# US 2018/0025914 A1 · Methods for high temperature etching a material layer using protection coating

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- Number: US 2018/0025914 A1
- Document ID: US20180025914A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 15/216,948
- Filed: 2016-07-22
- Published: 2018-01-25
- Earliest claimed: 2016-07-22
- Assignees: Applied Materials, Inc.
- Applicants: Applied Materials, Inc.
- Inventors: Hailong ZHOU; Gene LEE; Abhijit PATIL; Shan JIANG; Akhil MEHROTRA; Jonathan KIM
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20180025914A1

## CPC

- H10P 50/283: {by chemical means}
- H10P 50/73: {using masks for insulating materials}
- H10P 14/6336: {in the presence of a plasma [PECVD]}
- H10P 14/6684: {the compound comprising silicon and oxygen}
- H10P 14/6687: {the compound comprising silicon and nitrogen}
- H10P 14/6905: {being a silicon carbide or silicon carbonitride and not containing oxygen, e.g. SiC or SiC:H}
- H10P 14/6927: {the material being a silicon oxynitride, e.g. SiON or SiON:H}
- H10P 14/6938: {the material containing at least one metal element, e.g. metal oxides, metal oxynitrides or metal oxycarbides}
- H10P 50/266: {by vapour etching only}
- H10P 50/267: {using plasmas}
- H10P 50/268: {of silicon-containing layers}
- H10P 76/2043: {using an anti-reflective coating}
- H10P: GENERIC PROCESSES OR APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10

## Abstract

Methods for etching a bottom anti-reflective coating (BARC) and/or an anti-reflective coating (ARC) and/or a dielectric anti-reflective coating (DARC) to form high aspect ratio features using an etch process are provided. The methods described herein advantageously facilitate profile and dimension control of features with high aspect ratios through a proper sidewall and bottom management scheme during the bottom anti-reflective coating (BARC) and/or an anti-reflective coating (ARC) and/or a dielectric anti-reflective coating (DARC) open process. In one embodiment, a method for etching a dielectric anti-reflective coating (DARC) layer to form features in the DARC layer includes supplying an etching gas mixture onto a DARC layer disposed on a substrate, wherein the substrate is disposed on a substrate support pedestal assembly disposed in a processing chamber, controlling a temperature of the substrate support pedestal assembly greater than 110 degrees Celsius, and etching the DARC layer disposed on the substrate.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method for etching a dielectric anti-reflective coating (DARC) layer to form features in the DARC layer, comprising:
supplying an etching gas mixture onto a DARC layer disposed on a substrate, wherein the substrate is disposed on a substrate support pedestal assembly disposed in a processing chamber, wherein the etching gas mixture include at least a silicon containing gas, a carbon fluorine containing gas, a halogen containing gas and a reacting gas;
controlling a temperature of the substrate support pedestal assembly greater than 110 degrees Celsius; and
etching the DARC layer disposed on the substrate.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the DARC layer is a SiON layer.

### Claim 3

(canceled)

### Claim 4

(canceled)

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the silicon containing gas is SiCl4 and the reacting gas is O2.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the carbon fluorine containing gas is CHF3.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the halogen containing gas is Cl2.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, supplying the etching gas mixture further comprises:
forming a passivation protection formed on corners and sidewalls of features formed in DARC layer while etching the DARC layer.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, wherein the passivation protection is formed from a material selected from the group consisting of SiO2, SiON and SiN.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein a RF source power and a RF bias power energize the etching gas mixture to form a plasma from the etching gas mixture.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the silicon containing gas and the reacting gas is supplied in the etching gas mixture at a ratio between about 1:1 and about 1:100.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the silicon containing gas and the carbon fluorine containing gas is supplied at a ratio between about 1:1 and about 1:100.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the substrate further comprises a patterned hardmask layer disposed on the DARC layer, wherein the patterned hardmask layer is a carbon containing material.

### Claim 14 (depends on 2)

The method of claim 2, wherein the substrate further comprises a dielectric layer disposed between the substrate and the DARC layer.

### Claim 15 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the temperature of the substrate support pedestal assembly is controlled at between about 160 degrees Celsius and about 250 degrees Celsius.

### Claim 16

A method for etching a dielectric anti-reflective coating (DARC) layer to form features in the DARC layer, comprising:
etching a DARC layer disposed on a substrate while forming a passivation protection on the DARC layer, wherein the substrate is disposed on a substrate support pedestal assembly disposed in a processing chamber, wherein the DARC layer is a SiON layer, wherein the etching gas mixture include at least a silicon containing gas, a carbon fluorine containing gas, a halogen containing gas and a reacting gas; and
controlling a temperature of the substrate support pedestal assembly at between about 160 degrees Celsius and about 250 degrees Celsius during the etching process.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The method of claim 16, wherein the substrate further comprises a patterned mask layer disposed on the DARC layer, wherein the patterned mask layer is a carbon containing layer.

### Claim 18 (depends on 16)

The method of claim 16, wherein the substrate further comprises a dielectric layer disposed between the DARC layer and the substrate.

### Claim 19

(canceled)

### Claim 20

A method for etching a dielectric anti-reflective coating (DARC) layer to form features in the DARC layer, comprising:
supplying an etching gas mixture includes a silicon containing gas, a carbon fluorine containing gas, a halogen containing gas and a reacting gas to etch a DARC layer disposed on a substrate while forming a passivation protection on the substrate, wherein the substrate is disposed on a substrate support pedestal assembly disposed in a processing chamber; and
controlling a temperature of the substrate support pedestal assembly at between about 160 degrees Celsius and about 250 degrees Celsius during the etching process.