Amorphous Carbon Hard Mask with Inert Gas Implantation for Etch Selectivity
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Solution Overview
Problem
As semiconductor device dimensions shrink and aspect ratios increase, existing amorphous carbon hard masks face challenges in achieving high etch selectivity, mechanical properties, and removability during plasma-based etching processes.
Innovation Solution
A method involving depositing amorphous carbon material on a substrate, exposing it to inert gas plasma at an elevated temperature, and repeating this process to achieve a desired thickness, reducing hydrogen content and sp3 carbon bonding while maintaining mechanical properties, thereby enhancing etch resistance and selectivity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If amorphous carbon hard mask is used for high aspect ratio patterning, then etch resistance is improved, but etch selectivity deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by controlling the deposition temperature and plasma treatment conditions during amorphous carbon film formation. By optimizing these parameters, the hard mask achieves enhanced etch resistance while maintaining appropriate etch selectivity for high aspect ratio patterning applications.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite structure by combining amorphous carbon with specific microstructural characteristics through controlled deposition and plasma treatment. This composite approach enables simultaneous improvement of etch resistance and maintenance of etch selectivity by tailoring the material's internal structure rather than relying on a single property.
2Manufacturing precision
If amorphous carbon hard mask is used for deeper patterning, then vertical pattern creation is improved, but mask removability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent utilizes parameter changes in the deposition temperature and plasma treatment to create an amorphous carbon hard mask with optimized mechanical and chemical properties. This enables the mask to provide sufficient structural support for vertical pattern creation while maintaining controlled removability through the specific microstructural characteristics achieved through parameter optimization.
3Ease of manufacture
If conventional organic soft mask is used, then removability is improved, but etch resistance deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a composite amorphous carbon material that combines properties of both organic masks (removability) and inorganic hard masks (etch resistance). Through controlled deposition and plasma treatment, the resulting material exhibits intermediate characteristics that provide sufficient etch resistance for deep patterning while retaining controlled removability, effectively bridging the gap between conventional mask types.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The treated amorphous carbon hard mask exhibits increased etch selectivity and resistance to plasma-based etching, retaining mechanical properties and optical characteristics, making it suitable for high aspect ratio patterning in semiconductor devices.
Implementation Method 1
exposing the amorphous carbon material to an inert gas plasma at an elevated treatment temperature
Implementation Method 2
exposing the amorphous carbon material to an inert gas plasma at an elevated treatment temperature greater than the deposition temperature in the plasma deposition chamber
Implementation Method 3
depositing amorphous carbon material on a substrate in a plasma deposition chamber at a deposition temperature
Data Source
AI summary
An amorphous carbon hard mask is formed having low hydrogen content and low sp3 carbon bonding but high modulus and hardness. The amorphous carbon hard mask is formed by depositing an amorphous carbon layer at a low temperature in a plasma deposition chamber and treating the amorphous carbon layer to a dual plasma-thermal treatment. The dual plasma-thermal treatment includes exposing the amorphous carbon layer to inert gas plasma for implanting an inert gas species in the amorphous carbon layer and exposing the amorphous carbon layer to a high temperature. The amorphous carbon hard mask has high etch selectivity relative to underlying materials.