US5380397A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Method of treating samples
Assignee: Hitachi Ltd
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Filing: 1992-10-27
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Granted: 1995-01-10
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Expires: 2012-10-27
Abstract
Abstract A post-etch treatment method capable of imparting high corrosion prevention performance to the aluminum-containing wiring films. The sample of aluminum-containing wiring material that is etched using the halogen-type gas is treated with the plasma of a gas that has the oxygen component, and the resist formed on the aluminum-containing wiring material is reacted with oxygen and is removed. Further, the plasma is generated using a gas having the hydrogen component or this gas is liquefied into droplets thereof on the sample surface, so that halogen components (Cl, Br, etc.) adhered to the aluminum-containing wiring material through the etching treatment are reacted with hydrogen and are effectively removed in the form of hydrogen chloride (HCl) or hydrogen bromide (HBr). This makes it possible to obtain the aluminum-containing wiring material having high corrosion prevention performance.
Inventors
- 👤 Ryooji Fukuyama
- 👤 Makoto Nawata
- 👤 Yutaka Kakehi
- 👤 Hironobu Kawahara
- 👤 Yoshiaki Sato
- 👤 Yoshimi Torii
- 👤 Akira Kawaraya
- 👤 Yoshie Sato
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-29 11:10
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10P; H10P70/00; H10P70/20; H10P70/27; H10P70/273; C; C23; C23F; C23F4/00; H10P50/00; H10P50/20; H10P50/26; H10P50/264; H10P50/266; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S438/00; Y10S438/906; Y10T; Y10T428/00; Y10T428/12; Y10T428/12493; Y10T428/12528; Y10T428/12736; Y10T428/31504; Y10T428/31678
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 30
Claim 1
Independent Claim
90 words
A method of treating samples comprising: a step for etching samples of aluminum-containing wiring material coated with a resist using a halogen gas thereby forming residual adhered matter having a halogen component; a step for simultaneously removing a resist and said residual adhered matter having said halogen component from at least a surface of said samples using a gas that has an oxygen component and a hydrogen component, said hydrogen component being selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, a hydrocarbon and a compound consisting of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
90 words
A method of treating samples comprising: a step for etching samples of aluminum-containing wiring material coated with a resist using a halogen gas thereby forming residual adhered matter having a halogen component; a step for simultaneously removing a resist and said residual adhered matter having said halogen component from at least a surface of said samples using a gas that has an oxygen component and a hydrogen component, said hydrogen component being selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, a hydrocarbon and a compound consisting of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
34 words
A method of treating samples according to claim 1, wherein said resist and said residual adhered matter are removed using a plasma of the gas that has the oxygen component and the hydrogen component.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
45 words
A method of treating samples according to claim 1, wherein the hydrogen component is selected from the group consisting of methanol (CH 3 OH), ethanol (C 2 H 5 OH), acetone (CH 3 COCH 3 ), hydrogen (H 2 ) and methane (CH 4 ).
Claim 5
Independent Claim
76 words
A method of treating samples comprising: a step for etching samples of aluminum-containing wiring material using a halogen gas; and a step for effecting corrosion prevention treatment which removes a halogen component on at least a surface of said sample using a plasma that has at least a hydrogen component and an oxygen component, said hydrogen component being selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, a hydrocarbon and a compound consisting of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen.
Claim 6
Independent Claim
76 words
A method of treating samples comprising: a step for etching samples of aluminum-containing wiring material using a halogen gas; and a step for effecting corrosion prevention treatment which removes a halogen component on at least a surface of said sample using a plasma that has at least a hydrogen component and an oxygen component, said hydrogen component being selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, a hydrocarbon and a compound consisting of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
21 words
A method of treating samples according to any one of claims 2 and 4, wherein said plasma is generated using microwaves.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
34 words
A method of treating samples according to claim 5, wherein said plasma is generated using microwaves of a power of 200 W to 4 KW under a treatment pressure of 0.4 to 2 Torr.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
81 words
A method of treating samples according to claim 4, wherein the plasma having the hydrogen component and the oxygen component is a plasma of a mixture gas of a first member selected from the group consisting of methanol (CH 3 OH), ethanol (C 2 H 5 OH), acetone (CH 3 COCH 3 ), hydrogen (H 2 ) and methane (CH 4 ),and a second member selected from the group consisting of oxygen (O 2 ), O 3 and N 2 O.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
44 words
A method of treating samples according to claim 4, further comprising a step for effecting treatment using a plasma of a mixture gas of oxygen and a fluorine-type gas after using said plasma that has at least a hydrogen component and an oxygen component.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
25 words
A method of treating samples according to claim 4, wherein said corrosion prevention treatment is conducted at a temperature of 100° C. to 300° C.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
78 words
A method of treating samples comprising: a step for etching samples of aluminum-containing wiring material using a halogen gas; a step for removing a resist using a gas that has oxygen component; and a step for corrosion prevention treatment which removes a halogen component on at least a surface of said samples and which is carried out by liquefying gas having a hydrogen component into droplets thereof on the sample and permitting the droplets to be vaporized again.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
78 words
A method of treating samples comprising: a step for etching samples of aluminum-containing wiring material using a halogen gas; a step for removing a resist using a gas that has oxygen component; and a step for corrosion prevention treatment which removes a halogen component on at least a surface of said samples and which is carried out by liquefying gas having a hydrogen component into droplets thereof on the sample and permitting the droplets to be vaporized again.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
26 words
A method of treating samples according to claim 10, wherein the gas having the hydrogen component is a vaporized gas of pure water (H 2 O).
Claim 15
Independent Claim
95 words
A method of treating a sample, comprising: providing a sample having a barrier metal film over a surface thereof, an aluminum-containing wiring material over said barrier metal film and a patterned resist over said aluminum-containing wiring material; etching said aluminum-containing wiring material with a halogen containing gas using said patterned resist as a mask, thereby forming a wiring pattern; simultaneously removing said resist and removing halogen components from at least said wiring pattern by exposing said sample to a plasma of methanol and oxygen, thereby imparting a high corrosion prevention performance to said wiring pattern.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
95 words
A method of treating a sample, comprising: providing a sample having a barrier metal film over a surface thereof, an aluminum-containing wiring material over said barrier metal film and a patterned resist over said aluminum-containing wiring material; etching said aluminum-containing wiring material with a halogen containing gas using said patterned resist as a mask, thereby forming a wiring pattern; simultaneously removing said resist and removing halogen components from at least said wiring pattern by exposing said sample to a plasma of methanol and oxygen, thereby imparting a high corrosion prevention performance to said wiring pattern.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
25 words
A method according to claim 12, wherein said barrier metal film is made of a material selected from the group consisting of TiN and TiW.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
34 words
A method according to claim 12, wherein the resist is removed and the halogen components are removed after said etching of said aluminum-containing wiring material but before said sample is exposed to open air.
Claim 19
Independent Claim
156 words
A method of treating a sample, comprising: providing a sample having an aluminum-containing wiring material on a surface thereof and a patterned resist over said aluminum-containing wiring material; etching said aluminum-containing wiring material with a halogen containing gas using said patterned resist as a mask, thereby forming a wiring pattern; removing said resist using a gas containing an oxygen component; and then feeding a hydrogen component containing gas to a treatment chamber in which said sample is provided, thereby increasing a pressure within said chamber until said hydrogen component containing gas is condensed and adsorbed on said sample; allowing halogen components from at least said wiring pattern to dissolve in the condensed and adsorbed hydrogen component containing gas; and then decreasing the pressure within said chamber to vaporize the condensed and adsorbed hydrogen containing gas to remove halogen components from at least said wiring pattern, thereby imparting a high corrosion prevention performance to said wiring pattern.
Claim 20
Independent Claim
156 words
A method of treating a sample, comprising: providing a sample having an aluminum-containing wiring material on a surface thereof and a patterned resist over said aluminum-containing wiring material; etching said aluminum-containing wiring material with a halogen containing gas using said patterned resist as a mask, thereby forming a wiring pattern; removing said resist using a gas containing an oxygen component; and then feeding a hydrogen component containing gas to a treatment chamber in which said sample is provided, thereby increasing a pressure within said chamber until said hydrogen component containing gas is condensed and adsorbed on said sample; allowing halogen components from at least said wiring pattern to dissolve in the condensed and adsorbed hydrogen component containing gas; and then decreasing the pressure within said chamber to vaporize the condensed and adsorbed hydrogen containing gas to remove halogen components from at least said wiring pattern, thereby imparting a high corrosion prevention performance to said wiring pattern.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
18 words
A method according to claim 15, wherein said hydrogen component containing gas is vaporized gas of pure water.
Claim 22
Independent Claim
94 words
A method of treating a sample having a substrate, a wiring metal including an aluminum-containing layer and another layer composed of Ti, N, or W components, and a resist comprising: a step for etching said wiring metal of said sample by using a plasma including a halogen component to produce a residual having said halogen component on at least a part of a surface of said sample; and a step for removing said resist and said residual by using a plasma including an oxygen component and a hydrogen component but excluding a halogen component.
Claim 23
Independent Claim
94 words
A method of treating a sample having a substrate, a wiring metal including an aluminum-containing layer and another layer composed of Ti, N, or W components, and a resist comprising: a step for etching said wiring metal of said sample by using a plasma including a halogen component to produce a residual having said halogen component on at least a part of a surface of said sample; and a step for removing said resist and said residual by using a plasma including an oxygen component and a hydrogen component but excluding a halogen component.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
37 words
A method according to claim 17, wherein said step for removing resist and said residual is carried out under a temperature between 100° C. to 300° C. at a sample holder on which said sample is mounted.
Claim 25
Independent Claim
115 words
A method of treating samples comprising: a step for etching samples of aluminum-containing wiring material using a halogen gas; a step for effecting a treatment which removes a halogen component on at least a surface of said samples using a plasma that has at least a hydrogen component said hydrogen component being selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, a hydrocarbon and a compound consisting of carbon hydrogen and oxygen; and a step for effecting a treatment to remove a resist using a plasma that has an oxygen component; wherein said treatment which removes a halogen component and said treatment to remove a resist are conducted at a temperature of 100° C. to 300° C.
Claim 26
Independent Claim
115 words
A method of treating samples comprising: a step for etching samples of aluminum-containing wiring material using a halogen gas; a step for effecting a treatment which removes a halogen component on at least a surface of said samples using a plasma that has at least a hydrogen component said hydrogen component being selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, a hydrocarbon and a compound consisting of carbon hydrogen and oxygen; and a step for effecting a treatment to remove a resist using a plasma that has an oxygen component; wherein said treatment which removes a halogen component and said treatment to remove a resist are conducted at a temperature of 100° C. to 300° C.
Claim 27
Independent Claim
115 words
A method of treating samples comprising: a step for etching samples of aluminum-containing wiring material using a halogen gas; a step for effecting a treatment which removes a halogen component on at least a surface of said samples using a plasma that has at least a hydrogen component said samples component being selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, a hydrocarbon and a compound consisting of carbon hydrogen and oxygen; and a step for effecting a treatment to remove a resist using a plasma that has an oxygen component; wherein said step for effecting the treatment which removes the halogen component and said step for effecting the treatment to remove the resist are conducted simultaneously.
Claim 28
Independent Claim
115 words
A method of treating samples comprising: a step for etching samples of aluminum-containing wiring material using a halogen gas; a step for effecting a treatment which removes a halogen component on at least a surface of said samples using a plasma that has at least a hydrogen component said samples component being selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, a hydrocarbon and a compound consisting of carbon hydrogen and oxygen; and a step for effecting a treatment to remove a resist using a plasma that has an oxygen component; wherein said step for effecting the treatment which removes the halogen component and said step for effecting the treatment to remove the resist are conducted simultaneously.
Claim 29
Independent Claim
106 words
A method of treating a sample having a substrate, a wiring metal including an aluminum-containing layer and another layer composed of Ti, N, or W components, and a resist comprising: a step for etching said wiring metal of said sample by using a plasma including a halogen component to produce a residual having said halogen component on at least a part of a surface of said sample; a step for removing said resist by using a plasma including an oxygen component but excluding a halogen component; and a step for removing said residual by using a plasma including a hydrogen component but excluding a halogen component.
Claim 30
Independent Claim
106 words
A method of treating a sample having a substrate, a wiring metal including an aluminum-containing layer and another layer composed of Ti, N, or W components, and a resist comprising: a step for etching said wiring metal of said sample by using a plasma including a halogen component to produce a residual having said halogen component on at least a part of a surface of said sample; a step for removing said resist by using a plasma including an oxygen component but excluding a halogen component; and a step for removing said residual by using a plasma including a hydrogen component but excluding a halogen component.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1998-01-09 | 1998-07-11 | 1999-01-10 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2002-01-09 | 2002-07-11 | 2003-01-10 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2006-01-09 | 2006-07-11 | 2007-01-10 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |