Processing electronic devices using a combination of supercritical fluid and sonic energy
OwnerJames Clarke, Kenneth Cadien +1inventors
InventorsJames Clarke, Kenneth Cadien, Justin Brask
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method of processing a substrate. The method comprises flowing a supercritical fluid and a co-solvent across a substrate placed in a pressure tight vessel and applying a sonic energy to a surface of the substrate. The sonic energy can be an ultrasonic energy or a megasonic energy. The use of supercritical fluid and sonic energy can be used to clean a substrate, condition a surface of a substrate, to etch a substrate, to etch metal, to deliver materials to trenches and cavaties, and to selectively remove a polysilicon layer.
Claims30
A method of processing a substrate comprising:
- flowing a supercritical fluid and a co-solvent across a substrate placed in a pressure tight vessel;
- and
- applying a sonic energy to a surface of the substrate.
A method of cleaning particles off a substrate comprising:
- placing a substrate in a pressure tight vessel, the vessel including a transducer and a substrate support, the substrate being placed on the substrate support;
- flowing a supercritical fluid mixed with a co-solvent into the vessel;
- applying a sonic energy to a surface of the substrate using the transducer;
- causing cavitation around one or more particles;
- and
- removing the particles off the substrate.
A method comprising:
- obtaining a device substrate having a metal feature disposed thereon;
- etching at least a portion of the metal using a supercritical fluid mixed with an etching fluid while applying sonic energy to the supercritical fluid mixed with the etching fluid.
A method comprising:
- obtaining a device substrate having a polysilicon layer disposed thereon;
- etching at least a portion of the polysilicon using a supercritical fluid mixed with an etching fluid while applying sonic energy to the supercritical fluid mixed with the etching fluid.
A method of fabricating a semiconductor device comprising:
- providing a substrate;
- forming a gate dielectric on the substrate;
- forming a polysilicon gate on the gate dielectric;
- etching at least a portion of the polysilicon gate using a supercritical fluid mixed with an etching fluid while applying sonic energy to the supercritical fluid mixed with the etching fluid;
- and
- forming a metal gate over the portion of polysilicon gate that has been etched.
A method comprising:
- obtaining a substrate having a filled trench;
- exposing the substrate to a supercritical fluid mixed with an etching fluid;
- and
- while the substrate is exposed to the supercritical fluid mixed with the etching fluid, applying sonic energy to the supercritical fluid mixed with the etching fluid, wherein the exposing removes material used to fill the trench.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.