Oxide etch with nh4-nf3 chemistry

Abstract

The present invention generally provides apparatus and methods for selectively removing various oxides on a semiconductor substrate. One embodiment of the invention provides a method for selectively removing an oxide on a substrate at a desired removal rate using an etching gas mixture. The etching gas mixture comprises a first gas and a second gas, and a ratio of the first gas and a second gas is determined by the desired removal rate.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] This application is a continuation-in-part of co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11 / 137,609 (Attorney Docket No. 8802 D1), filed May 24, 2005, which is a divisional application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11 / 063,645 (Attorney Docket No. 8802), filed Feb. 22, 2005, which claims benefit of U.S. provisional patent application Ser. No. 60 / 547,839, filed Feb. 26, 2004. Each of the aforementioned related patent applications is herein incorporated by reference.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] 1. Field of the Invention [0003] Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to methods and apparatus for processing semiconductor substrates. More particularly, embodiments of the present invention relates to methods and apparatus for selective oxide etching in semiconductor fabrication. [0004] 2. Description of the Related Art [0005] In semiconductor fabrication, oxide fabrication is critical, especially for the thin oxide w...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0017] Yet another embodiment of the present invention provides a method for processing a substrate comprising positioning the substrate in a vacuum chamber, wherein the substrate having a surface feature comprising a first oxide and a second oxide, introducing an etching gas mixture to the vacuum chamber, generating active species from the etching gas mixture, at least partially reducing the first oxide by exposing the surface feature to the plasma of the etching gas mixture, and reducing the second oxide by an aqueous etch process.

Problems solved by technology

Native oxides may also result from contamination during etching.

Native oxides are typically undesirable and need to be removed prior to a subsequent process.

Some oxide features may have two or more oxides that respond differently to the same process, hence posing difficulties in processing, especially when feature sizes are smaller.

However, sputter etching process generally cannot completely remove oxides and can damage delicate silicon layers by physical bombardment.

However, diluted HF has the disadvantage of having a variable oxide etch rate.

This causes significant variability and integration issues in the process flow.

In reality various process variabilities cause significant unwanted leakages which contribute to the main current flow from source to drain.

Polysilicon wraps around inside the trench causes unwanted leakage and yield loss.

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