Hydrogen Plasma Cleaning of Germanium Oxide Surfaces
AssigneeIntermolecular, Inc.
InventorsRatsamee Limdulpaiboon, Chi-I Lang, Sandip Niyogi, J. Watanabe
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Methods and apparatus for processing using a remote plasma source are disclosed. The apparatus includes an outer chamber enclosing a substrate support, a remote plasma source, and a showerhead. A substrate heater can be mounted in the substrate support. A transport system moves the substrate support and is capable of positioning the substrate. The plasma system may be used to generate activated hydrogen species. The activated hydrogen species can be used to etch/clean semiconductor oxide surfaces such as silicon oxide or germanium oxide.
Claims20
A method for etching a layer, the method comprising:
- providing a substrate, wherein the substrate comprises a semiconductor oxide layer formed thereon;
- exposing the semiconductor oxide layer to activated hydrogen species, wherein the activated hydrogen species are formed using a plasma source, and wherein the activated hydrogen species are operable to remove at least a portion of the semiconductor oxide layer.
A method for etching a layer, the method comprising:
- providing a substrate, wherein the substrate comprises a germanium oxide layer formed thereon;
- exposing the germanium oxide layer to activated hydrogen species, wherein the activated hydrogen species are formed using a plasma source, and wherein the activated hydrogen species are operable to remove at least a portion of the germanium oxide layer.
A method for cleaning a layer, the method comprising:
- providing a substrate, wherein the substrate comprises a germanium oxide layer formed thereon;
- exposing the germanium oxide layer to activated hydrogen species,
- wherein the activated hydrogen species are formed using a plasma source, and
- wherein the activated hydrogen species are operable to remove at least a portion of the germanium oxide layer,
- wherein the exposing is performed at a temperature between 100 C and 500 C,
- wherein the exposing further comprises flowing argon and the argon is flowed at a rate between 10 sccm and 1000 sccm,
- wherein the exposing further comprises flowing hydrogen gas and the hydrogen gas is flowed at a rate between 10 sccm and 100 sccm,
- wherein the exposing is performed at a pressure between 0.5 Torr and 5 Torr, and
- wherein the exposing is performed for a time between 0.25 minutes and 60 minutes.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.