Pressurized Wet Etching Chamber for Stable Etchant Selectivity
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing etching technologies face challenges in maintaining etchant concentration stability during wet etching, leading to vaporization and economic losses, and lack sufficient selectivity between silicon nitride and silicon oxide films.
Innovation Solution
An etching device and method that maintains an etching chamber in a pressurized atmosphere, utilizing an etchant supply unit, rinsing liquid supply unit, and cleaning liquid supply unit, with temperature control and pressurization units to manage etchant concentration and improve selectivity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If wet etching is performed at atmospheric pressure, then the device cost is low and work compatibility is improved, but etchant vaporization occurs causing concentration instability and economic loss
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the pressure parameter from atmospheric to pressurized state during etching. This parameter change prevents etchant vaporization by increasing the boiling point, thereby maintaining etchant concentration stability while still allowing the use of cost-effective wet etching processes
2Ease of manufacture
If wet etching is performed at atmospheric pressure, then the device cost is low, but etchant vaporization causes heat of vaporization to lower the object temperature
Solution Approach 1:
By changing the pressure parameter to a pressurized state, the patent prevents etchant vaporization and eliminates the associated heat of vaporization effect. This maintains stable object temperature during etching while preserving the cost advantages of wet etching
3Stability of the object's composition
If atmospheric pressure etching is used, then large amounts of deionized water and etchant must be added to maintain concentration, but this causes large economic loss
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies pressurization to prevent etchant vaporization at the source. This eliminates the need to continuously add large amounts of etchant and deionized water to compensate for vaporization losses, thereby reducing substance consumption and economic loss while maintaining concentration stability
4Device complexity
If conventional wet etching is used, then process simplicity is maintained, but selectivity of silicon nitride film with respect to silicon oxide film is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces pressurization as a simple parameter change that simultaneously achieves two goals: preventing etchant vaporization to maintain concentration stability, and improving etching selectivity. This enhances manufacturing precision without significantly increasing device complexity
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
Prevents etchant vaporization, maintains constant concentration, reduces etchant consumption, and enhances etching selectivity, thereby improving product yield and reducing costs.
Implementation Method 1
a first pressurization maintaining unit configured to maintain at least one of the etching chamber and the etchant supply unit in a pressurized atmosphere
Implementation Method 2
a temperature maintaining unit configured to maintain the etchant stored in the storage chamber at a set temperature. The temperature maintaining unit may include a heater provided in the storage chamber
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to an etching device and an etching method thereof, the etching device comprising: an etchant supply unit for supplying an etchant to an etching chamber; a rinsing liquid supply unit for supplying a rinsing liquid to the etching chamber, a cleaning liquid supply unit for supplying a cleaning liquid to the etching chamber, and a first pressurization maintaining unit for maintaining at least one of the etching chamber and the etchant supply unit in a pressurized atmosphere.