Semiconductor wafer etching method and post-etching process
AssigneeTokyo Electron Limited
InventorAkihito Toda
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Abstract
The present invention discloses a method including the main etching step for etching a semiconductor wafer having a resist film serving as an etching mask by plasma of an etching gas, and an post-processing step for processing the object after the main etching so as to remove remaining part of the resist film, a polymer adhered to the surface of the object, and a damage layer created during the primary etching. In the post-processing step, O.sub.2 gas is made into plasma, by which the remaining part of the resist layer, and the polymer adhered to the surface of the object are removed, and after such a process is substantially finished, a mixture gas including a halogen-containing gas such as CF.sub.4 and O.sub.2 gas is made into plasma, by which the damage layer is removed.
Claims28
An etching method comprising:
- a main etching step for etching an object to be processed having a resist film serving as an etching mask;
- and
- a post-processing step for processing the object after the main etching step so as to eliminate a remaining part of the resist film on the object, a polymer adhered to a surface of the object, and a damage layer created by the main etching step,
- said post-processing step including a first step of ashing for eliminating the remaining part of the resist film, and the polymer adhered to the surface of the object by plasma produced from a gas consisting essentially of an O.sub.2 processing gas, or an O.sub.2 processing gas and an inert gas, and a second step of light etching for eliminating the damage layer by plasma produced from a gas consisting essentially of a halogen-containing gas and said O.sub.2 processing gas, or a halogen-containing gas, said O.sub.2 processing gas, and an inert gas, after substantially completing the first step,
- wherein said first step and said second step of said post-processing step are carried out continuously in the same processing vessel.
A post-etching process carried out on an etched object with a resist film serving as an etching mask, comprising:
- a first step of ashing for eliminating a remaining part of the resist film, and a polymer adhered to a surface of the object by plasma produced from a gas consisting essentially of an O.sub.2 processing gas, or an O.sub.2 processing gas and an inert gas;
- and
- a second step of light etching for eliminating a damage layer by plasma produced from a gas consisting essentially of a halogen-containing gas and said O.sub.2 processing gas, or a halogen-containing gas, said O.sub.2 processing gas, and an inert gas, after substantially completing the first step,
- wherein said first step and said second step of said post-processing step are carried out continuously in the same processing vessel.
A post-etching process carried out on an etched object with a resist film serving as an etching mask, comprising:
- a first step of ashing for eliminating a remaining part of the resist film, and a polymer adhered to a surface of the object by plasma produced from a gas consisting essentially of an O.sub.2 processing gas or an O.sub.2 processing gas and a inert gas;
- and
- a second step of light etching for eliminating a damage layer by plasma produced from a gas consisting essentially of a halogen-containing gas and said O.sub.2 processing gas, or a halogen-containing gas, an inert gas and said O.sub.2 processing gas, after substantially completing the first step,
- wherein said object is heated in said post-etching process,
- wherein said first step and said second step of said post-processing step are carried out continuously in the same processing vessel.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.