# US 12,014,930 B2 · Etching method and plasma processing apparatus

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- Number: US 12,014,930 B2
- Document ID: US12014930B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/979,257
- Filed: 2019-08-07
- Published: 2021-11-25
- Granted: 2024-06-18
- Earliest claimed: 2018-08-21
- Assignees: Tokyo Electron Limited
- Applicants: Tokyo Electron Limited
- Inventors: Mitsuhiro Iwano; Masanori Hosoya
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12014930B2

## CPC

- H10P 50/242: {of Group IV materials}
- H01J 37/32449: {Gas control, e.g. control of the gas flow}
- H01J 37/3266: {Magnetic control means}
- H05H 1/46: using applied electromagnetic fields, e.g. high frequency or microwave energy (H05H1/26 takes precedence)
- H10P 14/69215: {the material being a silicon oxide, e.g. SiO2}
- H10P 14/6922: {the material containing Si, O and at least one of H, N, C, F or other non-metal elements, e.g. SiOC, SiOC:H or SiONC}
- H10P 50/283: {by chemical means}
- H10P 50/73: {using masks for insulating materials}
- H10P 72/0421: {for drying etching}
- H10P 72/0432: {mainly by conduction}
- H10P 72/0434: {mainly by convection}
- H10P 72/0602: {Temperature monitoring}
- H10P 72/72: using electrostatic chucks
- H10P: GENERIC PROCESSES OR APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10
- H01J: ELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS (spark-gaps H01T; electric arc lamps H05B31/00; particle accelerators H05H)
- H05H: PLASMA TECHNIQUE (apparatus or processes specially adapted for producing X-rays H05G2/00); PRODUCTION OF ACCELERATED ELECTRICALLY-CHARGED PARTICLES OR OF NEUTRONS; PRODUCTION OR ACCELERATION OF NEUTRAL MOLECULAR OR ATOMIC BEAMS

## Abstract

In an etching method, plasma from a processing gas containing a fluorocarbon gas is formed within a chamber of a plasma processing apparatus, and a deposit containing fluorocarbon is formed on a substrate. The substrate includes a first region formed of a silicon containing material and a second region formed of a metal containing material. Subsequently, plasma from a rare gas is formed within the chamber, and rare gas ions are supplied to the substrate. As a result, the first region is etched by the fluorocarbon contained in the deposit. When the plasma from the rare gas is formed, a magnetic field distribution in which a horizontal component on an edge side of the substrate is higher than a horizontal component on a center of the substrate is formed by an electromagnet.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An etching method performed in a plasma processing apparatus, the etching method being performed in a state where a substrate is placed in a chamber of the plasma processing apparatus, the etching method comprising:
forming plasma from a processing gas containing a fluorocarbon gas within the chamber to form a deposit containing fluorocarbon on the substrate, the substrate having a first region formed of a silicon containing material and a second region formed of a metal containing material; and
forming plasma from a rare gas within the chamber to etch the first region by supplying rare gas ions to the substrate to react the fluorocarbon contained in the deposit on the substrate with the silicon containing material of the first region,
wherein, in the forming of the plasma from the processing gas, a magnetic field is not formed within the chamber by an electromagnet,
in the forming of the plasma from the rare gas, a magnetic field distribution in which a horizontal component on an edge side of the substrate is higher than a horizontal component on a center of the substrate is formed by the electromagnet.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The etching method of claim 1,
wherein the silicon containing material is SiO2, SiOC or SiOCH.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The etching method of claim 1,
wherein the metal containing material is any one of metal materials of titanium, tungsten, zirconium, aluminum, tantalum, cobalt or ruthenium, or an oxide, a nitride or a carbide of the corresponding metal material.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The etching method of claim 1,
wherein the fluorocarbon gas contains a C4F8 gas and/or a C4F6 gas.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The etching method of claim 1,
wherein the forming of the plasma from the processing gas and the forming of the plasma from the rare gas are alternately repeated.