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US 11,107,707 B2Granted
Wet etch apparatus and method of using the same
AssigneeTaiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
InventorsHong-Ting Lu, Han-Wen Liao
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method includes dispensing a chemical solution including charged ions onto a semiconductor substrate to chemically etch a target structure on the semiconductor substrate, and applying an electric field on the semiconductor substrate during dispensing the chemical solution on the semiconductor substrate, such that the charged ions in the chemical solution are moved in response to the electric field.
Claims20
A method, comprising:
- arranging a first electrode and a second electrode around a wafer chuck;
- changing a direction from the first electrode to the second electrode by moving at least one of the first and second electrodes;
- dispensing a chemical solution onto a semiconductor substrate held by the wafer chuck to chemically etch a target structure on the semiconductor substrate, the chemical solution including charged ions therein;
- and
- applying an electric field on the semiconductor substrate along the direction from the first electrode to the second electrode by using the first and second electrodes during dispensing the chemical solution on the semiconductor substrate, such that the charged ions in the chemical solution are moved in response to the electric field, wherein the first and second electrodes are free from contact with the semiconductor substrate and any element in contact with the semiconductor substrate when applying the electric field.
2 more elements
A method, comprising:
- placing a semiconductor substrate above an electrode;
- dispensing a chemical solution from an outlet of a dispensing nozzle onto the semiconductor substrate, wherein the outlet of the dispensing nozzle directly faces the semiconductor substrate;
- etching a target structure on the semiconductor substrate using the chemical solution;
- moving a probe to a position directly below the outlet of the dispensing nozzle such that the probe is in contact with the chemical solution when dispensing the chemical solution onto the semiconductor substrate;
- applying a first voltage on the chemical solution through the probe during etching the target structure;
- and
- applying a second voltage on the electrode during etching the target structure, wherein the first voltage is different from the second voltage.
4 more elements
A method, comprising:
- forming a dummy gate structure having a dummy gate dielectric and a dummy gate electrode over the dummy gate dielectric on a semiconductor substrate;
- forming a plurality of gate spacers respectively on opposite sidewalls of the dummy gate structure;
- dispensing a chemical solution onto the semiconductor substrate by a nozzle to etch the dummy gate electrode such that a gate trench is formed between the gate spacers;
- generating an electric field vertically across the semiconductor substrate during etching the dummy gate electrode, wherein generating the electric field is performed by applying voltages on a first electrode below the semiconductor substrate and a second electrode above the semiconductor substrate, wherein the second electrode is free of contact with the chemical solution, the second electrode is an electrode plate having an opening therein, and the nozzle is at least partially in the opening;
- and
- forming a metal gate structure in the gate trench.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.