timing of terminating the supply of the first gas into the processing chamber exclusive or within a period between the second termination timing exclusive and the third termination timing inclusive.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The etching method of claim 1, wherein in the first step, an inner surface of the processing chamber has a portion coated with a pre-coat film containing silicon and fluorine.