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US 7,682,480 B2Granted
Photoresist conditioning with hydrogen ramping
AssigneeLam Research Corporation
InventorsKeren Jacobs Kanarik, Aaron Eppler
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method for etching a feature in an etch layer through a photoresist mask over a substrate is provided. A substrate with an etch layer disposed below a photoresist mask is placed in a process chamber. The photoresist mask is conditioned, wherein the conditioning comprises providing a conditioning gas comprising a hydrogen containing gas with a flow rate and at least one of a fluorocarbon and a hydrofluorocarbon with a flow rate to the process chamber; and energizing the conditioning gas to form the conditioning plasma. The conditioning plasma is stepped. An etch plasma is provided to the process chamber, wherein the etch plasma is different than the conditioning plasma. A feature is etched in the etch layer with the etch plasma.
Claims15
An apparatus for etching a feature in an etch layer through a photoresist mask over a substrate, comprising:
- a plasma processing chamber, comprising:
- a chamber wall forming a plasma processing chamber enclosure;
- a substrate support for supporting a substrate within the plasma processing chamber enclosure;
- a pressure regulator for regulating the pressure in the plasma processing chamber enclosure;
- at least one electrode for providing power to the plasma processing chamber enclosure for sustaining a plasma;
- a gas inlet for providing gas into the plasma processing chamber enclosure;
- and
- a gas outlet for exhausting gas from the plasma processing chamber enclosure;
- a gas source in fluid connection with the gas inlet, comprising;
- an etchant source;
- a hydrogen containing gas source;
- and
- an at least one of a fluorocarbon and hydrofluorocarbon gas source;
- and
- a controller controllably connected to the gas source and the at least one electrode, comprising:
- at least one processor;
- and
- computer readable media comprising:
- computer readable code for conditioning the photoresist mask, comprising:
- computer readable code for providing a conditioning gas comprising a hydrogen containing gas with a flow rate from the hydrogen containing gas source and at least one of a fluorocarbon and a hydrofluorocarbon with a flow rate from the at least one of a fluorocarbon and hydrofluorocarbon gas source to the process chamber;
- and
- computer readable code for using the at least one electrode for energizing the conditioning gas to form the conditioning plasma;
- and
- computer readable code ramping the conditioning gas so that a ratio of the flow rate of the hydrogen containing gas and the flow rate of the at least one of the fluorocarbon and hydrofluorocarbon is ramped down;
- computer readable code for stopping the conditioning plasma;
- computer readable code for providing an etch plasma to the process chamber, wherein the etch plasma is different than the conditioning plasma;
- and
- computer readable code for etching a feature in the etch layer with the etch plasma.
25 more elements
An apparatus for etching a feature in an etch layer through a photoresist mask over a substrate, wherein a BARC is disposed between the photoresist mask and the etch layer, comprising:
- a plasma processing chamber, comprising:
- a chamber wall forming a plasma processing chamber enclosure;
- a substrate support for supporting a substrate within the plasma processing chamber enclosure;
- a pressure regulator for regulating the pressure in the plasma processing chamber enclosure;
- at least one electrode for providing power to the plasma processing chamber enclosure for sustaining a plasma;
- a gas inlet for providing gas into the plasma processing chamber enclosure;
- and
- a gas outlet for exhausting gas from the plasma processing chamber enclosure;
- a gas source in fluid connection with the gas inlet, comprising;
- an etchant source;
- a hydrogen containing gas source;
- and
- an at least one of a fluorocarbon and hydrofluorocarbon gas source;
- and
- a controller controllably connected to the gas source and the at least one electrode, comprising:
- at least one processor;
- and
- computer readable media comprising:
- computer readable code for conditioning the photoresist mask, wherein the conditioning of the photoresist mask opens the BARC with at least 100:1 photoresist selectivity when opening the BARC, comprising:
- computer readable code for providing a conditioning gas comprising a hydrogen containing gas with a flow rate from the hydrogen containing gas source and at least one of a fluorocarbon and a hydrofluorocarbon with a flow rate from the at least one of a fluorocarbon and hydrofluorocarbon gas source to the process chamber;
- and
- computer readable code for energizing the at least one electrode to energize the conditioning gas to form the conditioning plasma;
- and
- computer readable code ramping the conditioning gas so that a ratio of the flow rate of the hydrogen containing gas and the flow rate of the at least one of the fluorocarbon and hydrofluorocarbon is ramped down;
- and
- computer readable code for stopping the conditioning plasma;
- computer readable code for providing an etch plasma to the process chamber, wherein the etch plasma is different than the conditioning plasma;
- and
- computer readable code for etching a feature in the etch layer with the etch plasma.
26 more elements
An apparatus for etching a feature in an etch layer through an antireflective coating and a photoresist mask over a substrate, comprising:
- a plasma processing chamber, comprising:
- a chamber wall forming a plasma processing chamber enclosure;
- a substrate support for supporting a substrate within the plasma processing chamber enclosure;
- a pressure regulator for regulating the pressure in the plasma processing chamber enclosure;
- at least one electrode for providing power to the plasma processing chamber enclosure for sustaining a plasma;
- a gas inlet for providing gas into the plasma processing chamber enclosure;
- and
- a gas outlet for exhausting gas from the plasma processing chamber enclosure;
- a gas source in fluid connection with the gas inlet, comprising;
- an etchant source;
- a hydrogen containing gas source;
- and
- an at least one of a fluorocarbon and hydrofluorocarbon gas source;
- and
- a controller controllably connected to the gas source and the at least one electrode, comprising:
- at least one processor;
- and
- computer readable media comprising:
- computer readable code for opening the antireflective coating, comprising:
- computer readable codes for providing a conditioning gas comprising a hydrogen containing gas with a flow rate and at least one of a fluorocarbon and a hydrofluorocarbon with a flow rate to the process chamber;
- and
- computer readable code for energizing the at least one electrode to energize the conditioning gas to form the conditioning plasma;
- and
- computer readable code ramping the conditioning gas so that a ratio of the flow rate of the hydrogen containing gas and the flow rate of the at least one of the fluorocarbon and hydrofluorocarbon is ramped down;
- and
- computer readable code for stopping the conditioning plasma after the antireflective coating is opened;
- computer readable code for providing an etch plasma to the process chamber, wherein the etch plasma is different than the conditioning plasma;
- and
- computer readable code for etching a feature in the etch layer with the etch plasma through the antireflective coating and photoresist mask.
26 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.