# US 12,014,927 B2 · Highly etch selective amorphous carbon film

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- Number: US 12,014,927 B2
- Document ID: US12014927B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/963,841
- Filed: 2022-10-11
- Published: 2023-02-09
- Granted: 2024-06-18
- Earliest claimed: 2017-12-01
- Assignees: Applied Materials, Inc.
- Applicants: Applied Materials, Inc.
- Inventors: Rajesh Prasad; Sarah Bobek; Prashant Kumar Kulshreshtha; Kwangduk Douglas Lee; Harry Whitesell; Hidetaka Oshio; Dong Hyung Lee; Deven Matthew Raj Mittal; Scott Falk; Venkataramana R. Chavva
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12014927B2

## CPC

- H10P 76/4088: {Processes for improving the resolution of the masks}
- C23C 16/26: Deposition of carbon only
- C23C 16/505: using radio frequency discharges
- C23C 16/5096: {Flat-bed apparatus}
- C23C 16/56: After-treatment
- H10P 14/6336: {in the presence of a plasma [PECVD]}
- H10P 14/6518: {by introduction of substances into an already-existing insulating layer}
- H10P 14/6532: {by exposure to a plasma}
- H10P 14/6902: {composed of carbon, e.g. alpha-C, diamond or hydrogen doped carbon}
- H10P 30/40: into insulating materials
- H10P 50/285: {of materials not containing Si, e.g. PZT or Al2O3}
- H10P 76/405: {characterised by their composition, e.g. multilayer masks}
- H10P 76/4083: {characterised by their behaviours during the lithography processes, e.g. soluble masks or redeposited masks}
- H10P 76/4085: {characterised by the processes involved to create the masks}
- 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)

## Abstract

Methods and techniques for deposition of amorphous carbon films on a substrate are provided. In one example, the method includes depositing an amorphous carbon film on an underlayer positioned on a susceptor in a first processing region. The method further includes implanting a dopant or the inert species into the amorphous carbon film in a second processing region. The implant species, energy, dose & temperature in some combination may be used to enhance the hardmask hardness. The method further includes patterning the doped amorphous carbon film. The method further includes etching the underlayer.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An amorphous carbon hardmask comprising:
an amorphous carbon film, wherein the amorphous carbon film further comprises a carbon dopant implanted into the amorphous carbon film and optionally an additional dopant or inert species selected from boron, nitrogen, nitrogen dimer, silicon, phosphorous, argon, helium, neon, krypton, xenon, beryllium, germanium, or combinations thereof;
wherein the amorphous carbon hardmask has a Young's modulus (GPa) of from about 70 to about 200 GPa;
wherein the amorphous carbon hardmask has a stress (MPa) of from about −600 MPa to about 0 MPa; and
wherein the amorphous carbon film comprises at least 85 atomic percentage of carbon, the carbon dopant comprising at least 1 to 30 atomic percentage of the at least 85 atomic percentage of carbon.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The amorphous carbon hardmask of claim 1, wherein the amorphous carbon hardmask has a thickness between about 10 Å and about 50,000 Å.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The amorphous carbon hardmask of claim 1, wherein the amorphous carbon hardmask has a hardness of from about 14 GPa to about 22 GPa.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The amorphous carbon hardmask of claim 1, wherein the amorphous carbon hardmask has a k-value (at 633 nm) of less than 1.0.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The amorphous carbon hardmask of claim 1, wherein the amorphous carbon hardmask has a refractive index (n) (at 633 nm) of greater than 2.04.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The amorphous carbon hardmask of claim 1, wherein the amorphous carbon hardmask has a density of greater than 1.9 g/cc.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The amorphous carbon hardmask of claim 1, wherein the amorphous carbon hardmask comprises openings or apertures.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The amorphous carbon hardmask of claim 1, wherein the the carbon dopant comprises at least 10 to 30 atomic percentage of the at least 85 atomic percentage of carbon.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The amorphous carbon hardmask of claim 1, wherein the amorphous carbon hardmask comprises from about 85 to about 97 atomic percentage of carbon.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The amorphous carbon hardmask of claim 1, wherein the amorphous carbon hardmask comprises an in-plane distortion of less than 3 nanometers overlay error.

### Claim 11

A patterned amorphous carbon hardmask comprising:
a patterned amorphous carbon film, wherein the patterned amorphous carbon film further comprises a carbon dopant implanted into the patterned amorphous carbon film and optionally an additional dopant or inert species selected from carbon, boron, nitrogen, nitrogen dimer, silicon, phosphorous, argon, helium, neon, krypton, xenon, beryllium, germanium, or combinations thereof;
wherein the patterned amorphous carbon film has a Young's modulus (GPa) of from about 70 to about 200 GPa;
wherein the patterned amorphous carbon film has a stress (MPa) of from about −600 MPa to about 0 MPa;
wherein the patterned amorphous carbon film comprises a plasma-etched pattern; and
wherein the amorphous carbon hardmask comprises at least 85 atomic percentage of carbon, the carbon dopant comprising at least 1 to 30 atomic percentage of the at least 85 atomic percentage of carbon.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The patterned amorphous carbon hardmask of claim 11, wherein the patterned amorphous carbon hardmask further comprises an underlayer disposed beneath the patterned amorphous carbon film.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The patterned amorphous carbon hardmask of claim 12, wherein the underlayer is a patterned underlayer.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The patterned amorphous carbon hardmask of claim 13, wherein the patterned underlayer comprises the same pattern as the patterned amorphous carbon film.

### Claim 15 (depends on 12)

The patterned amorphous carbon hardmask of claim 12, wherein the underlayer comprises a single layer.

### Claim 16 (depends on 12)

The patterned amorphous carbon hardmask of claim 12, wherein the underlayer comprises a dielectric stack.

### Claim 17

An amorphous carbon hardmask comprising:
an amorphous carbon film, wherein the amorphous carbon film further comprises a carbon dopant implanted into the amorphous carbon film and optionally an additional dopant or inert species selected from boron, nitrogen, nitrogen dimer, silicon, phosphorous, argon, helium, neon, krypton, xenon, beryllium, germanium, or combinations thereof,
wherein the amorphous carbon film has a Young's modulus (GPa) of from about 70 to about 200 GPa, a stress (MPa) of from about −600 MPa to about 0 MPa, an in-plane distortion of less than 3 nanometers overlay error, and the amorphous carbon film comprises at least 85 atomic percentage of carbon, the carbon dopant comprising at least 1 to 30 atomic percentage of the at least 85 atomic percentage of carbon; and
an underlayer disposed beneath the amorphous carbon film.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The amorphous carbon hardmask of claim 17, wherein the amorphous carbon film has a thickness between about 10 Å and about 50,000 Å.

### Claim 19 (depends on 17)

The amorphous carbon hardmask of claim 17, wherein the amorphous carbon film has a hardness of from about 14 GPa to about 22 GPa.

### Claim 20 (depends on 17)

The amorphous carbon hardmask of claim 17, wherein the amorphous carbon film and the underlayer are patterned, and wherein the patterned amorphous carbon film and the patterned underlayer comprise the same pattern.