Plasma dielectric etch process including ex-situ backside polymer removal for low-dielectric constant material

Abstract

A plasma etch process for etching a porous carbon-doped silicon oxide dielectric layer using a photoresist mask is carried out first in an etch reactor by performing a fluorocarbon based etch process on the workpiece to etch exposed portions of the dielectric layer while depositing protective fluorocarbon polymer on the photoresist mask. Then, in an ashing reactor, polymer and photoresist are removed by heating the workpiece to over 100 degrees C., exposing a peripheral portion of the backside of said workpiece, and providing products from a plasma of a hydrogen process gas to reduce carbon contained in polymer and photoresist on said workpiece until the polymer has been removed from a backside of said workpiece. The process gas preferably contains both hydrogen gas and water vapor, although the primary constituent is hydrogen gas. The wafer (workpiece) backside may be exposed by extending the wafer lift pins.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0001] Integrated circuit performance is being continually improved by increasing device switching speed, increasing interconnection density and reducing cross-talk between adjacent conductors. Switching speeds have been increased and cross-talk reduced by employing new dielectric thin film material having low dielectric constant, such as porous carbon-doped silicon dioxide. Interconnections have been increased by increasing the number of interconnected conductive layers and reducing feature size (e.g., line widths, hole diameters). Connecting between such deep layers entails high aspect ratio (deep and narrow) conductor openings or “vias”. Such fine features have required photoresist (for photolithography) adaptable to shorter wavelengths. Such photoresist tends to be thinner and more prone to form imperfections such as pin holes or striations during the dielectric etch process. This problem is addressed by employing a fluorocarbon chemistry during the p...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The process completely removes the backside polymer and photoresist in less than 60 seconds without damaging the low dielectric constant insulator, significantly improving etch productivity and reducing capital expenses by allowing for a faster overall etch process.

Problems solved by technology

Such photoresist tends to be thinner and more prone to form imperfections such as pin holes or striations during the dielectric etch process.

However, in the post-etch polymer removal step, it is difficult to remove all of the deposited polymer.

However, such an oxidizing process does catastrophic harm to the newer low dielectric constant insulator materials such as porous carbon-doped silicon dioxide.

Another problem is that such an oxidizing process does not completely remove the backside polymer, even after 60 seconds, according to our investigation.

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