# US 12,550,637 B2 · Concurrent or cyclical etch and directional deposition

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- Number: US 12,550,637 B2
- Document ID: US12550637B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 18/229,544
- Filed: 2023-08-02
- Published: 2025-02-06
- Granted: 2026-02-10
- Earliest claimed: 2023-08-02
- Assignees: Applied Materials, Inc.
- Applicants: Applied Materials, Inc.
- Inventors: Morgan Evans; John Hautala; Charith Nanayakkara
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12550637B2

## CPC

- H10P 14/6336: {in the presence of a plasma [PECVD]}
- H01J 37/32357: {Generation remote from the workpiece, e.g. down-stream}
- H01J 37/32366: {Localised processing}
- H01J 37/3244: {Gas supply means}
- H01J 37/32623: {Mechanical discharge control means}
- H10P 14/6339: {deposition by cyclic CVD, e.g. ALD, ALE or pulsed CVD}
- H10P 14/687: {the materials being fluorocarbon compounds, e.g. (CHxFy) n or polytetrafluoroethylene}
- H01J 2237/20207: Tilt
- H01J 2237/20214: Rotation
- H01J 2237/20228: Mechanical X-Y scanning
- 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)

## Abstract

An etching and deposition system including a process chamber containing a platen for supporting a substrate, an reactive-ion etching (RIE) source adapted to produce an ion beam and to direct the ion beam into the process chamber for etching the substrate, a first plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) source located on a first side of the RIE source, the first PECVD source adapted to produce a first radical beam and to direct the first radical beam into the process chamber for depositing a first material, and a second PECVD source located on a second side of the RIE source opposite the first side, the second PECVD source adapted to produce a second radical beam and to direct the second radical beam into the process chamber for depositing a second material.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An etching and deposition system comprising:
a process chamber containing a platen for supporting a substrate;
an reactive-ion etching (RIE) source adapted to produce an ion beam and to direct the ion beam into the process chamber for etching the substrate;
a first plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) source located on a first side of the RIE source, the first PECVD source adapted to produce a first radical beam and to direct the first radical beam into the process chamber for depositing a first material; and
a second PECVD source located on a second side of the RIE source opposite the first side, the second PECVD source adapted to produce a second radical beam and to direct the second radical beam into the process chamber for depositing a second material.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The etching and deposition system of claim 1, wherein the RIE source comprises an reactive-ion plasma chamber adapted to receive a first gaseous species from a first gas source, the first PECVD source comprises a first radical plasma chamber adapted to receive a second gaseous species from a second gas source, and the second PECVD source comprises a second radical plasma chamber adapted to receive a third gaseous species from a third gas source.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The etching and deposition system of claim 2, wherein the first gaseous species is different than the second gaseous species, and the third gaseous species is different from the first gaseous species and the second gaseous species.

### Claim 4 (depends on 2)

The etching and deposition system of claim 2, wherein the first gaseous species is different than the second gaseous species, and the third gaseous species is the same as the second gaseous species.

### Claim 5 (depends on 2)

The etching and deposition system of claim 2, wherein the first gaseous species and the second gaseous species are characterized by one of the following chemical formulas: CFx and CxHyFz.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The etching and deposition system of claim 1, wherein the RIE source is rotatable for varying an angle of incidence of the ion beam relative to the substrate, the first PECVD source is rotatable for varying an angle of incidence of the first radical beam relative to the substrate, and the second PECVD source is rotatable for varying an angle of incidence of the second radical beam relative to the substrate.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The etching and deposition system of claim 6, wherein the angle of incidence of the ion beam relative to the substrate is different than the angle of incidence of the first radical beam relative to the substrate, and the angle of incidence of the second radical beam relative to the substrate is different than the angle of incidence of the first radical beam relative to the substrate and the angle of incidence of the ion beam relative to the substrate.

### Claim 8

A method of performing an etching process using an etching and deposition system including a process chamber, an reactive-ion etching (RIE) source adapted to produce an ion beam and to direct the ion beam into the process chamber, a first plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) source located on a first side of the RIE source, the first PECVD source adapted to produce a first radical beam and to direct the first radical beam into the process chamber, and a second PECVD source located on a second side of the RIE source opposite the first side, the second PECVD source adapted to produce a second radical beam and to direct the second radical beam into the process chamber, the method comprising:
disposing a substrate on a platen within the process chamber, the substrate having a top surface defining a substrate plane;
disposing a hard mask on the top surface of the substrate, the hard mask having openings defining a pattern to be transferred to the substrate;
performing an etching process wherein the RIE source is activated and the ion beam is directed onto the hard mask to etch the pattern into the substrate;
performing a first deposition process wherein the first PECVD source is activated and the first radical beam is directed at a first side of the hard mask to deposit a first material on the first side of the hard mask; and
performing a second deposition process wherein the second PECVD source is activated and the second radical beam is directed at a second side of the hard mask opposite the first side to deposit a second material on the second side of the hard mask.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, wherein the first material and the second material are the same.

### Claim 10 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, wherein the first material and the second material are different.

### Claim 11 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, further comprising rotating at least one of the first PECVD source to adjust an angle of incidence of the first radical beam relative to the substrate plane and the second PECVD source to adjust an angle of incidence of the second radical beam relative to the substrate plane.

### Claim 12 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, further comprising rotating the RIE source to adjust an angle of incidence of the ion beam relative to the substrate plane.

### Claim 13 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, further comprising performing at least one of rotating the platen, tilting the platen, and scanning the platen.

### Claim 14 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, wherein at least one of the first deposition process and the second deposition process is performed before any etching processes are performed on the substrate in the process chamber.

### Claim 15 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, wherein the etching process, the first deposition process, and the second deposition process are repeated in a cyclical manner to maintain a desired profile of the hard mask.

### Claim 16

A method of performing an etching process using an etching and deposition system including a process chamber, an reactive-ion etching (RIE) source adapted to produce an ion beam and to direct the ion beam into the process chamber, and a plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) source located adjacent the RIE source, the PECVD source adapted to produce a radical beam and to direct the radical beam into the process chamber, the method comprising:
disposing a substrate on a platen, the substrate having a top surface defining a substrate plane;
disposing a hard mask on the top surface of the substrate, the hard mask having openings defining a pattern to be transferred to the substrate;
performing an etching process wherein the RIE source is activated and the ion beam is directed onto the hard mask to etch the pattern into the substrate;
performing a first deposition process wherein the PECVD source is activated and the radical beam is directed at a first side of the hard mask to deposit a material on the first side of the hard mask;
rotating the platen; and
performing a second deposition process wherein the PECVD source is activated and the radical beam is directed at a second side of the hard mask opposite the first side to deposit the material on the second side of the hard mask.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The method of claim 16, further comprising rotating the PECVD source to adjust an angle of incidence of the radical beam relative to the substrate plane.

### Claim 18 (depends on 16)

The method of claim 16, further comprising rotating the RIE source to adjust an angle of incidence of the ion beam relative to the substrate plane.

### Claim 19 (depends on 16)

The method of claim 16, further comprising performing at least one of rotating the platen, tilting the platen, and scanning the platen.

### Claim 20 (depends on 16)

The method of claim 16, wherein at least one of the first deposition process and the second deposition process is performed before any etching processes are performed on the substrate in the process chamber.

### Claim 21 (depends on 16)

The method of claim 16, wherein the etching process, the first deposition process, and the second deposition process are repeated in a cyclical manner to maintain a desired profile of the hard mask.