Chamber deposition and etching processes

Abstract

An exemplary method of semiconductor processing can include depositing a material on a substrate disposed on a substrate support housed in a processing region of a semiconductor processing chamber. The processing region can be at least partially defined by the substrate support and a faceplate. The substrate support can be in a first position relative to the faceplate within the processing region. The method can include translating the substrate support to a second position relative to the faceplate. The method can include forming a plasma of an etchant precursor within the processing region of the semiconductor processing chamber. The method can include etching an edge region of the substrate.

Description

[0001] Cross-reference to related applications

[0002] This application claims priority to U.S. Patent Application No. 16 / 700,758, filed December 2, 2019, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference for all purposes. Technical Field

[0003] This technology relates to methods and components for semiconductor processing. More specifically, this technology relates to systems and methods for producing hard molded films. Background Technology

[0004] Integrated circuits are made possible by processes that create complex patterned material layers on substrate surfaces. Creating patterned materials on substrates requires controlled methods for material formation and removal. As device dimensions continue to shrink, the aspect ratios of structures may increase, and maintaining the dimensions of these structures during removal operations can be challenging. Hard molds can be used to facilitate the patterning of materials on substrates. With the increasing number of patterned material layers, the use of hard molds and the selectivity for a variety of materials become increasingly important.

[0005] Therefore, there is a need for improved systems and methods for producing high-quality devices and structures. This technology addresses these and other needs. Summary of the Invention

[0006] An exemplary method of semiconductor processing may include the steps of: depositing material on a substrate disposed on a substrate support housed in a processing region of a semiconductor processing chamber. The processing region may be at least partially defined by the substrate support and a panel. The substrate support may be located in a first position relative to the panel within the processing region. The method may include the step of: translating the substrate support to a second position relative to the panel. The method may include the step of: forming a plasma of an etchant precursor within the processing region of the semiconductor processing chamber. The method may include the step of: etching an edge region of the substrate.

[0007] In some embodiments, the deposition step may include the step of delivering a carbon-containing precursor to a processing region of a semiconductor processing chamber. The deposition step may include the steps of forming a plasma containing the carbon-containing precursor and depositing the carbon-containing material on a substrate. The etchant precursor may be an oxygen-containing precursor or include an oxygen-containing precursor. The distance between the substrate support and the panel in the second position may be less than the distance between the substrate support and the panel in the first position. When the substrate support is in the second position, the surface of the substrate facing the panel may be positioned less than 5 mm or about 5 mm away from the panel. The substrate support may be characterized by a recessed lug at the outer edge of the substrate support. When the substrate support is in the second position, the surface of the substrate support facing the panel at the recessed lug may be positioned greater than 2 mm or about 2 mm away from the panel. The step of forming a plasma containing the etchant precursor may include the step of forming an annular plasma around an edge region of the substrate support. The step of etching the edge region of the substrate may perform etching, the etching being substantially limited to a distance of less than 50 mm or about 50 mm extending from the outer edge of the substrate.

[0008] Some embodiments of this technology may cover semiconductor processing methods. The methods may include the step of depositing material on a substrate disposed on a substrate support housed in a processing region of a semiconductor processing chamber. The processing region may be at least partially defined by the substrate support and a panel. The substrate support may be characterized by recessed lugs at its outer edge. The methods may include the step of raising the substrate support so that the surface of the substrate facing the panel can be positioned at a distance of less than 5 mm or approximately 5 mm from the panel. The methods may include the step of forming plasma of an etchant precursor within the processing region of the semiconductor processing chamber. The methods may include the step of etching edge regions of the substrate while substantially retaining material deposited in the central region of the substrate.

[0009] In some embodiments, the material deposited on the substrate may be a carbon-containing hard mold or include a carbon-containing hard mold. The step of forming an etchant precursor plasma may include the step of introducing an oxygen-containing precursor into a processing area of ​​the semiconductor processing chamber. The method may include the steps of forming an oxygen-containing precursor plasma and etching the material deposited on the substrate with the plasma effluent of the oxygen-containing precursor. The step of raising the substrate support may position the surface of the substrate facing the panel to be less than 2 mm or about 2 mm away from the panel. The step of forming an etchant precursor plasma may include the step of forming a ring plasma around an edge region of the substrate support. The step of etching the edge region of the substrate may perform etching, said etching being substantially limited to a distance of less than 50 mm or about 50 mm extending from the outer edge of the substrate. The method may include the step of reducing the pressure in the semiconductor processing chamber after material deposition to purify the processing area of ​​the semiconductor processing chamber. The substrate support may be characterized by tilting during deposition, and the method may include the step of leveling the substrate support so that the substrate is substantially parallel to the panel.

[0010] Some embodiments of this technology may cover semiconductor processing methods. The method may include the step of forming a plasma containing a carbon precursor in a processing region of a semiconductor processing chamber. The processing region may be at least partially defined by a substrate support and a panel. The method may include the step of depositing a carbon-containing material on a substrate disposed on the substrate support. The substrate support may be located at a first position relative to the panel within the processing region. The method may include the step of raising the substrate support to a second position relative to the panel. The method may include the step of forming a ring-shaped plasma containing an oxygen precursor within the processing region of the semiconductor processing chamber. The method may include the step of etching an edge region of the substrate.

[0011] In some embodiments, the substrate support may include positioning tabs for holding the substrate on the substrate support. The substrate support may be characterized by recessed lugs at its outer edge, the recessed lugs being radially outward of the region on which the substrate is disposed. When the substrate support is in a second position, the surface of the substrate facing the panel may be less than 2 mm or approximately 2 mm away from the panel. When the substrate support is in a second position, the surface of the substrate support facing the panel at the recessed lugs may be greater than 2 mm or approximately 2 mm away from the panel.

[0012] This technology offers numerous advantages compared to conventional systems and techniques. For example, embodiments of this technology can perform deposition and etching processes within a single processing chamber, reducing processing queue time. Additionally, this technology can reduce film stripping by performing bevel etching. These and other embodiments, along with their many advantages and features, are described in more detail below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Attached Figure Description

[0013] A further understanding of the nature and advantages of the disclosed technology can be achieved by referring to the remainder of the specification and the accompanying drawings.

[0014] Figure 1 A schematic cross-sectional view of an exemplary plasma system according to some embodiments of the present technology is shown.

[0015] Figure 2 Operations in a semiconductor processing method according to some embodiments of the present technology are illustrated.

[0016] Figure 3A A schematic cross-sectional view of an exemplary plasma chamber during an exemplary deposition operation is shown, according to some embodiments of the present technology.

[0017] Figure 3B A schematic cross-sectional view of an exemplary plasma chamber during an exemplary etching operation is shown, according to some embodiments of the present technology.

[0018] Figure 4 A schematic top plan view of an exemplary substrate support according to some embodiments of the present technology is shown.

[0019] Some of the accompanying drawings are included as schematic diagrams. It should be understood that the drawings are for illustrative purposes only and should not be considered to be drawn to scale unless specifically stated otherwise. Furthermore, the drawings are provided as schematic diagrams to aid understanding; and may not include all aspects or information compared to the actual representation; and for illustrative purposes, the drawings may include exaggerated material.

[0020] In the accompanying drawings, similar parts and / or features may have the same reference numerals. Furthermore, various parts of the same type may be distinguished by adding a letter after the reference numerals to differentiate between similar parts. If only the first reference numeral is used in the description, the description applies to any similar parts having the same first reference numeral, regardless of the letter. Detailed Implementation

[0021] Plasma-enhanced deposition processes can excite one or more component precursors to facilitate film formation on a substrate. Any number of material films can be produced to develop semiconductor structures, including conductive films, dielectric films, and films that facilitate material transfer and removal. For example, hard-film coatings can be formed to facilitate substrate patterning while protecting the underlying material for other purposes. In numerous processing chambers, numerous precursors can be mixed in a gas panel and delivered to a processing area within a chamber in which a substrate can be placed. Within the processing area, plasma can be ignited, generating material for deposition. In a non-limiting example of a carbon-containing film, plasma deposition can also occur at relatively high temperatures, which can promote the adsorption of carbon radicals on the substrate surface.

[0022] This deposition can produce a film that extends into the edge regions of the substrate and can also extend over the beveled outer edges of the substrate. This material is characterized by reduced adhesion relative to materials deposited on exposed substrate surfaces. Additionally, hydrogen can be incorporated into the film, which can further reduce adhesion during processing. Subsequent operations can include lithography, and in a non-limiting lithography technique, immersion lithography can be used. Immersion lithography can use a liquid medium with a refractive index greater than 1 instead of the air gap between the final lens of the tool and the substrate surface. The resolution of the technique can be increased by a factor equal to the refractive index of the liquid in air. Some immersion lithography techniques can utilize pure water as the liquid medium. The aqueous medium is characterized by surface tension, which can further increase the chance of delamination of the hard film, characterized by lower adhesion (such as around the beveled edges of the substrate).

[0023] To limit this effect, edge etching can be performed on the substrate to remove residual material at the substrate's bevels. After transferring the substrate, containing the deposited material, from the deposition chamber, the process can be performed in a separate etching chamber, either for loading lock or etching the edge regions. This etching process can be limited because many platforms include more deposition chambers than loading lock. Additionally, multiple evacuation operations can be performed, further slowing down substrate throughput.

[0024] This technology overcomes these problems by performing an in-situ etching process after deposition. In some embodiments, this technology may utilize a modified substrate support, which can help control the etching plasma. Furthermore, by performing etching directly after deposition, yield issues can be addressed for multi-chamber systems.

[0025] While the remainder of this disclosure will conventionally utilize the disclosed techniques to identify specific deposition processes, it will be readily understood that the system and methods are equally applicable to other deposition, etching, and cleaning chambers, as well as processes that may occur within the described chambers. Therefore, the techniques should not be considered limited to use with these specific deposition processes or chambers. Before describing additional variations and modifications to this system according to embodiments of the present technology, this disclosure will discuss a possible chamber that can be used to perform processes according to embodiments of the present technology.

[0026] Figure 1 A cross-sectional view of an exemplary processing chamber 100 according to some embodiments of the present technology is shown. The figures may illustrate an overview of a system incorporating one or more aspects of the present technology, and / or a system that may be specifically configured to perform one or more operations according to embodiments of the present technology. Additional details of the chamber 100 or the performed methods may be further described below. According to some embodiments of the present technology, the chamber 100 may be used to form a film layer; although it should be understood that the method may be performed similarly in any chamber in which film formation may occur. The processing chamber 100 may include a chamber body 102, a substrate support 104 disposed within the chamber body 102, and a cover assembly 106 coupled to the chamber body 102 and enclosing the substrate support 104 in a processing space 120. A substrate 103 may be provided to the processing space 120 through an opening 126, which may typically be sealed for processing using a slit valve or door. During processing, the substrate 103 may be placed on a surface 105 of the substrate support. As indicated by arrow 145, the substrate support 104 can be rotated along axis 147; axis 144 of the substrate support 104 can be located at axis 147. Alternatively, the substrate support 104 can be lifted and rotated as needed during the deposition process.

[0027] A plasma profile modulator 111 may be disposed within the processing chamber 100 to control the distribution of plasma across the entire substrate 103 disposed on the substrate support 104. The plasma profile modulator 111 may include a first electrode 108; the first electrode 108 may be disposed adjacent to the chamber body 102 and may separate the chamber body 102 from other components of the cover assembly 106. The first electrode 108 may be part of the cover assembly 106, or the first electrode 108 may be a separate sidewall electrode. For example, in some embodiments as will be further described below, the first electrode 108 may be a panel. The first electrode 108 may be an annular or ring-shaped member, and the first electrode 108 may be a ring electrode. The first electrode 108 may be a continuous ring surrounding the circumference of the processing chamber 100 surrounding the processing space 120, or, if desired, the first electrode 108 may be discontinuous at selected locations. The first electrode 108 may also be a perforated electrode (such as a perforated ring or mesh electrode), or the first electrode 108 may be a plate-like electrode (such as, for example, a secondary gas distributor).

[0028] One or more isolators 110a, 110b may be dielectric materials (such as ceramics or metal oxides, e.g., alumina and / or aluminum nitride); one or more isolators 110a, 110b may contact the first electrode 108 and electrically and thermally isolate the first electrode 108 from the gas distributor 112 and the chamber body 102. The gas distributor 112 may define an orifice 118 for dispensing the processing precursor into the processing space 120. The gas distributor 112 may be coupled to a first power source 142 (such as an RF generator, RF power supply, DC power supply, pulsed DC power supply, pulsed RF power supply, or any other power source that may be coupled to the processing chamber). In some embodiments, the first power source 142 may be an RF power supply.

[0029] The gas distributor 112 can be a conductive gas distributor or a non-conductive gas distributor. The gas distributor 112 can also be formed from conductive and non-conductive components. For example, the body of the gas distributor 112 can be conductive, while the panel of the gas distributor 112 can be non-conductive. The gas distributor 112 can be powered by, for example, a first power source 142 (such as...). Figure 1 (as shown) Powered by, or in some embodiments, the gas distributor 112 may be coupled to ground.

[0030] The first electrode 108 may be coupled to a first tuning circuit 128 that controls the ground path of the processing chamber 100. The first tuning circuit 128 may include a first electronic sensor 130 and a first electronic controller 134. The first electronic controller 134 may be or include a variable capacitor or other circuit elements. The first tuning circuit 128 may be or include one or more inductors 132. The first tuning circuit 128 may be any circuit capable of implementing variable or controllable impedance under plasma conditions present in the processing space 120 during processing. In some embodiments shown, the first tuning circuit 128 may include a first circuit branch and a second circuit branch coupled in parallel between ground and the first electronic sensor 130. The first circuit branch may include a first inductor 132A. The second circuit branch may include a second inductor 132B coupled in series with the first electronic controller 134. The second inductor 132B may be disposed between the first electronic controller 134 and a node that connects both the first and second circuit branches to the first electronic sensor 130. The first electronic sensor 130 may be a voltage sensor or a current sensor, and the first electronic sensor 130 may be coupled to the first electronic controller 134; the first electronic controller 134 may provide a certain degree of closed-loop control over the plasma conditions inside the processing space 120.

[0031] The second electrode 122 may be coupled to the substrate support 104. The second electrode 122 may be embedded within the substrate support 104 or coupled to the surface of the substrate support 104. The second electrode 122 may be any other distributed arrangement of a plate, perforated plate, mesh, wire mesh, or conductive elements. The second electrode 122 may be a tuning electrode, and may be coupled to a second tuning circuit 136 via, for example, a conduit 146 (e.g., a cable with a selected resistance, such as 50 ohms) disposed in a shaft 144 of the substrate support 104. The second tuning circuit 136 may have a second electronic sensor 138 and a second electronic controller 140, the second electronic controller 140 being a second variable capacitor. The second electronic sensor 138 may be a voltage sensor or a current sensor, and may be coupled to the second electronic controller 140 to provide further control over the plasma conditions in the processing space 120.

[0032] A third electrode 124, which may be a bias electrode and / or an electrostatic chuck electrode, may be coupled to the substrate support 104. The third electrode may be coupled to a second power source 150 via a filter 148; the filter 148 may be an impedance matching circuit. The second power source 150 may be a DC power supply, a pulsed DC power supply, an RF bias power supply, a pulsed RF power supply, or a bias power supply, or a combination of these or other power supplies. In some embodiments, the second power source 150 may be an RF bias power supply.

[0033] Can Figure 1 The cover assembly 106 and substrate support 104 are used with any processing chamber for plasma or thermal processing. In operation, the processing chamber 100 provides real-time control of the plasma conditions within the processing space 120. A substrate 103 can be mounted on the substrate support 104, and inlet 114 can be used to allow processing gas to flow through the cover assembly 106 according to any desired flow rate plan. The gas can exit the processing chamber 100 through outlet 152. Electrical power can be coupled to a gas distributor 112 to establish plasma in the processing space 120. In some embodiments, a third electrode 124 can be used to apply an electrical bias to the substrate.

[0034] Once the plasma in the processing space 120 is activated, a potential difference can be established between the plasma and the first electrode 108. A potential difference can also be established between the plasma and the second electrode 122. Electronic controllers 134 and 140 can then be used to adjust the flow properties of the ground path represented by the two tuning circuits 128 and 136. Setpoints can be transmitted to the first tuning circuit 128 and the second tuning circuit 136 to provide independent control over the deposition rate and the uniformity of plasma density from center to edge. In embodiments where the electronic controllers can both be variable capacitors, electronic sensors can adjust the variable capacitors to independently maximize the deposition rate and minimize thickness non-uniformity.

[0035] Each of the tuning circuits 128 and 136 may have a variable impedance that can be adjusted using a corresponding electronic controller 134 or 140. When the electronic controllers 134 and 140 are variable capacitors, the capacitance range of each of the variable capacitors and the inductance of the first inductor 132A and the second inductor 132B can be selected to provide an impedance range. This range may depend on the frequency and voltage characteristics of the plasma and may have a minimum value within the capacitance range of each variable capacitor. Therefore, when the capacitance of the first electronic controller 134 is at its minimum or maximum value, the impedance of the first tuning circuit 128 may be high, resulting in a plasma shape with minimal air or lateral coverage on the substrate support. When the capacitance of the first electronic controller 134 approaches a value that minimizes the impedance of the first tuning circuit 128, the air coverage of the plasma can be increased to its maximum, effectively covering the entire operating area of ​​the substrate support 104. As the capacitance of the first electronic controller 134 deviates from the minimum impedance setting, the plasma shape may contract from the chamber wall and the air coverage of the substrate support may decrease. The second electronic controller 140 can have a similar effect, as the capacitance of the second electronic controller 140 can be changed, increasing and decreasing the air coverage of plasma on the substrate support.

[0036] Electronic sensors 130 and 138 can be used to tune the respective circuits 128 and 136 in a closed loop. Depending on the type of sensor used, a current or voltage setpoint can be installed in each sensor, and the sensor can be equipped with control software that determines adjustments to each corresponding electronic controller 134 and 140 to minimize deviations from the setpoint. Therefore, the plasma shape can be selected and dynamically controlled during processing. It should be understood that although the foregoing discussion is based on electronic controllers 134 and 140, which may be variable capacitors, any electronic component with adjustable characteristics can be used to provide adjustable impedance for tuning circuits 128 and 136.

[0037] Figure 2 Exemplary operations in a processing method 200 according to some embodiments of the present technology are illustrated. The method can be performed in various processing chambers, including the processing chamber 100 described above. Method 200 may include a plurality of optional operations, which may or may not be specifically related to some embodiments of the method according to the present technology. For example, many operations are described to provide a wider range of structural forms, but these operations are not critical to the present technology, or may be performed by easily understood alternative methods. Method 200 may be described in Figures 3A to 3B The operations performed in the processing chamber 300 are illustrated schematically; they will be described in conjunction with the operations of method 200. Figures 3A to 3B The description continues. Chamber 300 may include any aspect of the aforementioned chamber 100. It should be understood that the figures show only partial schematic diagrams, and the substrate may include any number of structural portions having the aspects shown in the figures, as well as alternative structural aspects that may still benefit from the operation of this technology.

[0038] Method 200 may include additional operations prior to the commencement of the listed operations. For example, the additional processing operations may include forming a structure on a semiconductor substrate, which may include both forming and removing material. The prior processing operations may be performed in a chamber in which method 200 is performed, or the processing may be performed in one or more other processing chambers before transferring the substrate to a semiconductor processing chamber in which method 200 is performed. In any case, method 200 may optionally include the step of transporting the semiconductor substrate to a processing region of a semiconductor processing chamber (such as processing chamber 100 described above or other chambers that may include the aforementioned components). The substrate may be deposited on a substrate support, which may be a base (such as substrate support 104) and may reside in a processing region of the chamber (such as processing space 120 described above). Figure 3A An exemplary substrate 305 is shown, and the exemplary substrate 305 may be or may include aspects of a substrate on which operations according to the present technology can be performed.

[0039] The substrate 305 can be any number of materials on which materials can be deposited. The substrate can be or include silicon, germanium, dielectric materials including silicon oxide or silicon nitride, metallic materials, or any combination of these materials, which can be the substrate 305 or materials formed on the substrate 305. The chamber 300 may include a processing chamber including a panel 310 through which precursors can be conveyed for processing, and the panel 310 may be coupled to a power source for generating plasma within the processing area of ​​the chamber. The chamber may also include a chamber body 315, as shown, which may include sidewalls and a bottom. As previously described, a base or substrate support 320 may extend through the bottom of the chamber. A processing area may be defined at least partially between the base, panel, and / or chamber walls. The substrate support may include a support platform 325 for supporting the semiconductor substrate 305. The support platform 325 may be coupled to an axis 330 extending through the bottom of the chamber.

[0040] Method 200 may include processing methods that include a number of operations for preparing a chamber for processing and forming a hard mold or other deposition operations, although this technique may similarly cover any other deposition process. At operation 205, material may be deposited onto a substrate. During deposition, the substrate support 320 may be located in a first position, which may be a first vertical position relative to the panel 310. The position may be any distance from the panel that facilitates plasma formation across the entire substrate support, as shown. The substrate may also be tilted in some operations, which may help improve uniformity to take into account chamber characteristics. The first position of the substrate may be a height configured to create a plasma space 340 between the panel and the substrate support, where capacitively coupled plasma may be generated.

[0041] In one non-limiting embodiment, the deposition may be hard mold deposition, such as hard mold deposition for carbon-containing hard molds. A carbon-containing precursor may be delivered to the processing area, and plasma may be generated to produce carbon-containing radicals, which may be deposited or adsorbed onto the substrate to produce a carbon-containing film, such as a hard mold. Any carbon-containing material may be used in the deposition, and the carbon-containing precursor may be or include any alkane, olefin, or any other carbon-containing material. The precursor may include carbon and hydrogen-containing precursors, which may include any amount of carbon bonds and hydrogen bonds. In some embodiments, the carbon-containing precursor may consist of carbon-carbon bonds and carbon-hydrogen bonds. Deposition may occur uniformly or relatively uniformly on the substrate, and the deposition may extend into edge regions (including extending over or to the beveled edges of the substrate). Deposition may be performed under any number of processing conditions, which may be tailored based on the specific deposition to be performed. For example, for carbon-containing hard molds, processing may occur at temperatures above or about 600°C, above or about 650°C, or higher. Additionally, the pressure within the chamber can be maintained between approximately 1 tor and approximately 20 tor, which may include any smaller range within this range, such as approximately 3 tor to approximately 9 tor.

[0042] After deposition up to any thickness, at optional operation 210 the chamber can be evacuated to remove any residual deposition precursors or deposition byproducts. For example, the chamber can be evacuated to less than or about 3 tors, less than or about 2 tors, less than or about 1 tor, or less to remove any residual material. Additionally, if the substrate was tilted during deposition, a planarization operation can be performed to make the substrate parallel or substantially parallel to the panel. “Substantially parallel” means that perfect parallelism may not be achievable based on machine tolerances, and this term covers a range of errors to account for slight deviations from a perfect plane relative to the panel. At optional operation 215, the substrate support platform 325 and the substrate can be leveled, which facilitates subsequent translation operations.

[0043] At operation 220, the substrate support can be vertically translated. For example, the substrate support can be raised toward panel 310, and the substrate support can be moved from a first position to a second position relative to the panel. In some embodiments, the second position can be closer to the panel (e.g., ...). Figure 3B(As shown), such distances are less than the distance between the substrate support and the panel when the support is in the first position. As will be explained further below, the distance may be sufficient to limit plasma generation between the substrate and the panel. An etchant precursor may flow into the chamber to initiate the etching process. Depending on the material to be etched, any amount of etchant material may be used in the embodiments. For example, for carbon-containing films, an oxygen-containing precursor may be flowed into the chamber to serve as an etchant. Oxygen-containing precursors used in any operation described throughout this technology may include O2, N2O, NO2, O3, H2O, ozone, and any other oxygen-containing precursors that may be used for thin film etching or other thin film conversion or removal operations. In some embodiments, remote plasma may not be formed by an etchant precursor. When remote plasma is generated, plasma effluent may flow through the chamber components and may be uniformly distributed across the entire substrate. This may etch the film in the central region as much or more as in edge regions where beveled etching may be desired.

[0044] At operation 225, plasma can be generated from an etchant precursor within the processing area of ​​the chamber. For example, for an oxygen-containing precursor, the precursor can flow into the processing area of ​​the chamber through the panel. The plasma can be struck by the oxygen-containing precursor, although the plasma can be affected by the position of the substrate support. The two plasma electrodes can be or include the panel and the substrate support. For example, the panel can be used as an energized RF electrode, although in some embodiments, the substrate support can be used as a thermal electrode relative to the panel. As previously described, the substrate support can position the substrate at a distance from the panel to limit plasma generation. Capacitively coupled plasma can be generated between two electrodes, which can be spaced apart by a distance greater than the plasma shell. In capacitive plasma, each electrode can form a plasma shell at the transition between the bulk region space and the solid surface of the electrode. Plasma may not form below a distance of several Debye lengths for accommodating the shell. Therefore, by placing the substrate at a distance less than several Debye lengths, plasma may not be generated between the substrate and the panel.

[0045] Therefore, in some embodiments, when the substrate support is in the second position, the surface of the substrate facing the panel can be positioned at a distance of less than or about 5 mm from the panel, and can be positioned at a distance of less than or about 4 mm, less than or about 3 mm, less than or about 2 mm, less than or about 1 mm, or less. Depending on the chamber dynamics, a plasma shell can be formed over the entire substrate at a distance greater than or about 0.5 mm to about 1 mm from each electrode (and therefore the total distance between the electrodes is between about 1 mm and about 2 mm). Therefore, by holding the substrate at or within this distance, plasma may not be generated between the substrate and the panel.

[0046] However, for flat substrate supports or substrate supports with recessed pockets or edge rings, positioning the substrate support close to the panel in this way may not generate plasma in the region at all. Therefore, in some embodiments, the substrate support may be characterized by recessed lugs at the edge regions of the support, as shown in the figure. By creating an edge distance that can extend beyond several Debye lengths, plasma can be formed around the edge regions while being confined from the central region. Thus, etching can be performed around the beveled and / or edge regions of the substrate while substantially retaining the rest of the formed film. The formed plasma may be characterized by an annular shape extending around the substrate, and the edge material may be etched at operation 230.

[0047] As described above, in order to generate plasma, when the substrate support is in the second position, the distance between the recessed lug and the panel may be sufficient to generate plasma. Therefore, the recess may be greater than or approximately 1 mm, greater than or approximately 2 mm, greater than or approximately 3 mm, greater than or approximately 4 mm, or larger. Figure 3B As shown, the recessed lug 345 extends from the panel sufficiently to allow annular or other shaped plasmas 350 to form around the substrate support. This allows etching around the substrate bevels and removal of overhangs in the deposited film. Additionally, by increasing the distance between the substrate and the substrate support, the generated plasma can extend at least partially radially inward, allowing controlled extension of etching in the edge regions of the substrate. For example, etching can be performed at a distance of less than or approximately 50 mm from the outer edge of the substrate, and can be controlled to distances of less than or approximately 45 mm, less than or approximately 40 mm, less than or approximately 35 mm, less than or approximately 30 mm, less than or approximately 25 mm, less than or approximately 20 mm, less than or approximately 15 mm, less than or approximately 10 mm, less than or approximately 5 mm, less than or approximately 2 mm, or even smaller. Although the plasma may diffuse towards the center due to the density gradient, it will hardly reach the center or cause over-etching of the produced bulk film.

[0048] Figure 4A schematic top plan view of an exemplary substrate support 400 according to some embodiments of the present technology is shown. The substrate support 400 may be another view of any substrate support discussed elsewhere and may be included in any of the chambers discussed or in any other chambers that may be used in semiconductor processing. As shown, the substrate support 400 may position a substrate 402 in a central region 405 of the support. Recessed lugs 410 may extend around the substrate support to create a plasma generation region for bevel etching. As shown, the recessed lugs 410 may extend outward from the substrate by a distance greater than or about 5 mm from the edge of the substrate, and may extend outward by greater than or about 10 mm, greater than or about 15 mm, greater than or about 20 mm, greater than or about 25 mm, greater than or about 30 mm, or more.

[0049] Many substrate supports include pockets or edge rings for the wafer, both of which can provide positional and other benefits. For example, during chamber evacuation and pressurization, without proper placement or components to maintain substrate position, the substrate may move or float on the substrate support, which can affect the uniformity of the process on wafers off-center. Aspects like edge rings or pockets may not be achievable by utilizing heaters with recessed lugs. Therefore, some embodiments of this technology may incorporate positioning tabs 415; positioning tabs 415 ensure that the substrate is held in place during processing, even with recessed external lugs. Tabs may be formed or included, and the tabs are characterized by: limited vertical extension to limit any impact on etching processes at bevels. Therefore, in some embodiments, the tabs may be characterized by a height of less than or approximately 20 mm above the surface on which the substrate is disposed, and the tabs may be characterized by a height of less than or approximately 15 mm, less than or approximately 12 mm, less than or approximately 10 mm, less than or approximately 9 mm, less than or approximately 8 mm, less than or approximately 7 mm, less than or approximately 6 mm, less than or approximately 5 mm, less than or approximately 4 mm, less than or approximately 3 mm, less than or approximately 2 mm, or less. By including recessed lugs on the substrate support, this technique allows for the generation of controlled edge plasma and etching. Such plasma allows in-situ etching to be performed in a single chamber (where deposition has already been performed on the substrate).

[0050] In the foregoing description, numerous details have been set forth for illustrative purposes to provide an understanding of various embodiments of the present technology. However, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that certain embodiments may be practiced without some of these details or with additional details.

[0051] Several embodiments have been disclosed, and those skilled in the art will recognize that various modifications, alternative constructions, and equivalents can be used without departing from the spirit of the embodiments. Furthermore, to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the art, many well-known processes and elements have not been described. Therefore, the above description should not be considered as limiting the scope of the art.

[0052] Where a range of values ​​is provided, it should be understood that, unless the context explicitly states otherwise, each intermediate value between the upper and lower limits of this range is also specifically disclosed, up to the smallest fraction of the lower limit unit. This encompasses any narrower range between any stated or unstated intermediate value within the stated range and any other stated or intermediate value within the stated range. The upper and lower limits of those smaller ranges may be independently included or excluded from the range, and each range in which any, none, or both of the limit values ​​are included is also covered within this technique, but is limited by any specifically excluded limit value in the stated range. Where the stated range includes one or both of the limit values, ranges excluding any or both of those included limit values ​​are also included.

[0053] As used herein and in the appended claims, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” include plural references unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. Thus, for example, a reference to “a precursor” includes a plurality of such precursors, a reference to “the layer” includes a reference to one or more layers and their equivalents known to those skilled in the art, and so on.

[0054] Furthermore, when used in this specification and the appended claims, the terms “comprise(s)”, “comprising”, “contain(s)”, “containing”, “include(s)”, and “including” are intended to specify the presence of the stated feature, integer, component, or operation, but do not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, components, operations, actions, or groups.

Claims

1. A semiconductor processing method, comprising the following steps: Material is deposited on a substrate disposed on a substrate support housed in a processing region of a semiconductor processing chamber, wherein the processing region is at least partially defined by the substrate support and a panel, and wherein the substrate support is located in a first position relative to the panel within the processing region. The substrate support and the substrate mounted on the substrate support are raised to a second position relative to the panel; A ring-shaped plasma of etchant precursor is formed within the processing region of the semiconductor processing chamber; as well as The edge region of the substrate is etched.

2. The semiconductor processing method of claim 1, wherein the deposition step comprises the following steps: The carbon-containing precursor is delivered to the processing area of ​​the semiconductor processing chamber. The plasma that forms the carbon-containing precursor, and A carbon-containing material is deposited on the substrate.

3. The semiconductor processing method of claim 2, wherein the etchant precursor comprises an oxygen-containing precursor.

4. The semiconductor processing method of claim 1, wherein the distance between the substrate support and the panel at the second position is less than the distance between the substrate support and the panel at the first position.

5. The semiconductor processing method of claim 1, wherein when the substrate support is in the second position, the surface of the substrate facing the panel is positioned at a distance of less than or equal to 5 mm from the panel.

6. The semiconductor processing method according to claim 1, wherein the substrate support is characterized by a recessed lug at the outer edge of the substrate support.

7. The semiconductor processing method of claim 6, wherein when the substrate support is in the second position, the surface of the substrate support facing the panel at the recessed lug is positioned at a distance greater than or equal to 2 mm from the panel.

8. The semiconductor processing method of claim 1, wherein the step of forming the annular plasma of the etchant precursor comprises the following steps: The annular plasma is formed around the edge region of the substrate support.

9. The semiconductor processing method of claim 8, wherein the step of etching the edge region of the substrate is performed by etching, the etching being limited to a distance of less than or equal to 50 mm extending from the outer edge of the substrate.

10. A semiconductor processing method, comprising the following steps: Material is deposited on a substrate disposed on a substrate support in a processing region of a semiconductor processing chamber, wherein the processing region is at least partially defined by the substrate support and a panel, and wherein the substrate support is characterized by a recessed lug at the outer edge of the substrate support. The substrate support and the substrate placed on the substrate support are raised to a position where the surface of the substrate facing the panel is positioned at a distance of less than or equal to 5 mm from the panel. Plasma containing etchant precursors is formed within the processing region of the semiconductor processing chamber; as well as While retaining the material deposited in the central region of the substrate, the edge regions of the substrate are etched.

11. The semiconductor processing method of claim 10, wherein the material deposited on the substrate comprises a carbon-containing hard mold.

12. The semiconductor processing method of claim 10, wherein the step of forming the plasma of the etchant precursor comprises the following steps: The oxygen-containing precursor is introduced into the processing region of the semiconductor processing chamber. The plasma that forms the oxygen-containing precursor, and The material deposited on the substrate is etched using the plasma effluent of the oxygen-containing precursor.

13. The semiconductor processing method of claim 10, wherein the step of raising the substrate support positions the surface of the substrate facing the panel at a distance of less than or equal to 2 mm from the panel.

14. The semiconductor processing method of claim 10, wherein the step of forming the plasma of the etchant precursor comprises the following steps: A ring-shaped plasma is formed around the edge region of the substrate support.

15. The semiconductor processing method of claim 14, wherein the step of etching the edge region of the substrate is performed by etching, the etching being limited to a distance of less than or equal to 50 mm extending from the outer edge of the substrate.

16. The semiconductor processing method of claim 10, further comprising the following steps: After the material is deposited, the pressure in the semiconductor processing chamber is reduced to purify the processing area of ​​the semiconductor processing chamber.

17. The semiconductor processing method of claim 10, wherein the substrate support is characterized by tilting during deposition, and wherein the method further comprises the following steps: Level the substrate support so that the substrate is parallel to the panel.

18. A semiconductor processing method, comprising the following steps: A plasma containing a carbon precursor is formed in a processing region of a semiconductor processing chamber, wherein the processing region is at least partially defined by a substrate support and a panel. A carbon-containing material is deposited on a substrate disposed on the substrate support, wherein the substrate support is located at a first position relative to the panel within the processing area; The substrate support and the substrate mounted on the substrate support are raised to a second position relative to the panel; A ring plasma containing oxygen precursors is formed within the processing region of the semiconductor processing chamber; as well as The edge region of the substrate is etched.

19. The semiconductor processing method of claim 18, wherein the substrate support includes positioning tabs for holding the substrate on the substrate support.

20. The semiconductor processing method of claim 18, wherein the substrate support is characterized by: a recessed lug at the outer edge of the substrate support, the recessed lug being radially outside the region on which the substrate is disposed, wherein when the substrate support is in the second position, the surface of the substrate facing the panel is less than or equal to 2 mm away from the panel, and wherein when the substrate support is in the second position, the surface of the substrate support facing the panel at the recessed lug is greater than or equal to 2 mm away from the panel.

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