Etching silicon-containing materials by use of silicon-containing compounds
AssigneeApplied Materials, Inc.
InventorsDale A. Olson, Xue-Yu Qian, Patty Hui-ing Tsai
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Abstract
During the etching of a silicon-containing material using a halogen-containing etch gas, a silicon-hydride gas is added to the etch gas to provide increased sidewall protection during the etch. Suitably up to about 50 percent by volume of a silicon-containing gas such as silane is added to improve anisotropy of the etch and to prevent notching at the silicon-substrate interface.
Claims10
In a process for anisotropically etching openings in silicon-containing materials with a halogen etch gas selected from the group consisting of a halogen and a hydrogen halide, the improvement comprising adding a silicon-hydride gas to the etch gas, thereby depositing a protective silicon-containing layer on etched sidewalls of said openings.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.