Directional deposition in etch chamber
AssigneeLam Research Corporation
InventorsZhongkui Tan, Lisi Xie, Yoko Yamaguchi, Yasushi Ishikawa, Patrick Ponath, Sung Jin Jung, Sangjun Park, Wonchul Lee, Jayoung Choi
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Methods for forming a vertical growth mask for use in etching applications are described herein. Disclosed embodiments include introducing a tungsten-containing deposition precursor and one or more carrier gases while igniting a plasma to deposit tungsten selectively on field regions of positive features of a patterned etch mask without substantial deposition on sidewalls of the positive features or on an exposed surface of a target layer underlying the patterned etch mask.
Claims10
A method comprising:
- providing a semiconductor substrate having a patterned etch mask over a target layer, the patterned etch mask comprising spaced apart positive features, each spaced apart positive feature having a field region and sidewalls;
- and
- depositing a vertical growth mask selectively on the field region of the spaced apart positive features relative to the target layer.
A method comprising:
- providing a semiconductor substrate having a patterned etch mask over a target layer, the patterned etch mask having spaced apart positive features, each spaced apart positive feature having a first critical dimension and a field region and sidewalls, and
- depositing a mask on the field region of a corresponding spaced apart positive feature relative to target layer, the mask having a second critical dimension,
- wherein the mask is deposited such that as deposition thickness of the mask increases, the second critical dimension maintains within about 150% of the first critical dimension.
A method comprising:
- providing a semiconductor substrate having a patterned etch mask over a target layer, the patterned etch mask comprising spaced apart positive features, each spaced apart positive feature having a field region and sidewalls;
- and
- depositing a vertically selectively grown tungsten-containing mask on the field region of the spaced apart positive features relative to target layer.
A method comprising:
- providing a semiconductor substrate comprising a carbon-containing target layer, an anti-reflective layer, and a patterned photoresist;
- patterning the anti-reflective layer to form a patterned anti-reflective mask;
- exposing the semiconductor substrate to a tungsten-containing precursor and igniting a plasma under conditions to selectively deposit a tungsten-containing mask to form a patterned tungsten-containing mask on field regions of the patterned anti-reflective mask;
- and
- patterning the carbon-containing target layer using the patterned anti-reflective mask and patterned tungsten-containing mask.
A method comprising:
- providing a semiconductor substrate comprising a target layer and a patterned etch mask having a first critical dimension;
- and
- exposing the semiconductor substrate to plasma generated using a plasma power between about 100 W and about 500 W from a tungsten-containing precursor and a mixture of argon and hydrogen gas at a substrate temperature less than about 160° C. to form tungsten material having a second critical dimension on the patterned etch mask,
- wherein the second critical dimension is within 150% of the first critical dimension.
An apparatus comprising:
- a reaction chamber including a pedestal for holding a substrate;
- a plasma source coupled to the reaction chamber and configured to generate a plasma;
- one or more first gas inlets coupled to the reaction chamber;
- a second gas inlet coupled to the reaction chamber;
- and
- a controller comprising instructions for performing the following operations:
- causing introduction of a tungsten-containing precursor and a mixture of argon and hydrogen gas;
- causing generation of the plasma using a plasma power between about 100 W and about 500 W;
- and
- causing temperature of the pedestal to be set to less than about 160° C.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.