Substrate Processing for Volatile Metal Fluoride Chamber Cleaning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing substrate processing methods cause damage to the chamber or components due to the adherence of metal-containing substances during etching processes.
Innovation Solution
A substrate processing method involving dry development using a development gas to remove specific regions of a metal-containing resist, followed by generating a second metal-containing substance with a fluorine-containing gas and converting it to a third metal-containing substance through heating and supplying a processing gas to remove it, thereby minimizing chamber damage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If metal-containing resist is used in EUV lithography, then patterning precision is improved, but metal-containing substances adhere to the chamber causing damage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent converts the harmful adherent metal-containing substances into beneficial volatile metal fluorides through fluorine treatment. The metal-containing resist, which causes chamber damage through adhesion, is transformed into a process where fluorine reacts with the metal to form volatile compounds that can be easily removed, thus turning the harmful adhesion property into a beneficial removal mechanism
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the chemical state of metal-containing substances from adherent metallic form to volatile fluoride form through parameter change (chemical reaction with fluorine). This parameter change from metallic state to fluoride state enables the substance to transition from causing damage to being easily removable, resolving the contradiction between using metal-containing resist and preventing chamber damage
2Ease of manufacture
If conventional cleaning methods are used, then chamber maintenance is simple, but damage to chamber or components occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces mechanical/physical cleaning methods with chemical treatment using fluorine-containing gases. Instead of using mechanical scraping or aggressive chemical etchants that damage the chamber, the process uses fluorine chemistry to convert adherent metal substances into volatile fluorides that desorb and are removed by gas flow, substituting a gentle chemical-vapor-based mechanism for harsh mechanical or chemical cleaning
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces fluorine-containing gas as an intermediary substance that mediates between the adherent metal-containing substances and the chamber. The fluorine acts as a chemical intermediary that reacts with the metal to form volatile fluorides, enabling removal without direct mechanical contact or aggressive cleaning that would damage the chamber components
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 method effectively suppresses damage to the processing chamber and components by converting adherent metal-containing substances into volatile forms for easy removal, enhancing the chamber's longevity and efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
generating a second metal-containing substance from the first metal-containing substance using a fluorine-containing gas, the second metal-containing substance including a metal fluoride
Implementation Method 2
generating a third metal-containing substance from the second metal-containing substance and removing the third metal-containing substance by heating the chamber or the component and supplying a processing gas into the chamber
Implementation Method 3
removing the third metal-containing substance by heating the chamber or the component
Data Source
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AI summary
In one exemplary embodiment, a substrate processing method includes (a) providing a substrate on a substrate support in a chamber, the substrate including an etching target film and a metal-containing resist on the etching target film, the metal-containing resist including a first region exposed to EUV light and a second region not exposed to the EUV light, (b) removing the second region by dry development using a development gas, (cl) generating a second metal-containing substance from a first metal-containing substance using a fluorine-containing gas after the (b), the second metal-containing substance including a metal fluoride, and (c2) generating a third metal-containing substance from the second metal-containing substance and removing the third metal-containing substance by heating the chamber or a component and supplying a processing gas into the chamber.