Substrate cleaning apparatus and method
AssigneeApplied Materials, Inc.
InventorsHaojiang Chen, James S. Papanu, Mark Kawaguchi, Harald Herchen, Jeng H. Hwang, Guangxiang Jin, David Palagashvili
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Abstract
A method of processing a substrate 30 comprises exposing the substrate 30 to an energized process gas to etch features 67 on the substrate 30 and exposing the substrate 30 to an energized cleaning gas to remove etchant residue 70 and/or remnant resist 60 from the substrate 30. To enhance the cleaning process, the substrate 30 may be treated before, during or after the cleaning process by exposing the substrate 30 to an energized treating gas comprising a halogen species.
Claims49
A substrate processing method comprising:
- (a) exposing a substrate to an energized process gas to etch a pattern of features on the substrate;
- (b) after (a), exposing the substrate to an energized cleaning gas;
- and
- (c) after (b), exposing the substrate to an energized treating gas formed from treating gas comprising HCl.
A substrate processing method comprising:
- (a) exposing a substrate to an energized process gas in a first process zone to etch a pattern of features on the substrate;
- (b) after (a), exposing the substrate to an energized cleaning gas in a second process zone;
- and
- (c) after (a) and before (b), exposing the substrate to an energized treating gas comprising a chlorine species in the first process zone.
A substrate processing method comprising:
- (a) exposing a substrate to an energized process gas to etch a pattern of features on the substrate;
- (b) after (a), exposing the substrate to an energized cleaning gas;
- and
- (c) after (a) and before or after (b), coupling RF or microwave energy to a treating gas in a remote zone to form an energized treating gas, the treating gas comprising (i) a fluorine species and (ii) a hydrogen species comprising one or more of H2O, H2 and NH3;
- introducing the energized treating gas into a process zone and exposing the substrate to the energized treating gas in the process zone.
A method of treating a substrate, the method comprising:
- (a) exposing a substrate to an energized process gas to etch a pattern of features on the substrate;
- (b) exposing the etched substrate to a first energized treating gas comprising chlorine species in a first process zone;
- and
- (c) after (b), exposing the etched substrate to a second energized treating gas comprising fluorine species in a second process zone.
A method of cleaning a substrate, the method comprising:
- (a) exposing a substrate to an energized process gas to etch a pattern of features on the substrate;
- (b) exposing the substrate to a cleaning gas;
- and
- (c) after (b), exposing the substrate to an energized treating gas, the treating gas comprising a fluorine species and NH3.
A substrate processing method comprising:
- (a) exposing a substrate to an energized process gas to etch a pattern of features on the substrate in a process zone;
- (b) after etching of the substrate is completed, exposing the substrate to an energized treating gas in the process zone while maintaining a bias power level applied to the substrate of from about 20 to about 100 watts, the energized treating gas comprising chlorine species;
- and
- (c) after (b), exposing the substrate to an energized cleaning gas.
A method of treating a substrate, the method comprising:
- (a) exposing a substrate to an energized process gas to etch a pattern of features on the substrate;
- (b) exposing the etched substrate to an energized process gas comprising oxygen species while maintaining the substrate at a temperature of at least about 200° C.;
- (c) before or after (b), treating the substrate with a treating gas;
- and
- (d) performing the step of rinsing the substrate with de-ionized water to remove etchant residue on the substrate without rinsing the substrate in another solvent.
A substrate processing method comprising:
- (a) exposing a substrate to an energized process gas to etch a pattern of features on the substrate;
- (b) after (a), exposing the substrate to a first energized treating gas comprising HCl;
- (c) after (b), exposing the substrate to an energized cleaning gas comprising one or more of H2O, NH3, H2O2, O2, N2, CF4, C2F6, CHF3, C3H2F6, C2H4F2, and CH3F;
- and
- (d) after (c), exposing the substrate to a second energized treating gas comprising NH3 and NF3.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.