Dry etching method for refractory metals, refractory metal silicides, and other refractory metal compounds

Claim 2

A dry etching method for etching a refractory metal or a compound thereof by a plasma discharge in an etching chamber to form an etched pattern on a substrate, said etched pattern having a sidewall and a bottom surface in which the lateral etching on the sidewall is prevented, comprising the steps of: mixing gases of an etchant gas for etching said refractory metal and a deposit gas for depositing said refractory metal, keeping a mixing rate of said etchant gas and deposit gas so as to balance the etching and the deposition of refractory metal, while maintaining a partial pressure of said deposit gas in a range of 15 to 30 per cent of a total gas pressure in said etching chamber; and introducing a plasma discharge on said substrate in a direction to make ions impact vertically to the surface of said substrate.

Claim 3

A dry etching method as set forth in claim 1 wherein said dry etching method uses an ion assist which enhances the etching by ion bombardment, and a partial pressure of said deposit gas in said etching chamber is kept so that etching proceeds at portions where the ion assist is strong, while said refractory metal is deposited, or the deposition and etching of said refractory metal are balanced with each other, at portions where the ion assist is weak.

Claim 4

A dry etching method as set forth in claim 1 or 2, wherein said etchant gas comprises molecules containing halogen atoms.

Claim 5

A dry etching method as set forth in claim 1 or 2, wherein said deposit gas is a halide of said refractory metal.

Claim 6

A dry etching method as set forth in claim 3, wherein said halide of said refractory metal comprises one selected from WF 6 , MoF 6 , and TiCl 4 .

Claim 7

A dry etching method as set forth in claim 3, wherein said refractory metal is tungsten (W), and said deposit gas comprises WF 6 .

Claim 8

A dry etching method as set forth in claim 3, wherein said compound of said refractory metal is tungsten silicide (WSi x ), and said deposit gas comprises WF 6 .

Claim 9

A dry etching method as set forth in claim 3, wherein said compound of said refractory metal is tungsten nitride (WN), and said deposit gas comprises WF 6 .

Claim 10

A dry etching method as set forth in claim 3, wherein said refractory metal is molybdenum (Mo), and said deposit gas comprises MoF 6 .

Claim 11

A dry etching method as set forth in claim 3, wherein said compound of said refractory metal is molybdenum silicide (MoSi x ), and said deposit gas comprises MoF 6 .

Claim 12

A dry etching method as set forth in claim 3, wherein said refractory metal is titanium (Ti), and said deposit gas comprises TiCl 4 .

Claim 13

A dry etching method as set forth in claim 3, wherein said compound of said refractory metal is titanium silicide (TiSi x ), and said deposit gas comprises TiCl 4 .

Claim 14

A dry etching method as set forth in claim 3, wherein said compound of said refractory metal is titanium nitride (TiN), and said deposit gas comprises TiCl 4 .

Claim 15

A dry etching method as set forth in claim 3, wherein said compound of said refractory metal is titanium tungsten compound (TiW), and said deposit gas comprises one selected from WF 6 , and TiCl 4 .

Claim 16

A dry etching method for etching a refractory metal or a compound thereof by a plasma discharge in an etching chamber to form an etched pattern on a substrate, said etched pattern having a sidewall and a bottom surface in which the lateral etching on the sidewall is prevented, comprising the steps of: positioning an object to be etched in said etching chamber, said object comprising a metal layer of said refractory metal or compound thereof and having an insulating protective layer selectively positioned on top of said metal layer covering at least one area thereof, said metal layer being a substrate; mixing gases to form a mixed gas and admitting said mixed gas into said etching chamber, said mixed gas comprising (a) an etchant gas for etching said metal layer to form at least one pattern having a sidewall and a bottom surface, and (b) a deposit gas for depositing said refractory metal or compound thereof onto said sidewall of said metal while said bottom surface is being etched, keeping a mixing rate of said etchant gas and deposit gas so as to balance the etching and the deposition of refractory metal, while maintaining a partial pressure of said deposit gas in a range of 15 to 30 per cent of a total gas pressure in said etching chamber; and introducing a plasma discharge on said substrate in a direction to maker ions impact vertically to the surface of said substrate.

Claim 17

A dry etching method for etching a refractory metal or a compound thereof by a plasma discharge in an etching chamber to form an etched pattern on a substrate, said etched pattern having a sidewall and a bottom surface in which the lateral etching on the sidewall is prevented, comprising the steps of: positioning an object to be etched in said etching chamber, said object comprising a metal layer of said refractory metal or compound thereof and having an insulating protective layer selectively positioned on top of said metal layer covering at least one area thereof, said metal layer being a substrate; mixing gases to form a mixed gas and admitting said mixed gas into said etching chamber, said mixed gas comprising (a) an etchant gas for etching said metal layer to form at least one pattern having a sidewall and a bottom surface, and (b) a deposit gas for depositing said refractory metal or compound thereof onto said sidewall of said metal while said bottom surface is being etched, keeping a mixing rate of said etchant gas and deposit gas so as to balance the etching and the deposition of refractory metal, while maintaining a partial pressure of said deposit gas in a range of 15 to 30 per cent of a total gas pressure in said etching chamber; and introducing a plasma discharge on said substrate in a direction to maker ions impact vertically to the surface of said substrate.

Claim 18

A dry etching method for anisotropically etching a refractory metal or a compound thereof provided on a substrate to form an etched pattern having a side wall and a bottom surface in which the side wall is protected from etching while etching of the bottom surface takes place, using plasma containing ions directed in a predetermined direction relative to the substrate in an etching chamber, said method comprising the steps of: adding a deposit gas for depositing a refractory metal on a side wall of an etched pattern of the refractory metal or a compound thereof layer, to an etchant gas for etching said refractory metal or a compound thereof from said bottom surface of said etched pattern insert here; placing the substrate in the etching chamber so that the bottom surface of said etched pattern is perpendicular to the direction of said ions impinging thereon and consequently the side wall of the etched pattern is parallel to the direction of said impinging ions; and setting a ration of said etchant gas to said deposit gas so as to result in net etching of said refractory metal or compound thereof from said bottom surface of said etched pattern, and net deposition of said refractory metal on said side wall of said etched pattern.

Claim 19

A dry etching method for anisotropically etching a refractory metal or a compound thereof provided on a substrate to form an etched pattern having a side wall and a bottom surface in which the side wall is protected from etching while etching of the bottom surface takes place, using plasma containing ions directed in a predetermined direction relative to the substrate in an etching chamber, said method comprising the steps of: adding a deposit gas for depositing a refractory metal on a side wall of an etched pattern of the refractory metal or a compound thereof layer, to an etchant gas for etching said refractory metal or a compound thereof from said bottom surface of said etched pattern insert here; placing the substrate in the etching chamber so that the bottom surface of said etched pattern is perpendicular to the direction of said ions impinging thereon and consequently the side wall of the etched pattern is parallel to the direction of said impinging ions; and setting a ration of said etchant gas to said deposit gas so as to result in net etching of said refractory metal or compound thereof from said bottom surface of said etched pattern, and net deposition of said refractory metal on said side wall of said etched pattern.