Method of etching a silicon nitride film and method of manufacturing a semiconductor device using the same
OwnerJong-Heui Song, Sang-Sup Jeong +1inventors
InventorsJong-Heui Song, Sang-Sup Jeong, Seung-Min Lee
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Abstract
Disclosed is a method for etching a silicon nitride film, particularly for silicon nitride films formed over a buffer layer including silicon oxide film during the manufacture of semiconductor devices, that provides a silicon nitride to silicon oxide selectivity of at least about 5 while maintaining an acceptable silicon nitride etch rate. The method utilizes a plasma generated from an etching gas composition that includes CH2F2 and may optionally include argon and either CF4 or O2 that is applied to a silicon nitride film formed a semiconductor substrate while the substrate is heated to a process temperature of at least about 40° C.
Claims18
A method of etching a silicon nitride film comprising:
- forming a buffer layer of silicon dioxide on a semiconductor substrate;
- forming a silicon nitride film on the buffer layer;
- heating the semiconductor substrate to a process temperature of at least about 40° C.;
- and
- etching the silicon nitride film using a plasma generated from an etching gas including CH2F2, while maintaining the semiconductor substrate at the process temperature.
A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device comprising:
- forming a gate insulation film on a semiconductor substrate;
- forming a gate structure having a gate electrode and a gate mask on the gate insulation film;
- forming a first buffer layer including silicon oxide on the gate structure and on the semiconductor substrate;
- forming a silicon nitride film on the first buffer layer;
- heating the semiconductor substrate to a first processing temperature of at least about 40° C.;
- forming a first plasma from a first etching gas including CH2F2;
- and
- etching the silicon nitride film using the first plasma to form a gate spacer along a sidewall of the gate structure while maintaining the semiconductor substrate at the first process temperature.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.