# US 12,112,953 B2 · Semiconductor devices and methods of manufacturing

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- Number: US 12,112,953 B2
- Document ID: US12112953B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 18/361,027
- Filed: 2023-07-28
- Published: 2024-01-18
- Granted: 2024-10-08
- Earliest claimed: 2019-10-18
- Assignees: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
- Applicants: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
- Inventors: Wan Hsuan Hsu; Jao Sheng Huang; Yen-Chiu Kuo; Yu-Li Cheng; Ya Tzu Chen; Neng-Jye Yang; Chun-Li Chou
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12112953B2

## CPC

- H10P 50/283: {by chemical means}
- H10P 14/69391: {the material containing aluminium, e.g. Al2O3}
- H10P 14/69394: {the material containing titanium, e.g. TiO2}
- H10P 50/73: {using masks for insulating materials}
- H10P 70/23: {during, before or after processing of insulating materials}
- H10P 72/0424: {using mainly spraying means, e.g. nozzles}
- H10P 72/7618: {characterised by a movable susceptor, stage or support, others than those only rotating on their own vertical axis, e.g. susceptors on a rotating carrousel}
- H10W 20/075: {of multilayered thin functional dielectric layers}
- H10W 20/077: {on sidewalls or on top surfaces of conductors (H10W20/076 takes precedence)}
- H10W 20/088: {involving partial etching of via holes}
- H10W 20/47: comprising two or more dielectric layers having different properties, e.g. different dielectric constants
- H10P: GENERIC PROCESSES OR APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10
- H10W: GENERIC PACKAGES, INTERCONNECTIONS, CONNECTORS OR OTHER CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10

## Abstract

An apparatus, semiconductor device and method of manufacture are presented, wherein a hard mask layer and one or more etch stop layers are etched in an etching chamber. In an embodiment the semiconductor device is placed on a mounting platform at a first height and an etch process is performed, then the semiconductor device is moved to a second height within the chamber and a second etch process is performed, with the rotational speed of the semiconductor device reduced during movements in order to reduce the chance of cross contamination.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, the method comprising:
dispensing a first etchant over a semiconductor substrate to etch a first dielectric layer over the semiconductor substrate, the dispensing the first etchant occurring in a first etching chamber while the semiconductor substrate is rotating at a first speed;
changing the first speed to a second speed, wherein the second speed is less than 1 rpm;
adjusting a height of the semiconductor substrate within the first etching chamber while the semiconductor substrate is rotating at the second speed;
changing the second speed to a third speed; and
dispensing a second etchant over the semiconductor substrate within the etching chamber to etch a second dielectric layer, the second etchant having a different composition than the first etchant.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising, after the dispensing the first etchant and prior to the dispensing the second etchant, dispensing a rinse liquid.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the first etchant comprises hydrogen peroxide.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the first etchant comprises 1,2,3-Benzotriazole.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the first etchant comprises 1-dioxide.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the dispensing the first etchant dispenses the first etchant at a rate of between about 1000 mL/min and about 1500 mL/min.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the dispensing the first etchant dispenses the first etchant at a temperature of greater than about 55° C. to about 60° C.

### Claim 8

A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, the method comprising:
dispensing a first etchant and a second etchant over a semiconductor substrate, wherein the semiconductor substrate is located at different distances away from a horizontal plane during the dispensing of the first etchant and the dispensing of the second etchant; and
dispensing a rinse liquid over the semiconductor substrate between the dispensing the first etchant and the dispensing the second etchant, wherein the semiconductor substrate is at a different distance from the horizontal plane during the dispensing the rinse liquid than during the dispensing the first etchant and the dispensing the second etchant; and
catching the first etchant, the second etchant, and the rinse liquid in respective, separated tiers of a multi-tier return system.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, further comprising dispensing a second rinse liquid over the semiconductor substrate after the dispensing the second etchant, the second rinse liquid being different from the rinse liquid.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9, further comprising dispensing the rinse liquid over the semiconductor substrate when the semiconductor substrate is at a same distance as when the first etchant is dispensed.

### Claim 11 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, wherein the different distances are between about 30 mm and about 40 mm from each other.

### Claim 12 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, wherein the second etchant comprises a fluoride agent.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12, wherein the second etchant comprises ammonium fluoride.

### Claim 14 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, wherein during the dispensing the second etchant the semiconductor substrate is rotating at a spin speed of between about 100 rpm and about 2000 rpm.

### Claim 15

A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, the method comprising:
dispensing a plurality of etchants from a plurality of nozzles onto a semiconductor substrate; and
moving the semiconductor substrate relative to the plurality of nozzles between each individual dispensing of the dispensing the plurality of the etchants so that each of the plurality of etchants is caught by a different structure after the dispensing.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The method of claim 15, wherein the plurality of etchants comprises hydrogen peroxide and ammonium fluoride.

### Claim 17 (depends on 15)

The method of claim 15, wherein the moving the semiconductor substrate comprises moving the semiconductor substrate between about 30 mm and about 40 mm.

### Claim 18 (depends on 15)

The method of claim 15, further comprising dispensing a first rinse liquid, wherein a first portion of the first rinse liquid is dispensed while the semiconductor substrate is at a first location, wherein the dispensing of one of the plurality of etchants is performed while the semiconductor substrate is at the first location.

### Claim 19 (depends on 15)

The method of claim 15, further comprising dispensing alkaline water onto the semiconductor substrate after the dispensing the plurality of etchants.

### Claim 20 (depends on 15)

The method of claim 15, further comprising dispensing a first rinse liquid between dispensing a first one of the plurality of etchants and dispensing a second one of the plurality of etchants.