Method for etching a semiconductor surface
By controlling the vacuum level in a vacuum chamber and using oxygen etching followed by argon etching, the problem of irregular edges on semiconductor surface patterns was solved, resulting in more regular pattern edges and improved semiconductor performance.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Patents(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- SAE TECH DELEVOPMENT DONGGUAN
- Filing Date
- 2021-01-28
- Publication Date
- 2026-06-05
AI Technical Summary
During ion beam etching, irregular edges can easily form at the edges of semiconductor surface patterns, affecting semiconductor performance.
A vacuum chamber is used to control the vacuum level within a specific range. Oxygen etching is performed first, followed by argon etching. The thin film base is trimmed through two etching processes to ensure the regularity of the pattern edges.
This effectively avoids the generation of irregular edges in the semiconductor surface pattern, thus improving the performance of the semiconductor.
Smart Images
Figure CN114823316B_ABST
Abstract
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The present application relates to the field of microelectronic technology, in particular to a semiconductor surface etching method. BACKGROUND
[0002] In the microelectronic industry, semiconductor surface is often formed into a desired pattern through an etching process, and ion beam etching is one of the dry etching processes, which uses physical sputtering of inert ions on the substrate surface to form the desired pattern.
[0003] In the ion beam etching process, when argon gas is used to bombard the semiconductor surface to form a pattern, redeposition will be formed along the edge of the pattern photomask, resulting in irregular edges and complex patterns, which affects the performance of the semiconductor. SUMMARY
[0004] The technical problem to be solved by the embodiments of the present application is to provide a semiconductor surface etching method, which can trim the film base before argon etching, effectively avoid irregular edges of the pattern after argon etching of the semiconductor surface, and thus improve the performance of the semiconductor.
[0005] To solve the above technical problem, the embodiments of the present application provide a semiconductor surface etching method, which comprises:
[0006] The semiconductor to be etched is placed in a vacuum chamber, and the vacuum degree in the vacuum chamber is controlled to be stable in the range of 3.5x10 -2 Pa~4.5x10 -2 Pa;
[0007] Oxygen is introduced into the vacuum chamber, and the vacuum degree in the vacuum chamber is controlled to be stable in the range of 1.1x10 -2 Pa~1.2x10 - 2 Pa;
[0008] According to the introduced oxygen, the semiconductor surface is etched for the first time by using an ion beam etching method; wherein the beam voltage applied is 1000V, the beam current density is greater than 0.008mA / m 3 , and the first etching time is in the range of 50min~60min;
[0009] Argon is introduced into the vacuum chamber, and the semiconductor surface is etched for the second time by using an ion beam etching method.
[0010] Compared with the prior art, the embodiments of the present application provide a semiconductor surface etching method, which places the semiconductor to be etched in a vacuum chamber, and controls the vacuum degree in the vacuum chamber to be stable in the range of 3.5x10 -2 Pa~4.5x10 -2Within the Pa range; oxygen is introduced into the vacuum chamber, and the vacuum level inside the chamber is controlled to be stable at 1.1 × 10⁻⁶. -2 Pa ~ 1.2 × 10 -2 Within the Pa range; based on the introduced oxygen, the semiconductor surface is first etched using an ion beam etching method; wherein, the applied beam voltage is 1000V, and the beam current density is greater than 0.008mA / m 3 The first etching time is in the range of 50 min to 60 min; argon gas is introduced into the vacuum chamber, and the semiconductor surface is etched a second time using the ion beam etching method; the thin film base can be trimmed before argon etching, which can effectively avoid irregular edges of the pattern on the semiconductor surface after argon etching, thereby improving the performance of the semiconductor. Attached Figure Description
[0011] Figure 1 This is a flowchart of a preferred embodiment of a semiconductor surface etching method provided by the present invention. Detailed Implementation
[0012] The technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.
[0013] This invention provides an etching method for a semiconductor surface, see [link to relevant documentation]. Figure 1 The diagram shown is a flowchart of a preferred embodiment of a semiconductor surface etching method provided by the present invention, the method comprising steps S11 to S14:
[0014] Step S11: Place the semiconductor to be etched in the vacuum chamber and control the vacuum level in the chamber to be stable at 3.5 × 10⁻⁶. -2 Pa ~ 4.5 × 10 -2 Within the Pa range;
[0015] Step S12: Introduce oxygen into the vacuum chamber and maintain the vacuum level in the chamber at 1.1 × 10⁻⁶. -2 Pa ~ 1.2 × 10 -2 Within the Pa range;
[0016] Step S13: Based on the introduced oxygen, the semiconductor surface is etched for the first time using an ion beam etching method; wherein the applied beam voltage is 1000V and the beam current density is greater than 0.008mA / m 3 The first etching time is in the range of 50 to 60 minutes;
[0017] Step S14: Argon gas is introduced into the vacuum chamber, and the semiconductor surface is etched a second time using the ion beam etching method.
[0018] In practice, the semiconductor to be etched is first placed in a vacuum chamber, and the chamber is evacuated using a vacuum device. Before oxygen is introduced into the chamber, the vacuum level is maintained at 3.5 × 10⁻⁶. -2 Pa ~ 4.5 × 10 -2 Within the Pa range; then, oxygen is introduced into the vacuum chamber, and the vacuum level in the vacuum chamber is controlled to be stable at 1.1 × 10⁻⁶ during and after the introduction of oxygen. -2 Pa ~ 1.2 × 10 -2 Within the Pa range, and based on the introduced oxygen, the semiconductor surface is first etched using an ion beam etching method. During the first etching, the ion beam is perpendicular to the substrate, the applied beam current voltage is 1000V, and the beam flux density is greater than 0.008mA / m. 3 The first etching process lasts 50 to 60 minutes. After the first etching of the semiconductor surface, argon gas is introduced into the vacuum chamber, and the semiconductor surface is etched a second time using an ion beam etching method, depending on the amount of oxygen introduced.
[0019] It should be noted that before argon etching of the semiconductor surface, high-power oxygen etching is performed first. Oxygen, as a corrosive gas, burns and etches quickly, resulting in a relatively coarse etching process. After high-power oxygen etching, under a scanning electron microscope, it can be seen that the thin film substrate has more vertical columnar structures. Then, argon etching is performed on the semiconductor surface. Argon, as a corrosive gas, burns and etches slowly, resulting in a relatively fine etching process. Performing fine argon etching on the basis of coarse oxygen etching can produce more regular pattern edges.
[0020] Statistical analysis of experimental data shows that when using existing technologies to directly etch the semiconductor surface with argon gas, the height of the irregular protrusions generated by the pattern is generally 3nm, and the probability of occurrence is generally 5%. However, when using the technology provided in this embodiment of the invention, the semiconductor surface is first etched with oxygen and then etched with argon gas, the height of the irregular protrusions generated by the pattern is generally 0.2nm, and the probability of occurrence is generally 0.1%.
[0021] In summary, the semiconductor surface etching method provided by the embodiments of the present invention first performs high-power oxygen etching on the semiconductor surface, and then performs argon etching on the semiconductor surface. It can trim the thin film base before argon etching, making the edges of the thin film base straighter, effectively avoiding irregular edges of the pattern after argon etching on the semiconductor surface, thereby improving the performance of the semiconductor.
[0022] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention. It should be noted that for those skilled in the art, several improvements and modifications can be made without departing from the technical principles of the present invention, and these improvements and modifications should also be considered within the scope of protection of the present invention.
Claims
1. A method for etching a semiconductor surface, characterized in that, include: The semiconductor to be etched is placed in a vacuum chamber, and the vacuum level in the chamber is controlled to be stable at 3.5 × 10⁻⁶. -2 Pa ~ 4.5 × 10 -2 Within the Pa range; Oxygen was introduced into the vacuum chamber, and the vacuum level inside the chamber was kept stable at 1.1 × 10⁻⁶. -2 Pa ~ 1.2 × 10 -2 Within the Pa range; Based on the introduced oxygen, the semiconductor surface is first etched using an ion beam etching method; the applied beam voltage is 1000V, and the beam current density is greater than 0.008mA / m. 3 The first etching time is in the range of 50 to 60 minutes; Argon gas is introduced into the vacuum chamber, and the semiconductor surface is etched a second time using an ion beam etching method.