Plasma Etching Control Without Gas Switching for Silicon Oxide
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
The existing dry etching methods, such as ALE, face challenges in achieving high speed and selection ratio due to the time-consuming process of gas switching between deposition and etching steps, which decreases throughput and compromises etching quality.
Innovation Solution
A substrate processing method involving a plasma processing system that uses a combination of fluorocarbon and rare gases, where the etching process is enhanced by alternating between two distinct plasma generations conditions using RF signals, allowing for faster and more precise etching without gas switching.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If gas switching method is used to separate deposition and etching steps, then etching selection ratio is improved, but processing speed decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the control parameter from gas composition switching to RF power parameter switching. By adjusting RF power between high and low states, the system achieves deposition and etching functions without changing the gas composition, thereby eliminating gas switching delays while maintaining etching selection ratio.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements periodic switching of RF power to alternately perform deposition and etching steps. The RF power is periodically modulated between high and low states, creating a cyclic process that achieves both deposition and etching functions in sequence without requiring gas composition changes.
2Reliability
If gas switching is performed between deposition and etching steps, then process control is improved, but throughput decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces gas composition control with RF power parameter control. By modulating RF power levels, the system maintains precise process control for both deposition and etching steps without the throughput penalty associated with gas switching operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent eliminates the interruption caused by gas switching by maintaining continuous gas flow while switching only the RF power parameter. This continuous action approach removes the downtime associated with gas composition changes, thereby improving throughput while maintaining process control.
3Manufacturing precision
If ALE method with separated steps is used, then etching quality is improved, but processing time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent maintains the quality benefits of separated deposition and etching steps by using RF power parameter changes, but reduces processing time by eliminating the gas switching operations that normally separate these steps. The RF power switching is much faster than gas composition changes.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent prepares the gas composition in advance to support both deposition and etching functions, eliminating the need for intermediate gas switching. By pre-configuring the gas mixture, the system can quickly switch between deposition and etching modes using only RF power changes, reducing overall processing time.
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
This approach enables etching at a higher speed and with a higher selection ratio compared to traditional gas switching methods, improving throughput and etching quality by independently controlling deposition and etching steps through RF signal modulation.
Implementation Method 1
plasma-processing the processing target object by a first plasma of the process gas generated under a first plasma generation condition
Implementation Method 2
alternating between two distinct plasma generations conditions using RF signals
Implementation Method 3
supplying a process gas containing fluorocarbon and a rare gas to a processing container
Implementation Method 4
plasma-processing the processing target object in which a bias potential is generated on the processing target object by a second plasma
Data Source
AI summary
A substrate processing method is a substrate processing method for a substrate processing apparatus. The method includes: a) supplying a process gas containing fluorocarbon and a rare gas to a processing container in which a placing pedestal for placing a processing target object including a first region made of silicon oxide is arranged; b) plasma-processing the processing target object by a first plasma of the process gas generated under a first plasma generation condition; c) plasma-processing the processing target object in which a bias potential is generated on the processing target object by a second plasma of the process gas generated under a second plasma generation condition different from the first plasma generation condition; and d) repeating the b) and the c).