Method and apparatus for etching the silicon oxide layer of a semiconductor substrate
AssigneePukyong National University
InventorKwon-Taek LIM
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An aspect of the invention is to provide a method and apparatus for etching the silicon oxide layer of a semiconductor substrate, whereby the processing time for cleaning or rinsing, as well as any undesired aftereffects by residual hydrofluoric acid, may be reduced, in using the dry etching method involving the use of dense carbon dioxide that contains hydrofluoric acid, during the manufacturing process of a micro-electronic device.
Claims18
A method for etching a silicon oxide layer of a semiconductor substrate, the method comprising:
- placing a semiconductor substrate having a structure formed thereon onto a platform of a reaction chamber;
- etching a silicon oxide layer of the semiconductor substrate by supplying dense carbon dioxide into the reaction chamber and injecting an etchant;
- discharging a fluid inside the reaction chamber down to a lower part of the reaction chamber by injecting supercritical helium to an upper part of the reaction chamber, after etching the silicon oxide layer of the semiconductor substrate;
- discharging the supercritical helium from an upper part of the reaction chamber by injecting dense carbon dioxide to a lower part of the reaction chamber;
- and
- drying the semiconductor substrate by decompressing an inside of the reaction chamber.
An apparatus for etching a silicon oxide layer of a semiconductor substrate, the apparatus comprising:
- a reaction chamber having a semiconductor substrate placed therein, the semiconductor substrate having a silicon oxide layer formed thereon;
- an etchant reservoir for supplying etchant into the reaction chamber;
- a pressure pump for injecting the etchant into the reaction chamber;
- a carbon dioxide cylinder for providing carbon dioxide;
- a pressure pump for pressurizing carbon dioxide supplied from the carbon dioxide cylinder to provide dense carbon dioxide and supplying the dense carbon dioxide to the reaction chamber;
- a helium cylinder for providing supercritical helium;
- a pressure pump for supplying the supercritical helium supplied from the helium cylinder to the reaction chamber;
- a three-way valve for injecting and discharging dense carbon dioxide, etchant, and supercritical helium into and from the reaction chamber;
- and
- a discharge pipe for discharging the dense carbon dioxide and the etchant used in etching from the reaction chamber.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.