# US 2018/0025916 A1 · Monolayer film mediated precision material etch

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- Number: US 2018/0025916 A1
- Document ID: US20180025916A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 15/658,149
- Filed: 2017-07-24
- Published: 2018-01-25
- Earliest claimed: 2016-07-25
- Assignees: Tokyo Electron Limited
- Applicants: Tokyo Electron Limited
- Inventors: Alok Ranjan; Peter Ventzek
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20180025916A1

## CPC

- H10P 50/283: {by chemical means}
- H10D 88/00: Three-dimensional [3D] integrated devices
- H10P: GENERIC PROCESSES OR APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10
- H10D: INORGANIC ELECTRIC SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES

## Abstract

A method of etching is described. The method includes treating at least a portion of a surface exposed on a substrate with an adsorption-promoting agent to alter a functionality of the exposed surface and cause subsequent adsorption of a carbon-containing precursor, and thereafter, adsorbing the organic precursor to the functionalized surface to form a carbon-containing film. Then, at least a portion of the surface of the carbon-containing film is exposed to an ion flux to remove the adsorbed carbon-containing film and at least a portion of the material of the underlying substrate.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method of etching, comprising:
treating at least a portion of a surface exposed on a substrate with an adsorption-promoting agent to alter a functionality of the exposed surface and cause subsequent adsorption of a carbon-containing precursor;
thereafter, adsorbing the carbon-containing precursor to the functionalized surface to form a carbon-containing film; and
exposing at least a portion of the surface of the carbon-containing film to an ion flux to remove the adsorbed carbon-containing film and at least a portion of the material of the underlying substrate.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the substrate comprises silicon, germanium, or a silicon-germanium alloy.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the adsorption-promoting agent is NH2 formed using an ammonia-based plasma.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising:
pre-treating the surface of the substrate with a pre-treatment charged particle flux prior to treating the surface with the adsorption-promoting agent.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The method of claim 4, wherein the pre-treatment charged particle flux includes an ion flux from an inert gas plasma.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the carbon-containing precursor includes a —CH containing precursor, or a monomer precursor.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the material of the underlying substrate being removed includes silicon oxide or silicon nitride.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising:
exposing the carbon-containing film to a fluorine-containing material to adjust the fluorine to carbon content of the carbon-containing film.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising:
repeating the treating, adsorbing, and exposing steps to remove multiple layers of material.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising:
purging the environment following the treating step and preceding the adsorbing step.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising:
purging the environment following the adsorbing step and preceding the removing step.