Semiconductor Nitride Etching Composition With Low-Particle Oxide Protection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current etching processes for semiconductor manufacturing face challenges in selectively removing nitride films while minimizing oxide film etching rates, often resulting in decreased etch selectivity and particle generation, which can affect device characteristics.
Innovation Solution
A composition comprising a first inorganic acid, a specific additive represented by Chemical Formula 1, and a solvent, along with a silane inorganic acid salt, is used to selectively etch nitride films with respect to oxide films, controlling the etching process temperature between 50°C to 300°C to enhance selectivity and prevent particle generation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If phosphoric acid is used to etch nitride films, then the nitride film removal is effective, but the etch selectivity between nitride film and oxide film decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical parameters of the etching composition by adding specific additives (silane compounds, organic acids, or chelating agents) to phosphoric acid. These parameter changes modify the etching mechanism to achieve high selectivity for nitride films while protecting oxide films, resolving the contradiction between removal efficiency and selectivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite etching composition by combining phosphoric acid with specific additives (silane compounds, organic acids, or chelating agents). This composite formulation enables selective etching of nitride films while minimizing oxide film etching, simultaneously achieving effective removal and high selectivity.
2Manufacturing precision
If deionized water is added to prevent etch rate decrease, then oxide film protection is improved, but process stability deteriorates due to sensitivity to water amount variations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the fragile deionized water component with more stable chemical additives (silane compounds, organic acids, or chelating agents) that provide oxide film protection without the sensitivity to concentration variations, improving process reliability while maintaining protection effectiveness.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent modifies the composition parameters by introducing additives with different chemical properties that provide oxide film protection through mechanisms other than simple dilution, making the process less sensitive to minor composition variations and improving stability.
3Productivity
If silicic acid or silicic acid salt is used in etching composition, then etching performance is enhanced, but particle generation occurs that adversely affects substrate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and removes the harmful silicic acid/silicic acid salt components from the etching composition, replacing them with alternative additives (silane compounds, organic acids, or chelating agents) that provide similar etching enhancement without generating particles that could contaminate the substrate.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces problematic silicic acid-based additives with alternative substances that achieve etching enhancement through different chemical mechanisms, eliminating particle generation while maintaining productivity.
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 solution achieves high etch selectivity for nitride films over oxide films, allowing for precise control of effective field oxide height and preventing damage to oxide films, thereby improving semiconductor device characteristics and process stability.
Implementation Method 1
a composition for etching, comprising a first inorganic acid, a first additive represented by Chemical Formula 1, and a solvent
Implementation Method 2
controlling the etching process temperature between 50°C to 300°C to enhance selectivity and prevent particle generation
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to a composition for etching, comprising a first inorganic acid, a first additive represented by Chemical Formula 1, and a solvent.The composition for etching is a high-selectivity composition that can selectively remove a nitride film while minimizing the etch rate of an oxide film, and which does not have problems such as particle generation, which adversely affect the device characteristics.