# US 8,569,178 B2 · Plasma processing method and plasma processing apparatus

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- Number: US 8,569,178 B2
- Document ID: US8569178B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 13/195,925
- Filed: 2011-08-02
- Published: 2012-02-09
- Granted: 2013-10-29
- Earliest claimed: 2010-08-03
- Assignees: Tokyo Electron Limited
- Applicants: Masanori Hosoya; Masahiro Ito; Ryoichi Yoshida
- Inventors: Masanori Hosoya; Masahiro Ito; Ryoichi Yoshida
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8569178B2

## CPC

- H10P 50/73: {using masks for insulating materials}
- G03F 7/40: Treatment after imagewise removal, e.g. baking
- H01J 37/32091: {the radio frequency energy being capacitively coupled to the plasma}
- H01J 37/32165: {Plural frequencies}
- H01J 37/32697: {Electrostatic control}
- H10P 76/204: {of organic photoresist masks}
- G03F 7/405: {Treatment with inorganic or organometallic reagents after imagewise removal}
- H10P: GENERIC PROCESSES OR APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10
- G03F: PHOTOMECHANICAL PRODUCTION OF TEXTURED OR PATTERNED SURFACES, e.g. FOR PRINTING, FOR PROCESSING OF SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES; MATERIALS THEREFOR; ORIGINALS THEREFOR; APPARATUS SPECIALLY ADAPTED THEREFOR; (phototypographic composing devices B41B; photosensitive materials or processes for photographic purposes G03C; electrophotography, sensitive layers or processes therefor G03G)
- H01J: ELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS (spark-gaps H01T; electric arc lamps H05B31/00; particle accelerators H05H)

## Abstract

A plasma processing method includes: etching an anti reflection coating film with plasma generated from an etching gas by using a resist film that is patterned as a mask, in a deposited film in which an Si-ARC film constituting the anti reflection coating film is formed on a layer to be etched and the ArF resist film is formed on the anti reflection coating film; and modifying the ArF resist film with plasma generated from a modifying gas including a CF4 gas, a COS gas and an Ar gas by introducing the modifying gas into a plasma processing apparatus, wherein the modifying is performed before the etching.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A plasma processing method comprising:
etching an anti reflection coating film with plasma generated from an etching gas by using a resist film that is patterned as a mask, in a deposited film in which the anti reflection coating film is formed on a layer to be etched and the resist film is formed on the anti reflection coating film; and
hardening the resist film with plasma generated from a modifying gas comprising a CF4 gas, a COS gas and an inert gas by introducing the modifying gas into a plasma processing apparatus, wherein the hardening is performed before the etching.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The plasma processing method of claim 1, wherein the etching comprises applying high frequency power to a first electrode provided inside the plasma processing apparatus so as to generate the plasma from the etching gas, and
the hardening comprises applying a negative direct current voltage to a second electrode provided inside the plasma processing apparatus while applying the high frequency power to the first electrode provided inside the plasma processing apparatus so as to generate the plasma from the modifying gas.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The plasma processing method of claim 2, wherein the plasma processing apparatus comprises:
a processing container;
a lower electrode as the first electrode, which is provided inside the processing container and operates as a holding stage of a substrate on which the deposited film is deposited; and
an upper electrode as the second electrode, which is provided inside the processing container and disposed to face the lower electrode.

### Claim 4 (depends on 2)

The plasma processing method of claim 2, wherein a value of the negative direct current voltage applied to the second electrode is smaller than 0 V and equal to or above −900 V.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The plasma processing method of claim 1, wherein a ratio (CF4/COS) of flow rates of the CF4 gas and the COS gas included in the modifying gas is 4/3≦(CF4/COS)≦4.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The plasma processing method of claim 5, wherein the ratio (CF4/COS) of the flow rates of the CF4 gas and the COS gas included in the modifying gas is 2≦(CF4/COS)≦3.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The plasma processing method of claim 1, wherein the resist film is any one of a resist film for ArF exposure and a resist film for EUV exposure.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The plasma processing method of claim 1, wherein the inert gas included in the modifying gas is an argon gas.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The plasma processing method of claim 1, wherein the anti reflection coating film contains silicon.