Etch system and method for single substrate processing

A method of increasing etch rate and etch selectivity of a masking layer in an etch processing chamber configured for single substrate processing, the method comprising:

• placing a substrate into the etch processing chamber, the substrate containing the masking layer and a layer of silicon or silicon oxide;
• obtaining a supply of steam water vapor mixture at elevated pressure;
• obtaining a supply of treatment liquid for selectively etching the masking layer over the layer of silicon or silicon oxide at a selectivity ratio;
• combining the treatment liquid and the steam water vapor mixture;
• and
• injecting the combined treatment liquid and steam water vapor mixture into the etch processing chamber;
• wherein a flow of the combined treatment liquid and steam water vapor mixture is controlled to achieve a target etch rate and a target etch selectivity ratio of the masking layer to the layer of silicon or silicon oxide, and a target completion time of 3 minutes or less, and
• wherein the supply of steam water vapor mixture at elevated pressure is obtained from a boiling apparatus coupled to the etch processing chamber, and the elevated pressure is 0.25 to 2.0 MPa.

A method of increasing etch rate and etch selectivity of a masking layer in an etch processing chamber configured for single substrate processing, the method comprising:

• placing a substrate into the etch processing chamber, the substrate containing the masking layer and a layer of silicon or silicon oxide;
• obtaining a supply of steam water vapor mixture at elevated pressure;
• obtaining a supply of treatment liquid for selectively etching the masking layer over the layer of silicon or silicon oxide at a selectivity ratio;
• combining the treatment liquid and the steam water vapor mixture;
• and
• injecting the combined treatment liquid and steam water vapor mixture into the etch processing chamber;
• wherein a flow of the combined treatment liquid and steam water vapor mixture is controlled to achieve a target etch rate and a target etch selectivity ratio of the masking layer to the layer of silicon or silicon oxide, and a target completion time of 3 minutes or less, and the method further comprising:
• introducing the steam water vapor mixture into the etch processing chamber to preheat the substrate prior to injecting the combined treatment liquid and steam water vapor mixture into the etch processing chamber, or introducing the steam water vapor mixture onto the backside of the substrate to maintain temperature uniformity, or both.

A method of increasing etch rate and etch selectivity of a masking layer in an etch processing chamber configured for single substrate processing, the method comprising:

• placing a substrate into the etch processing chamber maintained at ambient pressure, the substrate containing the masking layer and a layer of silicon or silicon oxide;
• obtaining a supply of steam water vapor mixture into a steam delivery line;
• obtaining a supply of treatment liquid into a treatment liquid delivery line, the treatment liquid for selectively etching the masking layer over the layer of silicon or silicon oxide at a selectivity ratio;
• injecting the steam water vapor mixture from the steam delivery line into the etch processing chamber via a first nozzle to preheat the substrate;
• combining the treatment liquid and the steam water vapor mixture at a junction between the steam delivery line and the treatment liquid delivery line upstream of the etch processing chamber to form a heated mixture of the treatment liquid and steam water vapor mixture;
• injecting the heated mixture of the treatment liquid and steam water vapor mixture into the etch processing chamber via a second nozzle;
• and
• controlling the flow rates and pressures in the treatment liquid delivery line and the steam delivery line to maintain the pressures above the ambient pressure in the etch processing chamber to prevent boiling of the heated mixture of the treatment liquid and steam water vapor mixture between the junction and the second nozzle and to permit rapid boiling in the etch processing chamber upon exit from the second nozzle, and controlling the flow rates, the ambient pressure in the etch processing chamber, and the sequencing of the first and second nozzles to achieve a target etch rate and a target etch selectivity ratio of the masking layer to the layer of silicon or silicon oxide.