# US 12,217,936 B2 · DC bias in plasma process

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- Number: US 12,217,936 B2
- Document ID: US12217936B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 18/504,415
- Filed: 2023-11-08
- Published: 2024-02-29
- Granted: 2025-02-04
- Earliest claimed: 2018-02-28
- Assignees: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
- Applicants: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
- Inventors: Sheng-Liang Pan; Bing-Hung Chen; Chia-Yang Hung; Jyu-Horng Shieh; Shu-Huei Suen; Syun-Ming Jang; Jack Kuo-Ping Kuo
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12217936B2

## CPC

- H01J 37/32027: {DC powered}
- H01J 37/32357: {Generation remote from the workpiece, e.g. down-stream}
- H01J 37/32449: {Gas control, e.g. control of the gas flow}
- H01J 37/32715: {Workpiece holder}
- H10P 14/6306: {of the semiconductor materials}
- H10P 14/6309: {of silicon in uncombined form, i.e. pure silicon}
- H10P 14/6319: {Formation by plasma treatments, e.g. plasma oxidation of the substrate}
- H10P 14/687: {the materials being fluorocarbon compounds, e.g. (CHxFy) n or polytetrafluoroethylene}
- H10P 50/287: {by chemical means}
- H10P 70/234: {the processing being the formation of vias or contact holes}
- H10P 95/00: Generic processes or apparatus for manufacture or treatments not covered by the other groups of this subclass
- H01J 2237/3341: Reactive etching
- H01J: ELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS (spark-gaps H01T; electric arc lamps H05B31/00; particle accelerators H05H)
- H10P: GENERIC PROCESSES OR APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10

## Abstract

Embodiments described herein relate to plasma processes. A plasma process includes generating a plasma containing negatively charged oxygen ions. A substrate is exposed to the plasma. The substrate is disposed on a pedestal while being exposed to the plasma. While exposing the substrate to the plasma, a negative direct current (DC) bias voltage is applied to the pedestal to repel the negatively charged oxygen ions from the substrate.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method comprising:
placing a substrate on a pedestal within a chamber, the chamber comprising a first region and a second region separated by a gas distribution plate, the pedestal being disposed within the second region of the chamber, the substrate comprising negatively charged fluorine ions; and
performing a plasma process on the substrate, performing the plasma process comprises:
flowing an oxygen-containing gas into the first region;
generating a first plasma in the first region of the chamber;
exposing the substrate to the first plasma while applying a first negative direct current (DC) bias voltage;
stopping the flow of the oxygen-containing gas;
flowing a hydrogen-containing gas into the first region;
generating a second plasma in the first region of the chamber;
exposing the substrate to the second plasma while applying a second negative DC bias voltage; and
stopping the flow of the hydrogen-containing gas, wherein the first negative DC bias voltage is a same negative DC bias voltage as the second negative DC bias voltage, the same negative DC bias voltage being applied continuously from exposing the substrate to the first plasma to after exposing the substrate to the second plasma.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein applying the first negative DC bias voltage comprises pulsing the first negative DC bias voltage.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein applying the second negative DC bias voltage comprises pulsing the second DC bias voltage.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 further comprising removing hydrofluoric acid from the chamber.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the substrate is exposed to the first plasma prior to applying the first negative DC bias voltage.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the pedestal comprises a heating element, and the method further comprises heating the substrate to a temperature in a range from about 90° C. to about 330° C. during the plasma process.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein a pressure in the second region of the chamber is maintained in a range from 0.1 Torr to about 4 Torr during the plasma process.

### Claim 8

A method comprising:
placing a substrate on a pedestal within a chamber, the chamber comprising a first region and a second region separated by a gas distribution plate, the pedestal being disposed within the second region of the chamber; and
performing a plasma process on the substrate, performing the plasma process comprises:
generating a first plasma in the first region of the chamber, the first plasma comprising negatively charged oxygen ions;
filtering the first plasma by the gas distribution plate into the second region of the chamber to expose the substrate to the negatively charged oxygen ions;
applying a first negative direct current (DC) bias voltage to the pedestal to repel the negatively charged oxygen ions from the substrate;
halting generation of the first plasma;
generating a second plasma in the first region of the chamber, the second plasma comprising positively charged hydrogen ions;
filtering the second plasma by the gas distribution plate into the second region of the chamber to expose the substrate to the positively charged hydrogen ions; and
applying a second negative DC bias voltage to the pedestal to remove at least some negatively charged fluorine ions from the substrate, the first negative DC bias voltage being a same bias voltage as the second negative DC bias voltage, the same bias voltage is applied continuously from applying the first negative DC bias voltage to completing the plasma process.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, wherein the gas distribution plate filters at least some ultra-violet light generated from the first plasma and the second plasma in the first region.

### Claim 10 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, wherein applying the first negative DC bias voltage comprises pulsing the first negative DC bias voltage.

### Claim 11 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, wherein applying the second negative DC bias voltage comprises pulsing the second negative DC bias voltage.

### Claim 12 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, wherein the gas distribution plate comprises a plurality of through-holes of different sizes.

### Claim 13 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, further comprising adjusting a size of a gap between the gas distribution plate and the pedestal to control distribution of the filtered first plasma and filtered second plasma in the second region.

### Claim 14

A method comprising:
placing a substrate on a pedestal within a chamber; and
performing a plasma process on the substrate, performing the plasma process comprises:
generating a first plasma, the first plasma comprising negatively charged oxygen ions, the substrate being exposed to the negatively charged oxygen ions;
applying a first negative direct current (DC) bias voltage to the pedestal to repel the negatively charged oxygen ions from the substrate;
generating a second plasma, the second plasma comprising positively charged hydrogen ions, the substrate being exposed to the positively charged hydrogen ions; and
applying a second negative DC bias voltage to the pedestal to remove at least some negatively charged fluorine ions from the substrate, the first negative DC bias voltage being a same bias voltage as the second negative DC bias voltage, the same bias voltage is applied continuously from applying the first negative DC bias voltage to applying the second negative DC bias voltage.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The method of claim 14, further comprising, prior to performing the plasma process:
performing an etch process on the substrate, the etch process leaving negatively charged fluorine ions in the substrate.

### Claim 16 (depends on 14)

The method of claim 14, further comprising, prior to performing the plasma process:
forming a photoresist layer on the substrate, wherein performing the plasma process removes the photoresist layer.

### Claim 17 (depends on 14)

The method of claim 14, further comprising removing hydrofluoric acid from the chamber, wherein the hydrofluoric acid is formed by a reaction between the negatively charged fluorine ions and the positively charged hydrogen ions.

### Claim 18 (depends on 14)

The method of claim 14, wherein applying the first negative DC bias voltage and applying the second negative DC bias voltage comprises pulsing a negative DC bias voltage.

### Claim 19 (depends on 14)

The method of claim 14, further comprising filtering ultra-violet light from the first plasma and the second plasma to prevent at least some of the ultra-violet light from reaching the substrate.