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AssigneeAdvanced Technology Materials, Inc.
InventorsPeter C. Van Buskirk, Frank DiMeo, Jr., Peter C. Kirlin, Thomas H. Baum
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A method for removing from a microelectronic device structure a noble metal residue including at least one metal selected from the group consisting of platinum, palladium, iridium and rhodium, by contacting the microelectronic device structure with a cleaning gas including a reactive halide composition, e.g., XeF2, SF6, SiF4, Si2F6 or SiF3 and SiF2 radicals. The method may be carried out in a batch-cleaning mode, in which fresh charges of cleaning gas are successively introduced to a chamber containing the residue-bearing microelectronic device structure. Each charge is purged from the chamber after reaction with the residue, and the charging/purging is continued until the residue has been at least partially removed to a desired extent. Alternatively, the cleaning gas may be continuously flowed through the chamber containing the microelectronic device structure, until the noble metal residue has been sufficiently removed.
A method for removing from a microelectronic device structure a noble metal residue including at least one metal selected from the group consisting of platinum, palladium, iridium and rhodium, the method comprising contacting the microelectronic device structure with a gas-phase reactive halide composition comprising XeF2 in an amount effective to remove sufficient residue from the microelectronic device structure to reduce noble metal residue-caused deficiencies in the operation of the microelectronic device.
A method for removing from a microelectronic device structure a noble metal residue comprising iridium, the method comprising contacting the microelectronic device structure with a gas-phase reactive halide composition comprising XeF2 to remove the residue.
A method for removing from a microelectronic device structure a noble metal residue comprising iridium the method comprising contacting the microelectronic device structure with a cleaning gas comprising gas-phase XeF2 to at least partially remove the noble metal residue.
A method for removing from a microelectronic device structure a noble metal residue including at least one metal selected from the group consisting of platinum, palladium, iridium and rhodium, the method comprising contacting the microelectronic device structure with a gas-phase reactive halide composition comprising XeF2, to remove the residue, wherein the microelectronic device structure is disposed in a chamber, said method further comprising:
A method for removing from a microelectronic device structure a noble metal residue comprising at least one metal selected from the group consisting of platinum, palladium, iridium and rhodium, the method comprising contacting the microelectronic device structure with a gas-phase reactive halide composition comprising XeF2, wherein the halide component is present in an amount and for a time sufficient to remove sufficient residue to reduce noble metal residue-caused deficiencies in the operation of the microelectronic device structure.
A method for etching a noble metal composition comprising iridium comprising contacting the noble metal with an etchant comprising XeF2.
A method for etching iridium comprising contacting the iridium with an etchant comprising XeF2.
A method for removing from a microelectronic device structure a noble metal residue including at least one metal selected from the group consisting of platinum, palladium, iridium and rhodium, the method comprising contacting the microelectronic device structure with a gas-phase reactive halide composition comprising XeF2, in an amount effective to at least partially remove the residue.
A method for removing from a microelectronic device structure a noble metal residue including at least one metal selected from the group consisting of platinum, palladium, iridium and rhodium, the method comprising contacting the microelectronic device structure with a gas-phase reactive halide composition consisting essentially of XeF2, in an amount effective to at least partially remove the residue, and optionally including:
A method for removing from a microelectronic device structure a noble metal residue including at least one metal selected from the group consisting of platinum, palladium, iridium and rhodium, the method comprising contacting the microelectronic device structure with a gas-phase reactive halide composition comprising XeF2, wherein the halide component is present in an amount effective to remove sufficient residue from the microelectronic device structure to eliminate noble residue-caused deficiencies in the operation of the microelectronic device.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.