# US 7,608,544 B2 · Etching method and storage medium

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- Number: US 7,608,544 B2
- Document ID: US7608544B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 11/753,228
- Filed: 2007-05-24
- Published: 2007-11-29
- Granted: 2009-10-27
- Earliest claimed: 2006-05-25
- Assignees: Tokyo Electron Limited
- Inventors: Akitoshi Harada
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US7608544B2

## CPC

- H10P 50/287: {by chemical means}
- H10P 50/283: {by chemical means}
- H10P 50/73: {using masks for insulating materials}
- H10P 76/204: {of organic photoresist masks}
- H10P: GENERIC PROCESSES OR APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10

## Abstract

An etching method which makes it possible to obtain a desired etching shape with ease, and a computer-readable storage medium storing a program for implementing the method. The etching method is executed by a substrate processing apparatus that performs plasma processing on a semiconductor wafer by plasma. The apparatus comprises a substrate accommodating chamber for accommodating the semiconductor wafer which has an oxide film and a resist film formed on the oxide film, and an upper electrode plate disposed in the substrate accommodating chamber and exposed in a processing space in the substrate accommodating chamber. At least part of the upper electrode plate is formed of a silicon-containing material. The upper electrode plate is sputtered by plasma, and the oxide film is etched by plasma.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An etching method which is executed by a substrate processing apparatus that includes an accommodating chamber for accommodating a substrate including an oxide film and a resist film formed on the oxide film, and an exposed member disposed in the accommodating chamber and exposed to a space in the accommodating chamber, and performs plasma processing on the substrate by plasma generated in the accommodating chamber, at least part of the exposed member being formed of a silicon-containing material,
the etching method comprising:
a sputtering step of sputtering the exposed member by plasma to form a silicon-containing film on the resist film; and
an oxide film etching step of etching the oxide film by plasma, using the resist film and the silicon-containing film as etching masks.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

An etching method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the substrate has an antireflection film formed between the oxide film and the resist film, and
the etching method comprising an antireflection film etching step of etching the antireflection film prior to said sputtering step.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

An etching method as claimed in claim 1, wherein a high-frequency power is supplied to the exposed member.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

An etching method as claimed in claim 1, wherein in said sputtering step, plasma generated from an inert gas or an inactive gas is used.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

An etching method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the substrate processing apparatus includes a mounting stage disposed in the accommodating chamber, for having the substrate placed thereon, and the exposed member is an electrode plate disposed in facing relation to the mounting stage.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

An etching method as claimed in claim 5, wherein a high-frequency power is supplied to the mounting stage, and the high-frequency power supplied to the electrode plate is larger than the high-frequency power supplied to the mounting stage.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

An etching method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the silicon-containing film sandwiches the resist film between the silicon-containing film and an antireflection film.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

An etching method as claimed in claim 7, wherein the silicon-containing film is removed from the resist film during the step of etching the oxide film.

### Claim 9

A computer-readable storage medium storing a program for implementing an etching method which is executed by a substrate processing apparatus that includes an accommodating chamber for accommodating a substrate including an oxide film and a resist film formed on the oxide film, and an exposed member disposed in the accommodating chamber and exposed to a space in the accommodating chamber, and performs plasma processing on the substrate by plasma generated in the accommodating chamber, at least part of the exposed member being formed of a silicon-containing material,
the etching method comprising:
a sputtering step of sputtering the exposed member by plasma to form a silicon-containing film on the resist film; and
an oxide film etching step of etching the oxide film by plasma, using the resist film and the silicon-containing film as etching masks.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The computer readable medium as claimed in claim 9, wherein the silicon-containing film sandwiches the resist film between the silicon-containing film and an antireflection film.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The computer readable medium as claimed in claim 10, wherein the silicon-containing film is removed from the resist film during the step of etching the oxide film.