Method of fabricating microelectronic device using super critical fluid
AssigneeSamsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
InventorsSang-Cheol Han, Jun-Hwan Oh
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Methods of fabricating a microelectronic device having improved performance characteristics are disclosed which are characterized by using super critical fluid to perform a material removal step. In one illustrative embodiment, the method includes preparing a substrate, forming an HSQ layer covering at least a portion of the substrate, and thereafter removing at least portions of the HSQ layer using super critical fluid CO2.
Claims30
In a method of fabricating a microelectronic device wherein, during an intermediate fabrication step, a semiconductor substrate has both a sacrificial layer formed of an HSQ-based material covering at least a portion of the substrate and also a second material layer in proximity to the sacrificial layer such that a conventional etching process to remove the sacrificial layer might damage the second material layer,
- the improvement comprising:
- using super critical fluid CO2 to remove the entire sacrificial layer without damaging the second material layer.
In a method of fabricating a microelectronic device comprising the sequential steps of:
- (a) preparing a semiconductor substrate;
- (b) forming an interlayer insulating layer on the substrate;
- (c) selectively etching the interlayer insulating layer, thereby forming an opening inside the interlayer insulating layer;
- (d) forming a sacrificial layer consisting essentially of a material selected from the group consisting of HSQ, BPSG, PSG, FSG and MSQ for filling at least a portion of the opening;
- (e) forming an etch mask for exposing the sacrificial layer and the interlayer insulating layer around the opening;
- (f) selectively etching the interlayer insulating layer and the sacrificial layer, which are exposed after forming the etch mask, thereby exposing an upper portion of the opening;
- (g) removing the sacrificial layer;
- (h) removing the etch mask;
- and
- (i) forming a conductive layer pattern inside the opening;
- the improvement comprising carrying out step (g) using super critical fluid to remove the entire sacrificial layer without damaging other layers.
In a method of fabricating a microelectronic device comprising the sequential steps of:
- (a) preparing a semiconductor substrate having a lower interconnection;
- (b) forming an etch stop layer for covering the lower interconnection;
- (c) forming an interlayer insulating layer as a low-k dielectric material on the etch stop layer;
- (d) etching the interlayer insulating layer until the etch stop layer is exposed, thereby forming an opening inside the interlayer insulating layer, the opening including a via exposing the etch stop layer at a bottom thereof and also including a preliminary trench extending from the via;
- (e) forming a sacrificial layer, composed of a HSQ based material together with a dissolution-inhibiting agent, for filling at least a portion of the opening;
- (f) forming a photoresist pattern for exposing the sacrificial layer and the interlayer insulating layer around the opening;
- (g) etching the interlayer insulating layer and the sacrificial layer exposed after the photoresist pattern is formed, thereby forming a trench extending from the preliminary trench;
- (h) removing concurrently the sacrificial layer and the photoresist pattern;
- (i) removing the etch stop layer, thereby exposing the lower interconnection;
- and
- (j) filling the via and the trench with a conductive layer, thereby forming an upper interconnection which is connected to the lower interconnection through the via;
- the improvement comprising carrying out step (h) using super critical fluid CO2 to remove the entire sacrificial layer and photoresist pattern without damaging the other layers.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.