Semiconductor wafer, etching method, manufacturing method, etching equipment and process equipment

Abstract

The invention provides a semiconductor wafer, an etching method, a manufacturing method, etching equipment and process equipment, and the manufacturing method of the semiconductor wafer comprises the steps: carrying out the etching process of the semiconductor wafer in an etching process cavity in a vacuum state, removing the surface of the semiconductor wafer in situ after the etching process is completed, and generating a hydrophobic protection layer in situ. In-situ protection is carried out, water vapor in air can be isolated, a corrosion phenomenon is avoided, and subsequently, after vacuum breaking, chlorine-based components left on a hydrophobic protection layer and a patterned photoresist layer on a semiconductor wafer and in an etching process can be removed in a common photoresist removing cavity. According to the scheme, the process efficiency is remarkably improved, the equipment cost is reduced, the process flexibility is enhanced, meanwhile, the corrosion problem of some device layers after the etching process is effectively solved, and the yield and reliability of semiconductor wafer manufacturing are improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to the field of semiconductor technology, and in particular to a semiconductor wafer and an etching method and a manufacturing method thereof, etching equipment, and semiconductor process equipment. Background Art

[0002] In semiconductor wafer fabrication, traditional etching processes primarily utilize physical or chemical etching. Physical etching uses physical methods (such as mechanical impact and ion bombardment) to separate the substrate from the substrate. However, physical etching suffers from shortcomings such as slow etching rates and the tendency to damage the substrate surface. Chemical etching utilizes chemical reactions to dissolve the substrate, thereby removing it from the substrate.

[0003] During the chemical etching process, a reactive gas is often required. The reactive gas may be, for example, a chlorine-based gas such as chlorine. Such reactive gases are corrosive, and such corrosive gases or byproducts tend to remain on the semiconductor wafer after etching. Upon exposure to the atmosphere, they react with moisture in the air, causing corrosion of the film layer. Currently, conventional processes employ a process in which an etching chamber is coupled to a water-oxygen chamber. Specifically, the semiconductor wafer is first etched in the etching chamber using a photoresist layer. The semiconductor wafer is then transferred to a water-oxygen stripping apparatus without breaking the vacuum. The etched semiconductor wafer is then subjected to water-oxygen stripping in the water-oxygen stripping apparatus to remove the photoresist layer. While this process can significantly reduce post-etch corrosion, it cannot completely prevent corrosion. Furthermore, a dedicated water-oxygen stripping apparatus must be configured. The water-oxygen stripping apparatus is associated with the metal etching chamber under vacuum and cannot be used in conjunction with other stripping processes, increasing costs and reducing overall process efficiency and flexibility. Summary of the Invention

[0004] In view of the above-mentioned shortcomings of the related art, the purpose of the present disclosure is to provide a semiconductor wafer and its etching method and manufacturing method, etching equipment, and semiconductor process equipment to solve various problems in the related art.

[0005] A first aspect of the present disclosure provides a method for manufacturing a semiconductor wafer, comprising the following steps:

[0006] Transferring the semiconductor wafer into an etching process chamber, inputting a chlorine-containing reaction gas into the etching process chamber under a vacuum state to generate a chlorine-containing first plasma, and performing an etching process on the device layer in the semiconductor wafer using the chlorine-containing first plasma with the patterned photoresist layer as a mask;

[0007] In the etching process chamber, under a vacuum state, a hydrophobic protective layer covering the patterned photoresist layer and the device layer is formed on the surface of the semiconductor wafer after the etching process is completed, for in-situ protection; and

[0008] After breaking the vacuum, the semiconductor wafer is transferred from the etching process chamber to a desmearing device to remove the hydrophobic protective layer, the patterned photoresist layer, and chlorine-based components remaining in the etching process on the semiconductor wafer.

[0009] In certain examples of the first aspect, before a hydrophobic protective layer covering the patterned photoresist layer and the device layer is formed on the surface of the semiconductor wafer after the etching process is completed, the following steps are also included: after the etching process is completed, in a vacuum state, a hydrogen-containing reaction gas is introduced in situ to generate a hydrogen-containing second plasma, and the hydrogen-containing second plasma reacts with the chlorine-based components remaining on the surface of the semiconductor wafer to generate an acidic product; and the generated acidic product is removed.

[0010] In certain examples of the first aspect, the in-situ introduction of a hydrogen-containing reaction gas includes: in-situ introduction of a hydrogen-containing reaction gas, or in-situ introduction of a hydrogen-containing reaction gas and a dilution gas; the hydrogen-containing reaction gas includes hydrogen or water vapor, and the dilution gas includes nitrogen or argon.

[0011] In certain examples of the first aspect, the step of forming a hydrophobic protective layer covering the patterned photoresist layer and the device layer on the surface of the semiconductor wafer after completing the etching process includes: introducing a carbon-containing reaction gas in situ and generating a carbon-containing third plasma to form a hydrophobic polymer film layer on the surface of the semiconductor wafer.

[0012] In some examples of the first aspect, the in-situ introduction of the carbon-containing reaction gas includes: in-situ introduction of the carbon-containing reaction gas, or in-situ introduction of the carbon-containing reaction gas and the dilution gas; the carbon-containing reaction gas includes carbon monoxide gas or C x H y Gas, the diluent gas includes nitrogen, hydrogen, or argon.

[0013] A second aspect of the present disclosure provides a method for etching a semiconductor wafer, comprising the following steps:

[0014] In an etching process chamber, under a vacuum state, a chlorine-containing reaction gas is input into the etching process chamber to generate a chlorine-containing first plasma, and a device layer in a semiconductor wafer is etched using the chlorine-containing first plasma with the patterned photoresist layer as a mask; and

[0015] In the etching process chamber, under vacuum, a hydrophobic protective layer covering the patterned photoresist layer and the device layer is formed on the surface of the semiconductor wafer after the etching process is completed, for in-situ protection.

[0016] In certain examples of the second aspect, before a hydrophobic protective layer covering the patterned photoresist layer and the device layer is formed on the surface of the semiconductor wafer after the etching process is completed, the following steps are also included: after the etching process is completed, in a vacuum state, a hydrogen-containing reaction gas is introduced in situ to generate a hydrogen-containing second plasma, and the hydrogen-containing second plasma reacts with the chlorine-based components remaining on the surface of the semiconductor wafer to generate an acidic product; and the generated acidic product is removed.

[0017] In certain examples of the second aspect, the in-situ introduction of a hydrogen-containing reaction gas includes: in-situ introduction of a hydrogen-containing reaction gas, or in-situ introduction of a hydrogen-containing reaction gas and a dilution gas; the hydrogen-containing reaction gas includes hydrogen or water vapor, and the dilution gas includes nitrogen or argon.

[0018] In certain examples of the second aspect, the step of forming a hydrophobic protective layer covering the patterned photoresist layer and the device layer on the surface of the semiconductor wafer after completing the etching process includes: introducing a carbon-containing reaction gas in situ and generating a carbon-containing third plasma to form a hydrophobic polymer film layer on the surface of the semiconductor wafer.

[0019] In certain examples of the second aspect, the in-situ introduction of a carbon-containing reaction gas includes: in-situ introduction of a carbon-containing reaction gas, or in-situ introduction of a carbon-containing reaction gas and a dilution gas; the carbon-containing reaction gas includes carbon monoxide gas or CxHy gas, and the dilution gas includes nitrogen, hydrogen, or argon.

[0020] A third aspect of the present disclosure provides a semiconductor wafer, which is manufactured using the various steps in the etching method described above or manufactured using the manufacturing method described above.

[0021] A fourth aspect of the present disclosure provides an etching device, comprising: an etching process chamber, for performing the various steps of the etching method as described above on a semiconductor wafer.

[0022] A fifth aspect of the present disclosure provides a semiconductor process equipment, comprising:

[0023] An etching process device for performing the various steps of the etching method described above on a semiconductor wafer;

[0024] A stripping device for removing the hydrophobic protective layer, the patterned photoresist layer, and the chlorine-based components remaining in the etching process from the semiconductor wafer; and

[0025] The transfer device is used to transfer the semiconductor wafer from the etching process device to the stripping device.

[0026] As described above, the embodiments of the present disclosure provide semiconductor wafers and their etching methods and manufacturing methods, etching equipment, and semiconductor process equipment. In the manufacturing method of the semiconductor wafer, in view of the characteristics of the etching process of chlorine-containing gas, an in-situ thin film deposition process is introduced after the etching process is completed. A hydrophobic protective layer covering the patterned photoresist layer and the device layer is formed on the surface of the semiconductor wafer after the etching process is completed. In-situ protection is performed to isolate water vapor in the air, thereby avoiding corrosion. Subsequently, the semiconductor wafer can be transferred to an ordinary degumming device under the condition of breaking the vacuum to remove the hydrophobic protective layer, the patterned photoresist layer, and the chlorine-based components remaining in the etching process on the semiconductor wafer. This solution significantly improves process efficiency, reduces equipment cost, and enhances process flexibility. At the same time, it effectively solves the corrosion problem of certain device layers after the etching process, thereby improving the yield and reliability of semiconductor wafer production. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0027] Figure 1 FIG2 is a schematic structural diagram of an etching device used in the semiconductor wafer etching method disclosed in the present invention in one embodiment.

[0028] Figure 2 FIG. 1 is a flow chart of an etching method for a semiconductor wafer according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0029] Figure 3 The diagram shows a structure in which a photoresist layer is formed on the surface of a device layer of a semiconductor wafer.

[0030] Figure 4 Display as Figure 3 Schematic diagram of the structure of forming a patterned photoresist layer by exposure.

[0031] Figure 5 It shows a structural schematic diagram of an etching process performed on a semiconductor wafer in an etching process chamber.

[0032] Figure 6 Display as Figure 5 Schematic diagram of the structure of forming a hydrophobic protective layer by performing an in-situ thin film deposition process on a semiconductor wafer in an etching process chamber.

[0033] Figure 7 FIG. 1 is a flow chart of another embodiment of the present invention's semiconductor wafer etching method.

[0034] Figure 8 The diagram shows a structure in which an in-situ surface process is performed on a semiconductor wafer in an etching process chamber to remove most of the chlorine-based components remaining on the surface of the semiconductor wafer.

[0035] Figure 9 Display as Figure 8Schematic diagram of the structure of forming a hydrophobic protective layer by performing an in-situ thin film deposition process on a semiconductor wafer in an etching process chamber.

[0036] Figure 10 Shown is a structural schematic diagram of a semiconductor process equipment in one embodiment.

[0037] Figure 11 FIG. 1 is a flow chart of a method for manufacturing a semiconductor wafer according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0038] Figure 12 It shows a schematic diagram of the structure after the hydrophobic protective layer, the patterned photoresist layer, and the chlorine-based components remaining in the etching process are removed in the stripping device.

[0039] Figure 13 FIG. 1 is a flow chart of another embodiment of a method for manufacturing a semiconductor wafer according to the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0040] The following describes the embodiments of the present disclosure through specific examples. Those skilled in the art can easily understand the other advantages and effects of the present disclosure from the information disclosed in this disclosure. The present disclosure can also be implemented or applied through different specific embodiments. The details of the present disclosure can also be modified or changed according to different viewpoints and application modules without departing from the spirit of the present disclosure. It should be noted that the embodiments and features in the embodiments of the present disclosure can be combined with each other unless there is a conflict.

[0041] The following is a detailed description of the embodiments of the present disclosure with reference to the accompanying drawings so that those skilled in the art can easily implement the present disclosure. The present disclosure can be embodied in many different forms and is not limited to the embodiments described herein.

[0042] Throughout the present disclosure, reference to terms such as "one embodiment," "some embodiments," "examples," "specific examples," or "some examples" means that a specific feature, structure, material, or characteristic described in conjunction with that embodiment or example is included in at least one embodiment or example of the present disclosure. Furthermore, the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described may be combined in any suitable manner in any one or a group of embodiments or examples. Furthermore, those skilled in the art may combine and integrate different embodiments or examples, and features of different embodiments or examples, as described in the present disclosure, without conflicting requirements.

[0043] Furthermore, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features being referred to. Thus, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one such feature. In the context of this disclosure, "a group" means two or more, unless otherwise specifically defined.

[0044] In order to clearly describe the present disclosure, components not related to the description are omitted, and the same or similar components throughout the specification are denoted by the same reference numerals.

[0045] Throughout this specification, when a device is said to be "connected" to another device, this includes not only "direct connection" but also "indirect connection" with other elements interposed therebetween. Furthermore, when a device is said to "include" a certain component, unless otherwise stated, this does not exclude the inclusion of other components but rather implies that the device may include other components.

[0046] Although the terms first, second, etc. are used in this document to represent various elements in some examples, these elements should not be limited by these terms. These terms are only used to distinguish one element from another. For example, the first interface and the second interface, etc. are represented. Furthermore, as used in this document, the singular forms "one," "an," and "the" are intended to also include the plural forms, unless there is a contrary indication in the context. It should be further understood that the terms "comprise" and "include" indicate the presence of the described features, steps, operations, elements, modules, projects, types, and / or groups, but do not exclude the presence, occurrence, or addition of one or a group of other features, steps, operations, elements, modules, projects, types, and / or groups. The terms "or" and "and / or" used herein are interpreted as inclusive, or mean any one or any combination. Therefore, "A, B, or C" or "A, B, and / or C" means "any of the following: A; B; C; A and B; A and C; B and C; A, B, and C." Exceptions to this definition only occur when the combination of elements, functions, steps, or operations is inherently mutually exclusive in some way.

[0047] The technical terms used herein are intended only to refer to specific embodiments and are not intended to limit the present disclosure. The singular form used herein also includes the plural form unless the statement explicitly indicates otherwise. The term "comprising" as used in this specification is intended to specify specific features, regions, integers, steps, operations, elements, and / or components and does not exclude the presence or addition of other features, regions, integers, steps, operations, elements, and / or components.

[0048] Although not defined differently, all terms used herein, including technical and scientific terms, have the same meanings as those generally understood by those skilled in the art to which this disclosure belongs. Terms defined in commonly used dictionaries are additionally interpreted as having meanings consistent with relevant technical literature and the current message. Unless otherwise defined, they should not be overly interpreted as ideal or highly formalized meanings.

[0049] In semiconductor wafer manufacturing processes, chlorine-based gases are introduced during the etching process. These corrosive gases or byproducts tend to remain on the semiconductor wafer after etching. When exposed to the atmosphere, they react with moisture in the air, causing corrosion of the metal film. Therefore, in traditional processes, the semiconductor wafer must be transferred to a water-oxygen stripping device without breaking the vacuum to perform water-oxygen stripping on the etched semiconductor wafer. This process still cannot completely prevent the occurrence of corrosion, and a dedicated water-oxygen stripping device must be configured. The water-oxygen stripping device is connected to the metal etching chamber under vacuum and cannot be mixed with other stripping processes, which increases costs and reduces overall process efficiency and flexibility.

[0050] The embodiments of the present disclosure provide a method for manufacturing a semiconductor wafer, a method for etching a semiconductor wafer, a semiconductor wafer, an etching device, and a semiconductor process device. By modifying the relevant process methods, after the semiconductor wafer is subjected to the etching process, the semiconductor wafer is subjected to a corresponding in-situ thin film deposition process, etc., to achieve in-situ protection, which can prevent the semiconductor wafer from being corroded due to contact with air after being transferred, effectively solves the corrosion problem of the semiconductor wafer after the etching process, and improves the yield and reliability.

[0051] See also Figure 1 , which is a schematic structural diagram of an etching device used in the semiconductor wafer etching method disclosed in the present invention in one embodiment.

[0052] like Figure 1 As shown, the etching equipment in this embodiment may at least include: an etching process chamber 11, a wafer carrier 13, an air intake device, an exhaust device, and a radio frequency excitation device.

[0053] The etching process chamber 11 includes a sealed chamber with sidewalls, and a wafer carrying platform 13 is provided in the central area of ​​the sealed chamber.

[0054] The etching process chamber 11 is connected to an air inlet device. In some embodiments, the top of the etching process chamber is connected to one or more air inlets. In some embodiments, the side of the etching process chamber is connected to one or more air inlets. In some embodiments, the top and side of the etching process chamber are connected to one or more air inlets. Generally, when the reaction gas is introduced into the etching process chamber through the air inlet device, the flow rate of the reaction gas is controlled according to the process requirements.

[0055] Each air inlet device includes an air inlet pipeline and a reaction gas source and a gas source valve provided on the air inlet pipeline. Figure 1 For example, the first air inlet device includes a first air inlet pipeline, a first reactant gas source GS1 disposed on the first air inlet pipeline, and a first gas source valve V1; the second air inlet device includes a second air inlet pipeline, a second reactant gas source GS2 disposed on the second air inlet pipeline, and a second gas source valve V2; ...; the nth air inlet device includes an nth air inlet pipeline, an nth reactant gas source GSn disposed on the nth air inlet pipeline, and an nth gas source valve Vn. The reactant gases provided by the reactant gas sources include, but are not limited to, silane (SiH4), methane (CH4), ammonia (NH3), chlorine (Cl2), oxygen (O2), nitrogen (N2), hydrogen (H2), and the like.

[0056] In addition, an air intake main valve is provided between the multi-way air intake device and the process chamber, i.e. Figure 1 As shown, an air intake main valve Vin is provided between the multi-channel air intake device and the nozzle or nozzle assembly (not marked in the figure) provided at the top of the etching process chamber 11 .

[0057] The sidewalls of the etching chamber 11 may be provided with inlets and outlets, which facilitate the transfer of workpieces, including but not limited to wafers. Typically, a first slit door is provided at the inlet and outlet, which can move vertically or horizontally relative to the inlet and outlet.

[0058] A wafer stage 13 is disposed within the etching chamber 11 and is used to support a semiconductor wafer 100, such as a wafer. In some embodiments, a plasma etching process, etc., is performed on only one semiconductor wafer 100 at a time within the etching chamber 11. Therefore, the wafer stage 13 is located in the center of the etching chamber 11.

[0059] In some embodiments, the wafer carrier 13 is further provided with a suction structure for sucking the semiconductor wafer 100. For example, the suction structure may include a suction groove and a suction pump.

[0060] In some embodiments, a heating device (not shown) may be provided below the wafer carrier 13 to heat the supported semiconductor wafer 100 to a desired temperature. In some embodiments, the sidewalls and top cover of the etching chamber 11 may be coated with a highly reflective film or polished to reflect thermal radiation generated by the heating device back to the wafer carrier 13 and the supported semiconductor wafer 100.

[0061] In some embodiments, the sidewall surfaces and top cover surfaces of the etching process chamber 11 may be coated with a high reflective film or polished to reflect the thermal radiation generated by the heating device back to the surface of the wafer carrier 13 and the semiconductor wafer 100 it carries.

[0062] In some embodiments, the wafer carrier 13 may be associated with a movable component. The movable component can be used to drive the wafer carrier 13 to move. For example, the movable component can be a lifting component that can drive the wafer carrier 13 and the semiconductor wafer 100 it carries to move up and down.

[0063] In some embodiments, the wafer carrier 13 may be associated with a rotating device. The rotating device may include a selective rotating member and a rotating power mechanism. The rotating member may be sealed with the wafer carrier 13 and the etching process chamber 11. The selective power mechanism may drive the rotating member and the associated wafer carrier 13 and the semiconductor wafer 100 supported thereon to perform reciprocating rotation, thereby enabling more uniform thin film deposition on the semiconductor wafer 100.

[0064] The exhaust device is used to extract the reaction gas in the etching process chamber. Figure 1 As shown, the exhaust device includes an exhaust pipeline connected to the etching process chamber 11 and an exhaust valve assembly and an exhaust pump arranged on the exhaust pipeline.

[0065] In certain embodiments, the exhaust valve assembly includes an exhaust valve.

[0066] In certain embodiments, the exhaust valve assembly includes a combination of an exhaust valve and a throttle valve. For example, the exhaust valve may be a conventional exhaust valve. For example, the exhaust valve may be a combination of a fast exhaust valve and a slow exhaust valve, wherein the slow exhaust valve is used to establish an initial vacuum environment, and the fast exhaust valve is used to more quickly exhaust residual gas to achieve a lower vacuum level. The throttle valve may be, for example, an exhaust butterfly valve, capable of achieving an opening and closing degree of 0% to 100%.

[0067] A radio frequency excitation device (not shown in the drawings) is disposed in the etching process chamber 11 .

[0068] In the plasma etching process, different process gas combinations (for example, fluorocarbons, oxygen, and argon) are excited by radio frequency (RF) to form a plasma. Within the plasma etching chamber, the plasma physically bombards and chemically reacts with the semiconductor wafer surface, producing the desired etched pattern or deposited layer. Typical plasma etching chambers include capacitively coupled plasma (CCP) and inductively coupled plasma (ICP).

[0069] Capacitively coupled plasma (CCP) is generated by applying a radio frequency power supply to the two electrode plates of a parallel plate capacitor to form a high-frequency electric field. The initial electrons in the gas in the plasma etching chamber gain energy under the action of the high-frequency electric field, bombarding gas molecules to generate more electrons, ions and free radical particles, forming a dynamically balanced low-temperature plasma.

[0070] Inductively coupled plasma (ICP) is generated by applying radio frequency current to the induction coil, which will induce a high-frequency oscillating magnetic field in the plasma etching chamber. The rapidly changing induced magnetic field will generate an induced electric field in the plasma etching chamber, causing the initial electrons in the gas to gain energy, thereby bombarding the particles in the plasma etching chamber and generating low-temperature plasma.

[0071] Taking inductively coupled plasma (ICP) as an example, the wafer carrier 13 can serve as the lower electrode and is connected to at least one RF bias source (not shown). Depending on the etching process requirements, the RF bias source can have a high, medium, or low frequency. For example, a high frequency RF bias source can be 13.56 MHz; a medium frequency RF bias source can be 2 MHz; and a low frequency RF bias source can be several thousand Hz. The wafer carrier 13 can be made of a metal plate.

[0072] In contrast, a coil assembly is provided above the etching process chamber 11 , facing the wafer carrier 13 serving as the lower electrode.

[0073] The etching apparatus can be used to perform an etching process on a semiconductor wafer within an etching process chamber. When performing the etching process on a semiconductor wafer, the semiconductor wafer can be transferred into the etching process chamber and placed on a wafer carrier. The semiconductor wafer is heated and kept warm, and a corresponding reaction gas is introduced into the etching process chamber through an air inlet device. The semiconductor wafer is then subjected to the corresponding etching process using the reaction gas.

[0074] Of course, the etching equipment can be used to perform other related processes on the semiconductor wafer in the etching process chamber, such as a thin film deposition process.

[0075] The present disclosure provides an etching method applied to the aforementioned etching equipment, which first performs an etching process on a semiconductor wafer, and then generates a hydrophobic protective layer in situ on the surface of the semiconductor wafer for in-situ protection, which can isolate water vapor in the air and thus avoid corrosion.

[0076] See also Figure 2 , which is a flow chart of an etching method for a semiconductor wafer according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0077] In step S201 , in an etching process chamber, under a vacuum state, a chlorine-containing reaction gas is input into the etching process chamber to generate a chlorine-containing first plasma, and a device layer in a semiconductor wafer is etched using the chlorine-containing first plasma with the patterned photoresist layer as a mask.

[0078] Through step S201 , the etching process of the semiconductor wafer can be completed in the etching process chamber.

[0079] In some embodiments, step S201 may be further refined into the following steps:

[0080] First, the semiconductor wafer is transferred into the etching process chamber. The semiconductor wafer has a device layer and a patterned photoresist layer is formed on the device layer. Taking the semiconductor wafer as an example, Figure 4 As shown, the semiconductor wafer may include a semiconductor substrate 21 and a device layer 23 located on the semiconductor substrate 21, and a patterned photoresist layer 25 is formed on the device layer 23. The formation of the patterned photoresist layer 25 on the device layer 23 is completed in another process chamber.

[0081] In some examples, the semiconductor substrate is a silicon substrate, a silicon germanium substrate, a silicon carbide substrate, a silicon-on-insulator (SOI) substrate, a germanium-on-insulator (GOI) substrate, a glass substrate, or other III-V compound substrate. Here, the material and structure of the semiconductor substrate are not limited.

[0082] In some examples, the device layer may be, for example, a metal layer, and the material of the metal layer may be, for example, at least one of aluminum, copper, molybdenum, and chromium.

[0083] In some examples, the device layer may be, for example, a dielectric layer or a semiconductor material layer, and the material of the semiconductor material layer may be, for example, at least one of indium phosphide (InP), indium gallium arsenic phosphide (GaAsInP), indium gallium phosphide (InGaP or GaInP), and aluminum indium gallium phosphide (AlGaInP).

[0084] Taking a semiconductor wafer as an example, transferring the semiconductor wafer into the etching process chamber specifically refers to using, for example, a robot to deliver the semiconductor wafer from an inlet and outlet into the etching process chamber and place it on a wafer carrier.

[0085] Afterwards, when the etching process chamber is placed in a vacuum state, a chlorine-containing reaction gas is input into the etching process chamber to generate a chlorine-containing first plasma, and the device layer in the semiconductor wafer is plasma-etched using the generated chlorine-containing first plasma with the patterned photoresist layer as a mask to form a Figure 5 The structure shown.

[0086] In some embodiments, the etching process chamber may be evacuated to a vacuum state through the cooperation of an air intake device and an exhaust device.

[0087] In some embodiments, the device layer is a metal layer. For example, the metal layer is aluminum. In this example, the chlorine-based gas input into the etching process chamber may be chlorine (Cl2), boron trichloride (BCl3), etc.

[0088] In some embodiments, the device layer is a dielectric layer or a semiconductor material layer. For example, the metal layer is made of indium phosphide (InP). In this example, the chlorine-based gas input into the etching process chamber may be, for example, chlorine (Cl2), boron trichloride (BCl3), silicon tetrachloride (SiCl4), etc.

[0089] In some embodiments, step S201 may be further refined into the following steps:

[0090] First, a semiconductor wafer is transferred into an etching process chamber. The semiconductor wafer has a device layer. For example, if the semiconductor wafer is a wafer, the semiconductor wafer may include a semiconductor substrate and a device layer located above the semiconductor substrate.

[0091] In some examples, the semiconductor substrate is a silicon substrate, a silicon germanium substrate, a silicon carbide substrate, a silicon-on-insulator (SOI) substrate, a germanium-on-insulator (GOI) substrate, a glass substrate, or other III-V compound substrate. Here, the material and structure of the semiconductor substrate are not limited.

[0092] In some examples, the device layer may be, for example, a metal layer, and the material of the metal layer may be, for example, at least one of aluminum, copper, molybdenum, and chromium.

[0093] In some examples, the device layer may be, for example, a dielectric layer or a semiconductor material layer, and the material of the semiconductor material layer may be, for example, at least one of indium phosphide (InP), indium gallium arsenic phosphide (GaAsInP), indium gallium phosphide (InGaP or GaInP), and aluminum indium gallium phosphide (AlGaInP).

[0094] Taking a semiconductor wafer as an example, transferring the semiconductor wafer into the etching process chamber specifically refers to using, for example, a robot to deliver the semiconductor wafer from an inlet and outlet into the etching process chamber and place it on a wafer carrier.

[0095] Afterwards, when the etching process chamber is placed in a vacuum state, a patterned photoresist layer is formed on the surface of the device layer of the semiconductor wafer. The process of forming the patterned photoresist layer on the surface of the device layer of the semiconductor wafer may further include: first forming a photoresist layer 24 on the surface of the device layer 23 of the semiconductor wafer by coating, forming a patterned ... Figure 3 Then, the design pattern is transferred to the photoresist layer 24 by exposure using a pattern mask to form a patterned photoresist layer 25, forming a structure as shown in FIG. Figure 4 The structure shown.

[0096] Then, while the etching process chamber is placed in a vacuum state, a chlorine-containing reaction gas is input into the etching process chamber to generate a chlorine-containing first plasma, and the patterned photoresist layer is used as a mask to perform plasma etching on the device layer in the semiconductor wafer using the generated chlorine-containing first plasma.

[0097] In some embodiments, the device layer is a metal layer. For example, the metal layer is aluminum. In this example, the chlorine-based gas input into the etching process chamber may be chlorine (Cl2), boron trichloride (BCl3), etc.

[0098] In some embodiments, the device layer is a dielectric layer or a semiconductor material layer. For example, the metal layer is made of indium phosphide (InP). In this example, the chlorine-based gas input into the etching process chamber may be, for example, chlorine (Cl2), boron trichloride (BCl3), silicon tetrachloride (SiCl4), etc.

[0099] Step S203 , in the etching process chamber, under a vacuum state, forming a hydrophobic protective layer covering the patterned photoresist layer and the device layer on the surface of the semiconductor wafer after the etching process is completed, for in-situ protection.

[0100] Through step S203, a hydrophobic protective layer is formed in situ in the etching process chamber, forming a Figure 6 The structure shown. Figure 6As shown, a hydrophobic protective layer 27 covering the device layer 23 and the patterned photoresist layer 25 is formed on the surface of the semiconductor wafer.

[0101] In some embodiments, step S203 specifically includes: introducing a carbon-containing reaction gas in situ and generating a carbon-containing third plasma, and forming a hydrophobic polymer film layer covering the patterned photoresist layer and the device layer on the surface of the semiconductor wafer after the etching process is completed.

[0102] In some examples, the in-situ introduction of a carbon-containing reaction gas includes in-situ introduction of a carbon-containing reaction gas, wherein the carbon-containing reaction gas may include carbon monoxide CO gas or C x H y gas.

[0103] In some examples, the in-situ introduction of a carbon-containing reaction gas includes in-situ introduction of a carbon-containing reaction gas and a dilution gas, wherein the carbon-containing reaction gas may include carbon monoxide CO gas or C x H y Gas, the dilution gas may include nitrogen N2, hydrogen H2, argon Ar, etc.

[0104] In certain embodiments, the C x H y The gas can be alkane gas, alkane gas (general formula C n H 2n+2 ) is an important precursor gas used in the deposition of hydrophobic carbon-based films in fields such as semiconductor processing and materials science. Its unique chemical structure (containing only C-C single bonds and C-H bonds) enables it to form highly hydrophobic carbon films in a plasma environment. For example, the alkane gas may be methane (CH4), ethane (C2H6), or butane (C3H8).

[0105] In practical applications, a mixture of an alkane gas (e.g., CH4) and a diluent gas (e.g., nitrogen N2, hydrogen H2, argon Ar) can be introduced into the etching chamber. The hydrophobicity of the resulting film can be adjusted based on the carbon content, and the diluent gas can promote dissociation. Radio frequency (RF) or microwave (ECR) discharge generates a plasma, dissociating the alkane molecules into free radicals (e.g., CH3*). The free radicals (e.g., CH3*) adsorb and react on the surface of the semiconductor wafer to form an amorphous carbon (aC:H) film or diamond-like carbon (DLC) film with high hydrophobicity. Furthermore, the formed film can be post-treated (e.g., annealing) to enhance its hydrophobicity and stability.

[0106] Of course, in some embodiments, the C x H y The gas may also be olefin gas or other gas.

[0107] In this way, through steps S201 and S203, the etching process of the semiconductor wafer can be realized, and a hydrophobic protective layer is formed in situ on the surface of the semiconductor wafer in the etching process chamber for in-situ protection, so that the semiconductor wafer can be isolated from water vapor in the air after being removed from the etching process chamber and the vacuum is broken, thereby avoiding corrosion.

[0108] The etching method provided in the embodiments of the present disclosure, by modifying the relevant etching method, performs a corresponding in-situ thin film deposition process on the semiconductor wafer after the etching process is performed on the semiconductor wafer, thereby achieving in-situ protection and isolating the chlorine-based components remaining on the surface of the semiconductor wafer. This can prevent the semiconductor wafer from being corroded due to contact with air after being transferred, effectively solves the corrosion problem of the semiconductor wafer after the etching process, and improves the yield and reliability.

[0109] See also Figure 7 , which is a flow chart of another embodiment of the etching method for a semiconductor wafer of the present invention.

[0110] In step S301 , a chlorine-containing reaction gas is input into the etching process chamber under vacuum to generate a first chlorine-containing plasma, and the device layer in the semiconductor wafer is etched using the first chlorine-containing plasma with the patterned photoresist layer as a mask.

[0111] Through step S301 , the etching process of the semiconductor wafer can be completed in the etching process chamber.

[0112] In some embodiments, step S301 may be further refined into the following steps:

[0113] First, the semiconductor wafer is transferred into an etching process chamber.

[0114] In some examples, the semiconductor chip has a device layer and a patterned photoresist layer is formed on the device layer. Figure 4 As shown, the semiconductor wafer may include a semiconductor substrate 21 and a device layer 23 located on the semiconductor substrate 21, and a patterned photoresist layer 25 is formed on the device layer 23. The formation of the patterned photoresist layer 25 on the device layer 23 is completed in another process chamber.

[0115] In some examples, the semiconductor wafer has a device layer. Taking the semiconductor wafer as an example, the semiconductor wafer may include a semiconductor substrate and a device layer located on the semiconductor substrate. In the etching process chamber, a patterned photoresist layer is formed on the surface of the device layer of the semiconductor wafer: a photoresist layer 24 is first formed on the surface of the device layer 23 of the semiconductor wafer by coating, forming a patterned photoresist layer 24 as shown in FIG. Figure 3Then, the design pattern is transferred to the photoresist layer 24 by exposure using a pattern mask to form a patterned photoresist layer 25, forming a structure as shown in FIG. Figure 4 The structure shown.

[0116] For the specific implementation of step S301, please refer to the above Figure 2 The detailed description of step S201 is omitted here.

[0117] In step S303, a hydrogen-containing reaction gas is introduced into the etching process chamber in situ under a vacuum state to generate a second hydrogen-containing plasma. The hydrogen-containing second plasma reacts with the chlorine-based components remaining on the surface of the semiconductor wafer to generate acidic products, and the generated acidic products are removed.

[0118] Through step S303, most of the chlorine-based components remaining on the surface of the semiconductor wafer can be removed to form Figure 8 The structure shown.

[0119] In some embodiments, the hydrogen-containing reaction gas may include H2 or another hydrogen-containing gas (e.g., water vapor, H2O). The hydrogen-containing gas forms a second hydrogen-containing plasma. The hydrogen-containing second plasma H* reacts with the chlorine-based component Cl* remaining on the surface of the semiconductor wafer to generate an acidic product, HCl. That is, H* + Cl* → HCl. Subsequently, the acidic product HCl can be removed by an exhaust device under vacuum conditions, thereby removing a large amount of chlorine-containing residues on the surface of the semiconductor wafer.

[0120] Step S305 , in an etching process chamber, under a vacuum state, forming a hydrophobic protective layer covering the patterned photoresist layer and the device layer on the surface of the semiconductor wafer after the etching process is completed, for in-situ protection.

[0121] Through step S305, a hydrophobic protective layer is formed in situ in the etching process chamber to form a Figure 9 The structure shown. Figure 9 As shown, a hydrophobic protective layer 27 covering the device layer 23 and the patterned photoresist layer 25 is formed on the surface of the semiconductor wafer.

[0122] In some embodiments, in step S305 , a carbon-containing reaction gas is introduced in situ to generate a carbon-containing third plasma, and a hydrophobic polymer film layer covering the patterned photoresist layer and the device layer is formed on the surface of the semiconductor wafer after the etching process is completed.

[0123] For the specific implementation of step S305, please refer to the above Figure 2 The detailed description of step S203 is omitted here.

[0124] However, compared to step S203 , since most of the chlorine-based components remaining on the surface of the semiconductor wafer are removed by the in-situ surface process in step S303 , the chlorine-based components remaining on the surface of the semiconductor wafer are greatly reduced in step S305 .

[0125] In this way, through steps S301 to S305, the etching process of the semiconductor wafer can be realized, and the chlorine residues on the surface of the semiconductor wafer can be removed in situ in the etching process chamber, and then a hydrophobic protective layer is formed on the surface of the semiconductor wafer after the reactants are removed to perform in situ protection, so that the semiconductor wafer can be isolated from water vapor in the air after the vacuum is broken after being removed from the etching process chamber, thereby avoiding corrosion.

[0126] The etching method provided in the embodiments of the present disclosure improves the relevant etching methods. After the semiconductor wafer is subjected to the etching process, the semiconductor wafer is subjected to the corresponding in-situ surface process combined with the in-situ thin film deposition process, thereby achieving in-situ protection, isolating the chlorine-based components remaining on the surface of the semiconductor wafer, and preventing the semiconductor wafer from being corroded due to contact with air after being transferred. This effectively solves the corrosion problem of the semiconductor wafer after the etching process and improves the yield and reliability.

[0127] In practical applications, in some examples, the semiconductor chip is a wafer, and the device layer in the semiconductor chip can be, for example, an aluminum metal layer. When the etching method disclosed herein is applied, first, an etching process is performed on the aluminum metal layer in the semiconductor wafer in an etching process chamber. Then, a hydrogen-containing reaction gas (e.g., hydrogen H2) is introduced in situ into the etching process chamber. After plasma formation, the dissociated H* reacts with the chlorine-based components on the surface of the semiconductor wafer (i.e., the surface of the etched aluminum metal layer and the surface of the patterned photoresist layer) to form an acidic product. Under a vacuum system, most of the residual chlorine groups on the surface are removed by the exhaust device after the reaction. Next, a carbon-containing reaction gas (e.g., carbon monoxide CO or methane CH4) is introduced. After plasma formation, a hydrophobic protective layer is formed on the surface of the semiconductor wafer (i.e., the surface of the etched aluminum metal layer and the surface of the patterned photoresist layer), locking a small amount of residual chlorine-based components and isolating them from the outside world, thereby isolating the chlorine-based components from contact with water vapor in the air to form acidic products that can corrode the aluminum metal.

[0128] In practical applications, in some examples, the semiconductor chip is a wafer, and the device layer in the processed object can be, for example, a dielectric layer or a semiconductor material layer (for example, indium phosphide InP). InP materials are commonly used in optoelectronic devices, such as lasers and photodetectors. When the etching method disclosed in the present invention is applied, first, the InP layer in the semiconductor wafer is etched in an etching process chamber. The Cl remaining on the surface of the InP layer after etching is -Chlorides that have not completely volatilized (such as InCl3 and PCl3) react easily with water in a humid environment to generate acidic products (such as HCl), leading to chemical corrosion of InP: InCl3+3H2O→In(OH)3+3HCl, PCl3+3H2O→H3PO3+3HCl. Residual chlorine may also promote oxidation reactions on the InP surface, especially in the presence of oxygen or water vapor: InP+Cl2+H2O→InOCl+H3PO4+HCl. Next, a hydrogen-containing reaction gas (such as hydrogen H2) is introduced into the etching process chamber in situ. After plasma formation, the dissociated H* reacts with the chlorine-based components on the surface of the semiconductor wafer (i.e., the surface of the etched InP layer and the surface of the patterned photoresist layer) to generate acidic products. Under a vacuum system, most of the residual chlorine groups on the surface are removed by the exhaust device after the reaction. Next, a carbon-containing reaction gas (for example, carbon monoxide (CO) or methane (CH4)) is introduced, which is plasmatized and then forms a hydrophobic protective layer on the surface of the semiconductor wafer (i.e., the surface of the etched InP layer and the surface of the patterned photoresist layer). This locks in a small amount of residual chlorine-based components and isolates them from the outside world, thereby isolating the chlorine-based components from contact with water vapor in the air to form acidic products that can corrode InP.

[0129] The present disclosure provides a semiconductor process equipment, which may include: an etching process device, a desmearing device, and a transmission device.

[0130] See also Figure 10 , which is a schematic diagram showing the structure of a semiconductor process equipment in one embodiment. Figure 10 As shown, the semiconductor process equipment includes: an etching process device 2, a stripping device 4, and a transmission device 6.

[0131] The etching process device 2 is used to perform an etching process and other related in-situ treatment processes on the semiconductor wafer 100. The etching process includes: in a vacuum state, inputting a chlorine-containing reaction gas into the etching process chamber and generating a first chlorine-containing plasma, using the patterned photoresist layer as a mask, and using the chlorine-containing first plasma to perform an etching process on the device layer in the semiconductor wafer. Other related in-situ treatment processes may be, for example, an in-situ surface process and an in-situ thin film deposition process. The in-situ surface process includes: after completing the etching process, in a vacuum state, introducing a hydrogen-containing reaction gas in situ and generating a second hydrogen-containing plasma, the second hydrogen-containing plasma reacting with the chlorine-based components remaining on the surface of the semiconductor wafer to generate an acidic product; and removing the generated acidic product. The in-situ thin film deposition process includes: in the etching process chamber, in a vacuum state, forming a hydrophobic protective layer covering the patterned photoresist layer and the device layer on the surface of the semiconductor wafer after completing the etching process, for in-situ protection.

[0132] Taking a semiconductor wafer as an example, the specific structure and working principle of the etching process device 2 can be described according to Figure 1 Combined with the previous description of the etching equipment, it will not be repeated here.

[0133] The stripping device 4 is used to remove the hydrophobic protective layer, patterned photoresist layer, and other residual media from the semiconductor wafer 100. Taking the semiconductor wafer as an example, the stripping device 4 is typically used after processes such as plasma etching or ion implantation. Its primary function is to oxidize and volatilize the photoresist through plasma, thereby completely removing the photoresist and preparing for subsequent processes.

[0134] In some embodiments, the debonding device 4 may include a debonding chamber, a wafer carrier, an air intake device, an exhaust device, and a radio frequency excitation device, etc., which will not be described in detail here.

[0135] The transfer device 6 is used to transfer the semiconductor wafer from the etching process device to the stripping device. In particular, in some embodiments, the transfer device can transfer the semiconductor wafer in a vacuum-breaking state.

[0136] In certain embodiments, the transfer device 6 may include a transfer chamber and a transfer robot 62 .

[0137] The semiconductor process equipment provided by the embodiment of the present disclosure includes an etching process device, a degumming device, and a transmission device. In the etching process device, the semiconductor wafer can first be subjected to an etching process, and then the semiconductor wafer is subjected to an in-situ thin film deposition process or an in-situ surface process and an in-situ thin film deposition process. The chlorine-based components remaining on the surface of the semiconductor wafer are isolated, and the semiconductor wafer can be prevented from being corroded due to contact with air after being transferred. Subsequently, in a broken vacuum state, the semiconductor wafer is transferred from the etching process device to the degumming device by using the transmission device, and the semiconductor wafer is subjected to a removal process in the degumming device to remove the hydrophobic protective layer, the patterned photoresist layer, and the chlorine-based components remaining in the etching process on the semiconductor wafer. Through the semiconductor process equipment, process efficiency is improved, equipment cost is reduced, process flexibility is enhanced, and at the same time, the corrosion problem of certain device layers after the etching process is effectively solved, thereby improving the yield and reliability of semiconductor wafer production.

[0138] The present disclosure also provides a method for manufacturing a semiconductor wafer.

[0139] See also Figure 11 , which is a schematic flow chart of a method for manufacturing a semiconductor wafer according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0140] In step S401, the semiconductor wafer is transferred into an etching process chamber. Under a vacuum state, a chlorine-containing reaction gas is input into the etching process chamber to generate a chlorine-containing first plasma. The device layer in the semiconductor wafer is etched using the patterned photoresist layer as a mask using the chlorine-containing first plasma.

[0141] Through step S401, the etching process of the semiconductor wafer can be completed in the etching process chamber to form Figure 5 The structure shown.

[0142] The specific content of step S401 can be referred to the detailed description of the aforementioned step S201 and will not be repeated here.

[0143] Step S403 , in the etching process chamber, under a vacuum state, forming a hydrophobic protective layer covering the patterned photoresist layer and the device layer on the surface of the semiconductor wafer after the etching process is completed, for in-situ protection.

[0144] Through step S403, a hydrophobic protective layer is formed in situ in the etching process chamber, forming a Figure 6 The structure shown.

[0145] In some embodiments, in step S403, a carbon-containing reaction gas is introduced in situ to generate a carbon-containing third plasma, and a hydrophobic polymer film layer covering the patterned photoresist layer and the device layer is formed on the surface of the semiconductor wafer after the etching process is completed.

[0146] For the specific content of step S403, please refer to the detailed description of the aforementioned step S203, which will not be repeated here.

[0147] In this way, all of the above steps are completed in the etching process chamber, which can realize the etching process of the semiconductor wafer, and a hydrophobic protective layer is formed in situ on the surface of the semiconductor wafer in the etching process chamber for in-situ protection, so that the semiconductor wafer can be isolated from water vapor in the air after being removed from the etching process chamber and the vacuum is broken, thereby avoiding corrosion.

[0148] In step S405 , after breaking the vacuum, the semiconductor wafer is transferred from the etching process chamber to a stripping device to remove the hydrophobic protective layer, the patterned photoresist layer, and the chlorine-based components remaining in the etching process on the semiconductor wafer.

[0149] In step S405, the hydrophobic protective layer and the patterned photoresist layer can be removed simultaneously in a common degumming device. At the same time, during the removal process, there is a high selectivity ratio for the device layer surface on the semiconductor wafer, and it is easy to achieve no damage or residue on the device layer surface.

[0150] Through step S405, the hydrophobic protective layer, the patterned photoresist layer, and the chlorine-based components remaining in the etching process are removed in a common stripping device to form Figure 12 The structure shown.

[0151] It should be noted that the stripping apparatus in step S405 and the etching process chamber in steps S401 and S403 can be integrated into the same equipment, and the two can be connected via a transmission device, similar to the semiconductor process equipment described above. However, this is not limiting. In other embodiments, the stripping apparatus in step S405 and the etching process chamber in steps S401 and S403 are two independent devices and are not directly connected.

[0152] The method for manufacturing a semiconductor wafer provided by the embodiment of the present disclosure is to modify the relevant manufacturing method, first transfer the semiconductor wafer to an etching process chamber, and first perform an etching process on the semiconductor wafer under a vacuum state, and then perform an in-situ thin film deposition process on the semiconductor wafer to isolate the chlorine-based components remaining on the surface of the semiconductor wafer, thereby avoiding corrosion of the semiconductor wafer due to contact with air after being transferred. Subsequently, in a broken vacuum state, the semiconductor wafer is transferred from the etching process device to the degumming device, and the semiconductor wafer is subjected to a removal process in the degumming device to remove the hydrophobic protective layer, patterned photoresist layer, and chlorine-based components remaining in the etching process on the semiconductor wafer. Through semiconductor process equipment, process efficiency is improved, equipment cost is reduced, process flexibility is enhanced, and at the same time, the corrosion problem of certain device layers after the etching process is effectively solved, thereby improving the yield and reliability of semiconductor wafer production.

[0153] See also Figure 13 , which is a schematic flow chart of another embodiment of the method for manufacturing a semiconductor wafer disclosed herein.

[0154] In step S501, the semiconductor wafer is transferred into an etching process chamber. Under a vacuum state, a chlorine-containing reaction gas is input into the etching process chamber to generate a chlorine-containing first plasma. The device layer in the semiconductor wafer is etched using the patterned photoresist layer as a mask using the chlorine-containing first plasma.

[0155] Through step S501, the etching process of the semiconductor wafer can be completed in the etching process chamber to form Figure 5 The structure shown.

[0156] For the specific content of step S501, please refer to the detailed description of the aforementioned step S201, which will not be repeated here.

[0157] In step S503, a hydrogen-containing reaction gas is introduced into the etching process chamber in situ under a vacuum state to generate a second hydrogen-containing plasma. The hydrogen-containing second plasma reacts with the chlorine-based components remaining on the surface of the semiconductor wafer to generate acidic products, and the generated acidic products are removed.

[0158] Through step S503, most of the chlorine-based components remaining on the surface of the semiconductor wafer can be removed to form Figure 8 The structure shown.

[0159] In some embodiments, the hydrogen-containing reaction gas may include H2 or another hydrogen-containing gas (e.g., water vapor, H2O). The hydrogen-containing gas forms a second hydrogen-containing plasma. The hydrogen-containing second plasma H* reacts with the chlorine-based component Cl* remaining on the surface of the semiconductor wafer to generate an acidic product, HCl. That is, H* + Cl* → HCl. Subsequently, the acidic product HCl can be removed by an exhaust device under vacuum conditions, thereby removing a large amount of chlorine-containing residues on the surface of the semiconductor wafer.

[0160] Step S505 , in the etching process chamber, under a vacuum state, forming a hydrophobic protective layer covering the patterned photoresist layer and the device layer on the surface of the semiconductor wafer after the etching process is completed, for in-situ protection.

[0161] Through step S505, a hydrophobic protective layer is formed in situ in the etching process chamber, forming a Figure 9 The structure shown.

[0162] In some embodiments, in step S505 , a carbon-containing reaction gas is introduced in situ to generate a carbon-containing third plasma, and a hydrophobic polymer film layer covering the patterned photoresist layer and the device layer is formed on the surface of the semiconductor wafer after the etching process is completed.

[0163] The specific implementation of step S505 can be found in the detailed description of step S203 above, which will not be repeated here.

[0164] In this way, all the above steps are completed under the vacuum state in the etching process chamber, which can realize the etching process of the semiconductor wafer, and the chlorine-based residues on the surface of the semiconductor wafer are removed in situ in the etching process chamber, and a hydrophobic protective layer is formed on the surface of the semiconductor wafer after the reactants are removed, so as to perform in situ protection, so that the semiconductor wafer can be removed and the water vapor in the air can be isolated after the vacuum in the etching process chamber is broken, thereby avoiding the occurrence of corrosion sites.

[0165] In step S507 , after breaking the vacuum, the semiconductor wafer is transferred from the etching process chamber to a stripping device to remove the hydrophobic protective layer, the patterned photoresist layer, and the chlorine-based components remaining in the etching process on the semiconductor wafer.

[0166] In step S507, the hydrophobic protective layer and the patterned photoresist layer can be removed simultaneously in a common degumming device. At the same time, during the removal process, there is a high selectivity ratio for the device layer surface on the semiconductor wafer, and it is easy to achieve no damage or residue on the device layer surface.

[0167] Through step S507, the hydrophobic protective layer, the patterned photoresist layer, and the chlorine-based components remaining in the etching process are removed in a common stripping device to form Figure 12 The structure shown.

[0168] It should be noted that the stripping apparatus in step S507 and the etching process chamber in steps S501 to S505 can be integrated into the same equipment, and the two can be connected via a transmission device, similar to the semiconductor process equipment described above. However, this is not limiting. In other embodiments, the stripping apparatus in step S507 and the etching process chamber in steps S501 to S505 are two independent equipment and are not directly connected.

[0169] The method for manufacturing a semiconductor wafer provided by the embodiment of the present disclosure is to modify the relevant manufacturing method, first transfer the semiconductor wafer to an etching process chamber, and in a vacuum state, first perform an etching process on the semiconductor wafer, and then perform an in-situ surface process combined with an in-situ thin film deposition process on the semiconductor wafer to remove most of the chlorine-based components remaining on the surface of the semiconductor wafer and isolate the chlorine-based components remaining on the surface of the semiconductor wafer, so as to avoid corrosion of the semiconductor wafer due to contact with air after being transferred. Subsequently, in a broken vacuum state, the semiconductor wafer is transferred from the etching process device to the degumming device, and the semiconductor wafer is subjected to a removal process in the degumming device to remove the hydrophobic protective layer, the patterned photoresist layer, and the chlorine-based components remaining in the etching process on the semiconductor wafer. Through semiconductor process equipment, process efficiency is improved, equipment cost is reduced, process flexibility is enhanced, and at the same time, the corrosion problem of certain device layers after the etching process is effectively solved, thereby improving the yield and reliability of semiconductor wafer production.

[0170] The embodiments of the present disclosure further provide a semiconductor wafer, which is manufactured using the various steps of the etching method described above or manufactured using the manufacturing method described above.

[0171] The above embodiments are merely illustrative of the principles and effects of this disclosure and are not intended to limit this disclosure. Anyone skilled in the art may modify or alter the above embodiments without departing from the spirit and scope of this disclosure. Therefore, any equivalent modifications or alterations made by a person skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and technical concepts disclosed herein shall be encompassed by the scope of protection of this disclosure.

Claims

1. A method for manufacturing a semiconductor wafer, characterized in that: The steps include: Transferring the semiconductor wafer into an etching process chamber, inputting a chlorine-containing reaction gas into the etching process chamber under a vacuum state to generate a chlorine-containing first plasma, and performing an etching process on the device layer in the semiconductor wafer using the chlorine-containing first plasma with the patterned photoresist layer as a mask; In the etching process chamber, under a vacuum state, a hydrophobic protective layer covering the patterned photoresist layer and the device layer is formed on the surface of the semiconductor wafer after the etching process is completed, for in-situ protection; as well as After breaking the vacuum, the semiconductor wafer is transferred from the etching process chamber to a desmearing device to remove the hydrophobic protective layer, the patterned photoresist layer, and chlorine-based components remaining in the etching process on the semiconductor wafer.

2. The production method according to claim 1, characterized in that Before a hydrophobic protective layer covering the patterned photoresist layer and the device layer is formed on the surface of the semiconductor wafer after the etching process is completed, the following steps are also included: after the etching process is completed, in a vacuum state, a hydrogen-containing reaction gas is introduced in situ to generate a hydrogen-containing second plasma, the hydrogen-containing second plasma reacts with the chlorine-based components remaining on the surface of the semiconductor wafer to generate an acidic product; and the generated acidic product is removed.

3. The production method according to claim 2, characterized in that: The in-situ introduction of hydrogen-containing reaction gas includes: in-situ introduction of hydrogen-containing reaction gas, or in-situ introduction of hydrogen-containing reaction gas and dilution gas; the hydrogen-containing reaction gas includes hydrogen or water vapor, and the dilution gas includes nitrogen or argon.

4. The production method according to claim 1, characterized in that The step of forming a hydrophobic protective layer covering the patterned photoresist layer and the device layer on the surface of the semiconductor wafer after completing the etching process includes: introducing a carbon-containing reaction gas in situ and generating a carbon-containing third plasma to form a hydrophobic polymer film layer on the surface of the semiconductor wafer.

5. The production method according to claim 4, characterized in that: The in-situ introduction of carbon-containing reaction gas includes: in-situ introduction of carbon-containing reaction gas, or in-situ introduction of carbon-containing reaction gas and dilution gas; the carbon-containing reaction gas includes carbon monoxide gas or C x H y Gas, the diluent gas includes nitrogen, hydrogen, or argon.

6. A method for etching a semiconductor wafer, characterized in that: The steps include: In an etching process chamber, under a vacuum state, a chlorine-containing reaction gas is input into the etching process chamber to generate a chlorine-containing first plasma, and a device layer in a semiconductor wafer is etched using the chlorine-containing first plasma with the patterned photoresist layer as a mask; and In the etching process chamber, under vacuum, a hydrophobic protective layer covering the patterned photoresist layer and the device layer is formed on the surface of the semiconductor wafer after the etching process is completed, for in-situ protection.

7. The etching method according to claim 6, characterized in that: Before a hydrophobic protective layer covering the patterned photoresist layer and the device layer is formed on the surface of the semiconductor wafer after the etching process is completed, the following steps are also included: after the etching process is completed, in a vacuum state, a hydrogen-containing reaction gas is introduced in situ to generate a hydrogen-containing second plasma, the hydrogen-containing second plasma reacts with the chlorine-based components remaining on the surface of the semiconductor wafer to generate an acidic product; and the generated acidic product is removed.

8. The etching method according to claim 7, characterized in that: The in-situ introduction of hydrogen-containing reaction gas includes: in-situ introduction of hydrogen-containing reaction gas, or in-situ introduction of hydrogen-containing reaction gas and dilution gas; the hydrogen-containing reaction gas includes hydrogen or water vapor, and the dilution gas includes nitrogen or argon.

9. The etching method according to claim 6, wherein: The step of forming a hydrophobic protective layer covering the patterned photoresist layer and the device layer on the surface of the semiconductor wafer after completing the etching process includes: introducing a carbon-containing reaction gas in situ and generating a carbon-containing third plasma to form a hydrophobic polymer film layer on the surface of the semiconductor wafer.

10. The etching method according to claim 9, characterized in that: The in-situ introduction of carbon-containing reaction gas includes: in-situ introduction of carbon-containing reaction gas, or in-situ introduction of carbon-containing reaction gas and dilution gas; the carbon-containing reaction gas includes carbon monoxide gas or C x H y Gas, the diluent gas includes nitrogen, hydrogen, or argon.

11. A semiconductor wafer, characterized in that: It is manufactured by the manufacturing method according to any one of claims 1 to 5 or by the etching method according to claims 6 to 10.

12. An etching device, characterized in that: include: An etching process chamber is used to perform each step of the etching method according to any one of claims 6 to 10 on a semiconductor wafer.

13. A semiconductor process equipment, characterized in that: include: An etching process device for performing the steps of the etching method according to any one of claims 6 to 10 on a semiconductor wafer; A degumming device for performing the steps of removing the hydrophobic protective layer, the patterned photoresist layer, and the chlorine-based components remaining in the etching process on the semiconductor wafer; as well as The transfer device is used to transfer the semiconductor wafer from the etching process device to the stripping device.

Images