US5100505A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Process for etching semiconductor devices
Assignee: Micron Technology Inc
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Filing: 1990-10-18
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Granted: 1992-03-31
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Expires: 2010-10-18
Abstract
Abstract The subject invention is directed to a process for etching a semiconductor device to form a predetermined etched pattern therein. The semiconductor device which is provided herein typically has a plurality of layers. At least one of these layers comprises a metal-containing material having a metal content of at least about 80% by weight. Etching the semiconductor device with an etchant material forms a predetermined etched pattern therein. This pattern includes the formation of horizontal and upright sidewalls in the etched layers which comprise the metal-containing material. Thus, each of the upright sidewalls has a profile which is either substantially vertically sloped or is positively sloped. This is the case even though the chemical etchant composition, when employed by itself to etch the above-described metal-containing layers, forms sidewall profiles which are substantially negatively sloped configuration. The etchant material employed herein comprises a chemical etchant composition and a coating composition. In one preferred form of this invention the coating composition comprises water vapor or a gaseous oxide of nitrogen, particularly N 2 O, and a silicon-containing compound, respectively. The etchant material is in a substantially gas phase during the etching of the semiconductor device and deposits a protective film on the upright sidewalls of the etched semiconductor device. The silicon-containing compound typically comprises a silicon tetrahalide, preferably comprising SiCl 4 , SiBr 4 , or SiF 4 . However, the most preferred compound being SiBr 4 .
Inventors
- 👤 David A. Cathey, Jr.
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 02:02
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10P; H10P50/00; H10P50/20; H10P50/26; H10P50/264; H10P50/266; H10P50/267; H10P50/268; C; C23; C23F; C23F4/00; H10P50/71
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 18
Claim 1
Independent Claim
168 words
A process for etching a semiconductor device to form a predetermined etched pattern therein, comprising: providing a semiconductor device having a plurality of layers, at least one of said layers of said semiconductor device comprising a metal-containing material having a metal content of at least about 80% by weight; and etching said semiconductor device with an etchant material to form a predetermined pattern therein including the formation of horizontal and upright sidewalls in etched layers comprising said metal-containing material, each of said upright sidewalls having a profile which is either substantially vertical or substantially positively sloped; said etchant material comprising a chemical etchant composition and a coating composition comprising either one of water vapor or a gaseous oxide of nitrogen, and a silicon-containing compound, respectively, said chemical etchant composition and said coating composition being in a substantially gas phase during said etching of said semiconductor device, said chemical etchant composition when employed by itself to etch said metal-containing layers forming upright sidewall profiles which are substantially negatively sloped.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
168 words
A process for etching a semiconductor device to form a predetermined etched pattern therein, comprising: providing a semiconductor device having a plurality of layers, at least one of said layers of said semiconductor device comprising a metal-containing material having a metal content of at least about 80% by weight; and etching said semiconductor device with an etchant material to form a predetermined pattern therein including the formation of horizontal and upright sidewalls in etched layers comprising said metal-containing material, each of said upright sidewalls having a profile which is either substantially vertical or substantially positively sloped; said etchant material comprising a chemical etchant composition and a coating composition comprising either one of water vapor or a gaseous oxide of nitrogen, and a silicon-containing compound, respectively, said chemical etchant composition and said coating composition being in a substantially gas phase during said etching of said semiconductor device, said chemical etchant composition when employed by itself to etch said metal-containing layers forming upright sidewall profiles which are substantially negatively sloped.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
14 words
The process of claim 1, wherein said chemical etchant composition is a halogen-containing material.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
14 words
The process of claim 2, wherein said halogen-containing material comprises HCl or chlorine gas.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
24 words
The process of claim 2, wherein said halogen-containing material comprises a fluorine material selected from the group consisting of HF, fluorine gas, SF6, NF3.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
13 words
The process of claim 4, wherein said fluorine material is a fluorinated hydrocarbon.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
11 words
The process of claim 1, wherein said silicon-containing compound comprises SiCl4.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
11 words
The process of claim 1, wherein said silicon-containing compound comprises SiBr4.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
11 words
The process of claim 1, wherein said silicon-containing compound comprises SiF4.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
37 words
The process of claim 1, wherein said metal-containing material is selected from a group consisting of aluminum, titanium, tungsten, molybdenum, copper and aluminum alloys comprising aluminum and any one of titanium, tungsten, molybdenum, copper, titanium-tungsten and silicon.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
175 words
An etchant material for etching a semiconductor device to form a predetermined etched pattern therein, said semiconductor device having a plurality of layers, at least one of said layers of said semiconductor device comprising a metal-containing material having a metal content of at least about 80% by weight, which comprises: a chemical etchant composition and a coating composition comprising either one of water vapor or a gaseous oxide of nitrogen and a silicon-containing compound, respectively, said chemical etchant composition and said coating composition being in a substantially gas phase during said etching of said semiconductor device for producing a coating layer, said chemical etchant composition when employed by itself to etch said metal-containing layers forming upright sidewall profiles which are substantially negatively sloped, said etchant material etching said semiconductor device to form a predetermined pattern therein including the formation of horizontal and upright sidewalls in etched layers comprising said metal-containing material, each of said upright sidewalls having said coating layer deposited thereon and forming a profile which is either substantially vertical or substantially positively sloped.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
175 words
An etchant material for etching a semiconductor device to form a predetermined etched pattern therein, said semiconductor device having a plurality of layers, at least one of said layers of said semiconductor device comprising a metal-containing material having a metal content of at least about 80% by weight, which comprises: a chemical etchant composition and a coating composition comprising either one of water vapor or a gaseous oxide of nitrogen and a silicon-containing compound, respectively, said chemical etchant composition and said coating composition being in a substantially gas phase during said etching of said semiconductor device for producing a coating layer, said chemical etchant composition when employed by itself to etch said metal-containing layers forming upright sidewall profiles which are substantially negatively sloped, said etchant material etching said semiconductor device to form a predetermined pattern therein including the formation of horizontal and upright sidewalls in etched layers comprising said metal-containing material, each of said upright sidewalls having said coating layer deposited thereon and forming a profile which is either substantially vertical or substantially positively sloped.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
15 words
The etchant material of claim 10, wherein said chemical etchant composition is a halogen-containing material.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
15 words
The etchant material of claim 11, wherein said halogen-containing material comprises HCl or chlorine gas.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
25 words
The etchant material of claim 11, wherein said halogen-containing material comprises a fluorine material selected from the group consisting of HF, fluorine gas, SF6, NF3.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
14 words
The etchant material of claim 13, wherein said fluorine material is a fluorinated hydrocarbon.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
31 words
The etchant material of claim 10, wherein said metal-containing material is selected from a group consisting of aluminum, titanium, copper, and aluminum alloys including any one of titanium, copper and silicon.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
21 words
The etchant material of claim 10, wherein said silicon-containing compound is selected from the group consisting of SiCl4, SiBr4, and SiF4.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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