US20020072016A1
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Substrate cleaning apparatus and method
Assignee: Applied Materials Inc
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Filing: 2000-12-13
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2020-12-13
Abstract
Abstract A method of processing a substrate 30 comprises exposing the substrate 30 to an energized process gas to etch features 67 on the substrate 30 and exposing the substrate 30 to an energized cleaning gas to remove etchant residue 70 and/or remnant resist 60 from the substrate 30 . To enhance the cleaning process, the substrate 30 may be treated before, during or after the cleaning process by exposing the substrate 30 to an energized treating gas comprising a halogen species.
Inventors
- 👤 Haojiang Chen
- 👤 James Papanu
- 👤 Mark Kawaguchi
- 👤 Harald Herchen
- 👤 Jeng Hwang
- 👤 Guangxiang Jin
- 👤 David Palagashvili
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-07 14:58
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10P; H10P70/00; H10P70/20; H10P70/27; H10P70/273; G; G03; G03F; G03F7/00; G03F7/26; G03F7/42; G03F7/427; H10P50/00; H10P50/20; H10P50/26; H10P50/264; H10P50/266; H10P50/267
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 55
Claim 1
Independent Claim
52 words
1 . A substrate processing method comprising: (a) exposing a substrate to an energized process gas to etch the substrate; (b) exposing the substrate to an energized cleaning gas; and (c) before, during, or after (b), exposing the substrate to an energized treating gas comprising a halogen species and a hydrogen species.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
52 words
1 . A substrate processing method comprising: (a) exposing a substrate to an energized process gas to etch the substrate; (b) exposing the substrate to an energized cleaning gas; and (c) before, during, or after (b), exposing the substrate to an energized treating gas comprising a halogen species and a hydrogen species.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
78 words
2 . A method according to claim 1 wherein the cleaning gas comprises a stripping gas comprising one or more of O 2 , N 2 , H 2 O, NH 3 , CF 4 , C 2 F 6 , CHF 3 , C 3 H 2 F 6 , C 2 H 4 F 2 , and CH 3 F provided under process conditions selected to at least partially remove remnant resist material on the substrate.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
76 words
3 . A method according to claim 1 wherein the cleaning gas comprises a passivating gas comprising one or more of H 2 O, NH 3 , H 2 O 2 , O 2 , N 2 , CF 4 , C 2 F 6 , CHF 3 , C 3 H 2 F 6 , C 2 H 4 F 2 , or CH 3 F provided under process conditions selected to passivate the substrate.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
16 words
4 . A method according to claim 1 wherein the treating gas comprises a chlorine species.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
16 words
5 . A method according to claim 1 wherein the treating gas comprises a fluorine species.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
23 words
6 . A method according to claim 1 wherein the treating gas comprises one or more of NH 3 and H 2 .
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
31 words
7 . A method according to claim 6 wherein the treating gas comprises one or more of NF 3 , CF 4 , C 2 F 6 and SF 6 .
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
21 words
8 . A method according to claim 1 wherein the treating gas comprises one or more of HCl, HBr and HF.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
29 words
9 . A method according to claim 1 wherein the treating gas comprises H 2 and one or more of Cl 2 , Br 2 and F 2 .
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
42 words
10 . A method according to claim 1 wherein the treating gas comprises one or more of (i) H 2 O, (ii) H 2 O 2 , and (iii) H 2 and O 2 and (iv) H 2 and H 2 O.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
37 words
11 . A method according to claim 1 wherein the substrate is exposed to the etching gas in a first process zone and wherein the substrate is exposed to the cleaning gas in a second process zone.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
23 words
12 . A method according to claim 1 1 wherein the substrate is exposed to the treating gas in the first process zone.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
22 words
13 . A method according to claim 11 wherein the substrate is exposed to the treating gas in the second process zone.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
34 words
14 . A substrate processing method comprising: (a) exposing a substrate to an energized process gas to etch the substrate; and (b) exposing the substrate to an energized treating gas comprising a chlorine species.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
34 words
14 . A substrate processing method comprising: (a) exposing a substrate to an energized process gas to etch the substrate; and (b) exposing the substrate to an energized treating gas comprising a chlorine species.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
30 words
15 . A method according to claim 14 wherein the treating gas is provided under process conditions selected to enhance removal of etchant residue or remnant resist on the substrate.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
19 words
16 . A method according to claim 14 further comprising: (c) exposing the substrate to an energized cleaning gas.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
13 words
17 . A method according to claim 16 wherein (c) occurs after (b).
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
17 words
18 . A method according to claim 16 wherein (b) and (c) are in different process zones.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
16 words
19 . A method according to claim 14 wherein the treating gas comprises a hydrogen species.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
14 words
20 . A method according to claim 19 wherein the treating gas comprises HCl.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
19 words
21 . A method according to claim 19 wherein the treating gas comprises H 2 and Cl 2 .
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
38 words
22 . A substrate processing method comprising: (a) exposing a substrate to an energized process gas to etch the substrate; and (b) exposing the substrate to an energized treating gas comprising a fluorine species and a hydrogen species.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
38 words
22 . A substrate processing method comprising: (a) exposing a substrate to an energized process gas to etch the substrate; and (b) exposing the substrate to an energized treating gas comprising a fluorine species and a hydrogen species.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
30 words
23 . A method according to claim 22 wherein the treating gas is provided under process conditions selected to enhance removal of etchant residue or remnant resist on the substrate.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
19 words
24 . A method according to claim 22 further comprising: (c) exposing the substrate to an energized cleaning gas.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
13 words
25 . A method according to claim 24 wherein (b) occurs after (c).
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
18 words
26 . A method according to claim 24 wherein (b) and (c) are in the same process zone.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
33 words
27 . A method according to claim 22 wherein the treating gas comprises a compound comprising a fluorine species and a hydrogen species a compound comprising a fluorine species and a hydrogen species.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
19 words
28 . A method according to claim 22 wherein the treating gas comprises H 2 and F 2 .
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
42 words
29 . A method according to claim 22 wherein the treating gas comprises one or more of NH 3 and H 2 and one or more of NF 3 , CF 4 , C 2 F 6 , and SF 6 .
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
41 words
30 . A method of treating an etched substrate, the method comprising: exposing the etched substrate to an energized process gas comprising a first halogen species and exposing the etched substrate to an energized process gas comprising a second halogen species.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
41 words
30 . A method of treating an etched substrate, the method comprising: exposing the etched substrate to an energized process gas comprising a first halogen species and exposing the etched substrate to an energized process gas comprising a second halogen species.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
16 words
31 . A method according to claim 30 wherein the first halogen species comprises chlorine species.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
16 words
32 . A method according to claim 30 wherein the second halogen species comprises fluorine species.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
43 words
33 . A method of cleaning an etched substrate, the method comprising: (a) exposing a substrate to a cleaning gas; and (b) after (a), exposing the substrate to an energized treating gas comprising one or more of NH 3 and H 2 .
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
43 words
33 . A method of cleaning an etched substrate, the method comprising: (a) exposing a substrate to a cleaning gas; and (b) after (a), exposing the substrate to an energized treating gas comprising one or more of NH 3 and H 2 .
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
33 words
34 . A method according to claim 33 wherein the treating gas further comprises one or more of NF 3 , CF 4 , C 2 F 6 , and SF 6 .
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
78 words
35 . A method according to claim 33 wherein the cleaning gas comprises a stripping gas comprising one or more of O 2 , N 2 , H 2 O, NH 3 , CF 4 , C 2 F 6 , CHF 3 , C 3 H 2 F 6 , C 2 H 4 F 2 , and CH 3 F provided under process conditions selected to at least partially remove remnant resist material on the substrate.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
79 words
36 . A method according to claim 33 wherein the cleaning gas comprises a passivating gas comprising one or more of H 2 O, NH 3 , H 2 , H 2 O 2 , O 2 , N 2 , CF 4 , C 2 F 6 , CHF 3 , C 3 H 2 F 6 , C 2 H 4 F 2 , or CH 3 F provided under process conditions selected to passivate the substrate.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
35 words
37 . A substrate processing method comprising: exposing a substrate to an energized process gas to etch the substrate in a process zone and exposing the substrate to an energized treating in the process zone.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
35 words
37 . A substrate processing method comprising: exposing a substrate to an energized process gas to etch the substrate in a process zone and exposing the substrate to an energized treating in the process zone.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
16 words
38 . A method according to claim 37 wherein the treating gas comprises a halogen species.
Claim 45
Dependent Claim
20 words
39 . A method according to claim 37 wherein the treating gas comprises a haolgen species and a hydrogen species.
Claim 46
Dependent Claim
14 words
40 . A method according to claim 39 wherein the treating gas comprises HCl.
Claim 47
Dependent Claim
19 words
41 . A method according to claim 39 wherein the treating gas comprises H 2 and Cl 2 .
Claim 48
Dependent Claim
18 words
42 . A method according to claim 37 further comprising exposing the substrate to an energized cleaning gas.
Claim 49
Dependent Claim
23 words
43 . A method according to claim 37 further comprising exposing the substrate to an energized cleaning gas in a second process zone.
Claim 50
Dependent Claim
61 words
44 . A method of treating an etched substrate, the method comprising: (a) exposing the etched substrate to an energized process gas comprising oxygen species while maintaining the substrate at a temperature of at least about 200° C.; (b) treating the substrate with a treating gas; and (c) rinsing the substrate with de-ionized water to remove etchant residue on the substrate.
Claim 51
Dependent Claim
61 words
44 . A method of treating an etched substrate, the method comprising: (a) exposing the etched substrate to an energized process gas comprising oxygen species while maintaining the substrate at a temperature of at least about 200° C.; (b) treating the substrate with a treating gas; and (c) rinsing the substrate with de-ionized water to remove etchant residue on the substrate.
Claim 52
Dependent Claim
19 words
45 . A method according to claim 44 wherein (b) comprises exposing the substrate to an energized treating gas.
Claim 53
Dependent Claim
16 words
46 . A method according to claim 44 wherein the treating gas comprises a halogen species.
Claim 54
Dependent Claim
20 words
47 . A method according to claim 44 wherein the treating gas comprises a halogen species and a hydrogen species.
Claim 55
Dependent Claim
35 words
48 . A method according to claim 44 wherein the treating gas comprises NH 3 and one or more of NF 3 , CF 4 , C 2 F 6 , and SF 6 .
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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