Patent US5874013A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US5874013A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Semiconductor integrated circuit arrangement fabrication method
Assignee: Renesas Electronics Corp
•
Filing: 1997-05-15
•
Granted: 1999-02-23
•
Expires: 2017-05-15
Abstract
Abstract To realize etching with a high selection ratio and a high accuracy in fabrication of an LSI, the composition of dissociated species of a reaction gas is accurately controlled when dry-etching a thin film on a semiconductor substrate by causing an inert gas excited to a metastable state in a plasma and a flon gas to interact with each other, and selectively obtaining desired dissociated species.
Inventors
- 👤 Takafumi Tokunaga
- 👤 Sadayuki Okudaira
- 👤 Tatsumi Mizutani
- 👤 Kazutami Tago
- 👤 Hideyuki Kazumi
- 👤 Ken Yoshioka
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-07 16:49
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10P; H10P50/00; H10P50/20; H10P50/28; H10P50/282; H10P50/283; H10W; H10W20/00; H10W20/01; H10W20/071; H10W20/081
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 111
Claim 1
Independent Claim
101 words
An integrated circuit device fabrication method, comprising the following steps: (a) generating a plasma, which includes a metastable inert gas excited to a metastable excited state to produce an excited metastable gas; (b) reacting the excited metastable gas with an etching gas including, as a principal component of the etching gas, a fluorocarbon gas having two or more carbon atoms, and thereby selectively generating a desired reactive etching species by dissociating the fluorocarbon gas into the desired reactive etching species; and (c) etching a film overlying a major surface of a semiconductor integrated circuit wafer with the desired reactive etching species.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
101 words
An integrated circuit device fabrication method, comprising the following steps: (a) generating a plasma, which includes a metastable inert gas excited to a metastable excited state to produce an excited metastable gas; (b) reacting the excited metastable gas with an etching gas including, as a principal component of the etching gas, a fluorocarbon gas having two or more carbon atoms, and thereby selectively generating a desired reactive etching species by dissociating the fluorocarbon gas into the desired reactive etching species; and (c) etching a film overlying a major surface of a semiconductor integrated circuit wafer with the desired reactive etching species.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
38 words
An integrated circuit device fabrication method according to claim 1, wherein the reaction in step (b) is performed under or closely under a resonance condition such that the desired reactive species is selectively produced through a resonance reaction.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
26 words
An integrated circuit device fabrication method according to claim 2, wherein the amount of the inert gas is greater than the amount of the etching gas.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
18 words
An integrated circuit device fabrication method according to claim 3, wherein the film is a silicon oxide film.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
18 words
An integrated circuit device fabrication method according to claim 3, wherein the film is a silicon nitride film.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
24 words
An integrated circuit device fabrication method according to claim 4, wherein the fluorocarbon gas is a cyclic perfluorocarbon with three or more carbon atoms.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
20 words
An integrated circuit device fabrication method according to claim 6, wherein the inert gas includes Ar as its principal component.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
20 words
An integrated circuit device fabrication method according to claim 7, wherein the cyclic perfluorocarbon is C 4 F 8 .
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
20 words
An integrated circuit device fabrication method according to claim 5, wherein the fluorocarbon gas is CH 2 F 2 .
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
24 words
An integrated circuit device fabrication method according to claim 8, wherein the processing gas pressure in step (c) is no less than 100 mTorr.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
20 words
An integrated circuit device fabrication method according to claim 9, wherein the inert gas includes Ar as its principal component.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
24 words
An integrated circuit device fabrication method according to claim 11, wherein the processing gas pressure in step (c) is no less than 100 mTorr.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
96 words
An integrated circuit device fabrication method, comprising: (a) generating a plasma, which includes a metastable inert gas excited to a metastable excited state to produce an excited metastable gas; (b) reacting the excited metastable gas with an etching gas including, as a principal component of the etching gas, a fluorocarbon gas having two or more carbon atoms, and thereby selectively generating a desired reactive etching species by dissociating the fluorocarbon gas into the desired reactive etching species; and (c) dry-etching a film with the reactive etching species, using a patterned inorganic etching mask overlying the film.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
96 words
An integrated circuit device fabrication method, comprising: (a) generating a plasma, which includes a metastable inert gas excited to a metastable excited state to produce an excited metastable gas; (b) reacting the excited metastable gas with an etching gas including, as a principal component of the etching gas, a fluorocarbon gas having two or more carbon atoms, and thereby selectively generating a desired reactive etching species by dissociating the fluorocarbon gas into the desired reactive etching species; and (c) dry-etching a film with the reactive etching species, using a patterned inorganic etching mask overlying the film.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
39 words
An integrated circuit device fabrication method according to claim 13, wherein the reaction in step (b) is performed under or closely under a resonance condition, such that the desired reactive etching species is selectively produced through a resonance reaction.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
26 words
An integrated circuit device fabrication method according to claim 14, wherein the amount of the inert gas is greater than the amount of the etching gas.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
18 words
An integrated circuit device fabrication method according to claim 15, wherein the film is a silicon oxide film.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
17 words
An integrated circuit device fabrication method-according to claim 15, wherein the film is a silicon nitride film.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
24 words
An integrated circuit device fabrication method according to claim 16, wherein the fluorocarbon gas is a cyclic perfluorocarbon with at least three carbon atoms.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
20 words
An integrated circuit device fabrication method according to claim 18, wherein the inert gas includes Ar as its principal component.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
20 words
An integrated circuit device fabrication method according to claim 19, wherein the cyclic perfluorocarbon is C 4 F 8 .
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
20 words
An integrated circuit device fabrication method according to claim 17, wherein the fluorocarbon gas is CH 2 F 2 .
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
24 words
An integrated circuit device fabrication method according to claim 20, wherein the processing gas pressure in step (c) is no less than 100 mTorr.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
20 words
An integrated circuit device fabrication method according to claim 21, wherein the inert gas includes Ar as its principal component.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
24 words
An integrated circuit device fabrication method according to claim 23, wherein the processing gas pressure in step (c) is no less than 100 mTorr.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
154 words
An integrated circuit device fabrication method, comprising: (a) generating a plasma, which includes a metastable inert gas excited to a metastable excited state to produce an excited metastable gas; (b) reacting the excited metastable gas with an etching gas including, as a principal component of the etching gas, a fluorocarbon gas having two or more carbon atoms, thereby selectively generating a desired reactive etching species by dissociating the fluorocarbon gas into the desired reactive etching species; (c) anisotropically dry-etching a silicon oxide film overlying a semiconductor integrated circuit wafer with the desired reactive etching species using a silicon nitride film underlying the silicon oxide film as an etching stopper, the silicon nitride film being thinner than the silicon oxide film; and (d) dry-etching the silicon nitride film exposed through holes in the etched silicon oxide film, and thereby exposing a major surface of the wafer at an underlying portion of each of the holes.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
154 words
An integrated circuit device fabrication method, comprising: (a) generating a plasma, which includes a metastable inert gas excited to a metastable excited state to produce an excited metastable gas; (b) reacting the excited metastable gas with an etching gas including, as a principal component of the etching gas, a fluorocarbon gas having two or more carbon atoms, thereby selectively generating a desired reactive etching species by dissociating the fluorocarbon gas into the desired reactive etching species; (c) anisotropically dry-etching a silicon oxide film overlying a semiconductor integrated circuit wafer with the desired reactive etching species using a silicon nitride film underlying the silicon oxide film as an etching stopper, the silicon nitride film being thinner than the silicon oxide film; and (d) dry-etching the silicon nitride film exposed through holes in the etched silicon oxide film, and thereby exposing a major surface of the wafer at an underlying portion of each of the holes.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
38 words
An integrated circuit device fabrication method according to claim 25, wherein the reaction in step (b) is performed under or closely under a resonance condition such that the desired reactive species is selectively produced through a resonance reaction.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
26 words
An integrated circuit device fabrication method according to claim 26, wherein the amount of the inert gas is greater than the amount of the etching gas.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
24 words
An integrated circuit device fabrication method according to claim 27, wherein the fluorocarbon gas is a cyclic perfluorocarbon with three or more carbon atoms.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
20 words
An integrated circuit device fabrication method according to claim 28, wherein the inert gas includes Ar as its principal component.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
20 words
An integrated circuit device fabrication method according to claim 29, wherein the cyclic perfluorocarbon is C 4 F 8 .
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
24 words
An integrated circuit device fabrication method according to claim 30, wherein the processing gas pressure in step (d) is no less that 100 mTorr.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
119 words
An integrated circuit device fabrication method, comprising: (a) generating a plasma, which includes a metastable inert gas excited to a metastable excited state to produce an excited metastable gas; (b) selectively transferring the excited metastable gas by preventing electrons of the generated plasma from moving with the excited metastable gas; (c) reacting the transferred excited metastable gas with an etching gas including, as a principal component of the etching gas, a fluorocarbon gas having two or more carbon atoms, and thereby generating a desired reactive etching species by dissociating the fluorocarbon gas into the desired reactive etching species; and (d) etching a film overlying a major surface of a semiconductor integrated circuit wafer with the desired reactive etching species.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
119 words
An integrated circuit device fabrication method, comprising: (a) generating a plasma, which includes a metastable inert gas excited to a metastable excited state to produce an excited metastable gas; (b) selectively transferring the excited metastable gas by preventing electrons of the generated plasma from moving with the excited metastable gas; (c) reacting the transferred excited metastable gas with an etching gas including, as a principal component of the etching gas, a fluorocarbon gas having two or more carbon atoms, and thereby generating a desired reactive etching species by dissociating the fluorocarbon gas into the desired reactive etching species; and (d) etching a film overlying a major surface of a semiconductor integrated circuit wafer with the desired reactive etching species.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
38 words
An integrated circuit device fabrication method according to claim 32, wherein the reaction in step (b) is performed under or closely under a resonance condition such that the desired reactive species is selectively produced through a resonance reaction.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
26 words
An integrated circuit device fabrication method according to claim 33, wherein the amount of the inert gas is greater than the amount of the etching gas.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
18 words
An integrated circuit device fabrication method according to claim 34, wherein the film is a silicon oxide film.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
18 words
An integrated circuit device fabrication method according to claim 34, wherein the film is a silicon nitride film.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
24 words
An integrated circuit device fabrication method according to claim 35, wherein the fluorocarbon gas is a cyclic perfluorocarbon with three or more carbon atoms.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
20 words
An integrated circuit device fabrication method according to claim 37, wherein the inert gas includes Ar as its principal component.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
20 words
An integrated circuit device fabrication method according to claim 38, wherein the cyclic perfluorocarbon is C 4 F 8 .
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
20 words
An integrated circuit device fabrication method according to claim 36, wherein the fluorocarbon gas is CH 2 F 2 .
Claim 45
Dependent Claim
24 words
An integrated circuit device fabrication method according to claim 39, wherein the processing gas pressure in step (d) is no less than 100 mTorr.
Claim 46
Dependent Claim
20 words
An integrated circuit device fabrication method according to claim 40, wherein the inert gas includes Ar as its principal component.
Claim 47
Dependent Claim
24 words
An integrated circuit device fabrication method according to claim 42, wherein the processing gas pressure in step (d) is no less than 100 mTorr.
Claim 48
Dependent Claim
33 words
An integrated circuit device fabrication method according to claim 34, wherein step (d) is performed under conditions that the desired species is dominant over each other etching species generated from the etching gas.
Claim 49
Dependent Claim
33 words
An integrated circuit device fabrication method according to claim 41, wherein step (d) is performed under conditions that the desired species is dominant over each other etching species generated from the etching gas.
Claim 50
Dependent Claim
33 words
An integrated circuit device fabrication method according to claim 43, wherein step (d) is performed under conditions that the desired species is dominant over each other etching species generated from the etching gas.
Claim 51
Dependent Claim
117 words
An integrated circuit device fabrication method, comprising: (a) generating a plasma, which includes a metastable inert gas excited to a metastable excited state to produce an excited metastable gas; (b) selectively transferring the excited metastable gas by preventing electrons of the generated plasma from moving with the excited metastable gas; (c) reacting the transferred excited metastable gas with an etching gas including, as a principal component of the etching gas, a fluorocarbon gas having two or more carbon atoms, and thereby generating a desired reactive etching species by dissociating the fluorocarbon gas into the desired reactive etching species; and (d) dry-etching a film with the reactive etching species, using a patterned inorganic etching mask overlying the film.
Claim 52
Dependent Claim
117 words
An integrated circuit device fabrication method, comprising: (a) generating a plasma, which includes a metastable inert gas excited to a metastable excited state to produce an excited metastable gas; (b) selectively transferring the excited metastable gas by preventing electrons of the generated plasma from moving with the excited metastable gas; (c) reacting the transferred excited metastable gas with an etching gas including, as a principal component of the etching gas, a fluorocarbon gas having two or more carbon atoms, and thereby generating a desired reactive etching species by dissociating the fluorocarbon gas into the desired reactive etching species; and (d) dry-etching a film with the reactive etching species, using a patterned inorganic etching mask overlying the film.
Claim 53
Dependent Claim
38 words
An integrated circuit device fabrication method according to claim 47, wherein the reaction in step (b) is performed under or closely under a resonance condition such that the desired reactive species is selectively produced through a resonance reaction.
Claim 54
Dependent Claim
26 words
An integrated circuit device fabrication method according to claim 48, wherein the amount of the inert gas is greater than the amount of the etching gas.
Claim 55
Dependent Claim
18 words
An integrated circuit device fabrication method according to claim 49, wherein the film is a silicon oxide film.
Claim 56
Dependent Claim
18 words
An integrated circuit device fabrication method according to claim 49, wherein the film is a silicon nitride film.
Claim 57
Dependent Claim
24 words
An integrated circuit device fabrication method according to claim 50, wherein the fluorocarbon gas is a cyclic perfluorocarbon with three or more carbon atoms.
Claim 58
Dependent Claim
20 words
An integrated circuit device fabrication method according to claim 52, wherein the inert gas includes Ar as its principal component.
Claim 59
Dependent Claim
20 words
An integrated circuit device fabrication method according to claim 53, wherein the cyclic perfluorocarbon is C 4 F 8 .
Claim 60
Dependent Claim
20 words
An integrated circuit device fabrication method according to claim 51, wherein the fluorocarbon gas is CH 2 F 2 .
Claim 61
Dependent Claim
24 words
An integrated circuit device fabrication method according to claim 54, wherein the processing gas pressure in step (d) is no less than 100 mTorr.
Claim 62
Dependent Claim
20 words
An integrated circuit device fabrication method according to claim 55, wherein the inert gas includes Ar as its principal component.
Claim 63
Dependent Claim
24 words
An integrated circuit device fabrication method according to claim 57, wherein the processing gas pressure in step (d) is no less than 100 mTorr.
Claim 64
Dependent Claim
33 words
An integrated circuit device fabrication method according to claim 49, wherein step (d) is performed under conditions that the desired species is dominant over each other etching species generated from the etching gas.
Claim 65
Dependent Claim
32 words
An integrated circuit device fabrication method according to claim 56, wherein step (d) is performed under conditions that the desired species dominant over each other etching species generated from the etching gas.
Claim 66
Dependent Claim
33 words
An integrated circuit device fabrication method according to claim 58, wherein step (d) is performed under condition that the desired species is dominant over each other etching species generated from the etching gas.
Claim 67
Dependent Claim
175 words
An integrated circuit device fabrication method, comprising: (a) generating a plasma, which includes a metastable inert gas excited to a metastable excited state to produce an excited metastable gas; (b) selectively transferring the excited metastable gas by preventing electrons of the generated plasma from moving with the excited metastable gas; (c) reacting the transferred excited metastable gas with an etching gas including, as a principal component of the etching gas, a fluorocarbon gas having two or more carbon atoms, and thereby generating a desired reactive etching species by dissociating the fluorocarbon gas into the desired reactive etching species; (d) anisotropically dry etching a silicon oxide film overlying a semiconductor integrated circuit wafer with the reactive etching species using a silicon nitride film underlying the silicon oxide film as an etching stopper, the nitride film being thinner than the silicon oxide film; and (e) dry-etching the silicon nitride film exposed through holes in the etched silicon oxide film, and thereby exposing a major surface of the wafer at an underlying portion of each of the holes.
Claim 68
Dependent Claim
175 words
An integrated circuit device fabrication method, comprising: (a) generating a plasma, which includes a metastable inert gas excited to a metastable excited state to produce an excited metastable gas; (b) selectively transferring the excited metastable gas by preventing electrons of the generated plasma from moving with the excited metastable gas; (c) reacting the transferred excited metastable gas with an etching gas including, as a principal component of the etching gas, a fluorocarbon gas having two or more carbon atoms, and thereby generating a desired reactive etching species by dissociating the fluorocarbon gas into the desired reactive etching species; (d) anisotropically dry etching a silicon oxide film overlying a semiconductor integrated circuit wafer with the reactive etching species using a silicon nitride film underlying the silicon oxide film as an etching stopper, the nitride film being thinner than the silicon oxide film; and (e) dry-etching the silicon nitride film exposed through holes in the etched silicon oxide film, and thereby exposing a major surface of the wafer at an underlying portion of each of the holes.
Claim 69
Dependent Claim
37 words
An integrated circuit device fabrication method according to claim 62, wherein the reaction in step (b) is performed under or closely under a resonance condition such that the desired reactive species is selectively produced through resonance reaction.
Claim 70
Dependent Claim
26 words
An integrated circuit device fabrication method according to claim 63, wherein the amount of the inert gas is greater than the amount of the etching gas.
Claim 71
Dependent Claim
24 words
An integrated circuit device fabrication method according to claim 64, wherein the fluorocarbon gas is a cyclic perfluorocarbon with three or more carbon atoms.
Claim 72
Dependent Claim
20 words
An integrated circuit device fabrication method according to claim 65, wherein the inert gas includes Ar as its principal component.
Claim 73
Dependent Claim
20 words
An integrated circuit device fabrication method according to claim 66, wherein the cyclic perfluorocarbon is C 4 F 8 .
Claim 74
Dependent Claim
24 words
An integrated circuit device fabrication method according to claim 67, wherein the processing gas pressure in step (d) is no less than 100 mTorr.
Claim 75
Dependent Claim
33 words
An integrated circuit device fabrication method according to claim 64, wherein step (d) is performed under conditions that the desired species is dominant over each other etching species generated from the etching gas.
Claim 76
Dependent Claim
33 words
An integrated circuit device fabrication method according to claim 68, wherein step (d) is performed under conditions that the desired species is dominant over each other etching species generated from the etching gas.
Claim 77
Dependent Claim
104 words
An integrated circuit device fabrication method, comprising the following steps: (a) generating a plasma of an inert gas, which plasma includes a metastable inert gas excited to a metastable excited state; (b) reacting the excited metastable inert gas with a fluorocarbon etching gas under or closely under a resonance condition such that the desired reactive species is selectively produced through a resonance reaction by dissociating the fluorocarbon etching gas into the desired reactive etching species, and thereby generating a desired reactive etching species; and (c) etching a film overlying a major surface of a semiconductor integrated circuit wafer with the desired reactive etching species.
Claim 78
Dependent Claim
104 words
An integrated circuit device fabrication method, comprising the following steps: (a) generating a plasma of an inert gas, which plasma includes a metastable inert gas excited to a metastable excited state; (b) reacting the excited metastable inert gas with a fluorocarbon etching gas under or closely under a resonance condition such that the desired reactive species is selectively produced through a resonance reaction by dissociating the fluorocarbon etching gas into the desired reactive etching species, and thereby generating a desired reactive etching species; and (c) etching a film overlying a major surface of a semiconductor integrated circuit wafer with the desired reactive etching species.
Claim 79
Dependent Claim
18 words
An integrated circuit device fabrication method according to claim 71, wherein the film is a silicon oxide film.
Claim 80
Dependent Claim
24 words
An integrated circuit device fabrication method according to claim 72, wherein the fluorocarbon gas is a cyclic perfluorocarbon with three or more carbon atoms.
Claim 81
Dependent Claim
20 words
An integrated circuit device fabrication method according to claim 73, wherein the inert gas includes Ar as its principal component.
Claim 82
Dependent Claim
20 words
An integrated circuit device fabrication method according to claim 74, wherein the cyclic perfluorocarbon is C 4 F 8 .
Claim 83
Dependent Claim
102 words
An integrated circuit device fabrication method, comprising the following steps: (a) generating a plasma of an inert gas, the plasma including a metastable inert gas excited to a metastable excited state; (b) reacting the excited metastable inert gas with a fluorocarbon etching gas under or closely under a resonance condition such that the desired reactive species is selectively produced through a resonance reaction, and thereby generating a desired reactive etching species by dissociating the fluorocarbon etching gas into the desired reactive etching species; and (c) dry-etching a film with the reactive etching species, using a patterned inorganic etching mask overlying the film.
Claim 84
Dependent Claim
102 words
An integrated circuit device fabrication method, comprising the following steps: (a) generating a plasma of an inert gas, the plasma including a metastable inert gas excited to a metastable excited state; (b) reacting the excited metastable inert gas with a fluorocarbon etching gas under or closely under a resonance condition such that the desired reactive species is selectively produced through a resonance reaction, and thereby generating a desired reactive etching species by dissociating the fluorocarbon etching gas into the desired reactive etching species; and (c) dry-etching a film with the reactive etching species, using a patterned inorganic etching mask overlying the film.
Claim 85
Dependent Claim
18 words
An integrated circuit device fabrication method according to claim 76, wherein the film is a silicon oxide film.
Claim 86
Dependent Claim
24 words
An integrated circuit device fabrication method according to claim 77, wherein the fluorocarbon gas is a cyclic perfluorocarbon with three or more carbon atoms.
Claim 87
Dependent Claim
20 words
An integrated circuit device fabrication method according to claim 78, wherein the inert gas includes Ar as its principal component.
Claim 88
Dependent Claim
20 words
An integrated circuit device fabrication method according to claim 79, wherein the cyclic perfluorocarbon is C 4 F 8 .
Claim 89
Dependent Claim
159 words
An integrated circuit device fabrication method, comprising the following steps: (a) generating a plasma of an inert gas, the plasma including a metastable inert gas excited to a metastable excited state; (b) reacting the excited metastable inert gas with a fluorocarbon etching gas under or closely under a resonance condition such that the desired reactive species is selectively produce through a resonance reaction, and thereby generating a desired reactive etching species by dissociating the fluorocarbon etching gas into the desired reactive etching species; (c) anisotropically dry-etching a silicon oxide film overlying a semiconductor integrated circuit wafer with the reactive etching species using a silicon nitride film underlying the silicon oxide film as an etching stopper, the nitride film being sufficiently thinner than the silicon oxide film; (d) dry-etching the silicon nitride film exposed through holes in the etched silicon oxide film, and thereby exposing a major surface of the wafer at an underlying portion of each of the holes.
Claim 90
Dependent Claim
159 words
An integrated circuit device fabrication method, comprising the following steps: (a) generating a plasma of an inert gas, the plasma including a metastable inert gas excited to a metastable excited state; (b) reacting the excited metastable inert gas with a fluorocarbon etching gas under or closely under a resonance condition such that the desired reactive species is selectively produce through a resonance reaction, and thereby generating a desired reactive etching species by dissociating the fluorocarbon etching gas into the desired reactive etching species; (c) anisotropically dry-etching a silicon oxide film overlying a semiconductor integrated circuit wafer with the reactive etching species using a silicon nitride film underlying the silicon oxide film as an etching stopper, the nitride film being sufficiently thinner than the silicon oxide film; (d) dry-etching the silicon nitride film exposed through holes in the etched silicon oxide film, and thereby exposing a major surface of the wafer at an underlying portion of each of the holes.
Claim 91
Dependent Claim
24 words
An integrated circuit device fabrication method according to claim 81, wherein the fluorocarbon gas is a cyclic perfluorocarbon with three or more carbon atoms.
Claim 92
Dependent Claim
20 words
An integrated circuit device fabrication method according to claim 82, wherein the inert gas includes Ar as its principal component.
Claim 93
Dependent Claim
20 words
An integrated circuit device fabrication method according to claim 83, wherein the cyclic perfluorocarbon is C 4 F 8 .
Claim 94
Dependent Claim
110 words
An integrated circuit device fabrication method, comprising the following steps: (a) generating a plasma which includes a metastable inert gas excited to a metastable excited state to produce an excited metastable gas; (b) reacting the excited metastable gas with an etching gas including, as a principal component of the etching gas, a fluorocarbon gas having two or more carbon atoms, and thereby selectively generating a desired reactive etching species to other etching species generated from the etching gas by dissociating the fluorocarbon gas into the desired reactive etching species; and (c) etching a film overlying a major surface of a semiconductor integrated circuit wafer with the desired reactive etching species.
Claim 95
Dependent Claim
110 words
An integrated circuit device fabrication method, comprising the following steps: (a) generating a plasma which includes a metastable inert gas excited to a metastable excited state to produce an excited metastable gas; (b) reacting the excited metastable gas with an etching gas including, as a principal component of the etching gas, a fluorocarbon gas having two or more carbon atoms, and thereby selectively generating a desired reactive etching species to other etching species generated from the etching gas by dissociating the fluorocarbon gas into the desired reactive etching species; and (c) etching a film overlying a major surface of a semiconductor integrated circuit wafer with the desired reactive etching species.
Claim 96
Dependent Claim
20 words
An integrated circuit device fabrication method according to claim 85, wherein the inert gas includes Ar as its principal component.
Claim 97
Dependent Claim
53 words
An integrated circuit device fabrication method according to claim 85, wherein the reaction between the excited metastable gas and the etching gas is performed utilizing a constant amount of energy emitted at transition from the metastable state in such a manner that the desired reactive species is selectively produced through a resonance reaction.
Claim 98
Dependent Claim
44 words
An integrated circuit device fabrication method according to claim 85, wherein the reaction between the excited metastable gas and the etching gas is performed under or closely under a resonance condition such that the desired reactive species is selectively produced through a resonance reaction.
Claim 99
Dependent Claim
24 words
An integrated circuit device fabrication method according to claim 87, wherein the fluorocarbon gas is a cyclic perfluorocarbon with three or more carbon atoms.
Claim 100
Dependent Claim
20 words
An integrated circuit device fabrication method according to claim 89, wherein the cyclic perfluorocarbon is C 4 F 8 .
Claim 101
Dependent Claim
25 words
An integrated circuit device fabrication method according to claim 90, wherein the processing gas pressure at the etching step is no less than 100 mTorr.
Claim 102
Dependent Claim
108 words
An integrated circuit device fabrication method, comprising the following steps: (a) generating a plasma, which includes a metastable inert gas excited to a metastable excited state to produce an excited metastable gas; (b) reacting the excited metastable gas with an etching gas including, as a principal component of the etching gas, a fluorocarbon gas having two or more carbon atoms, and thereby selectively generating a desired reactive etching species to other species generated from the etching gas by dissociating the fluorocarbon gas into the desired reactive etching species; and (c) dry-etching a film with the desired reactive etching species, using a patterned inorganic etching mask overlying the film.
Claim 103
Dependent Claim
108 words
An integrated circuit device fabrication method, comprising the following steps: (a) generating a plasma, which includes a metastable inert gas excited to a metastable excited state to produce an excited metastable gas; (b) reacting the excited metastable gas with an etching gas including, as a principal component of the etching gas, a fluorocarbon gas having two or more carbon atoms, and thereby selectively generating a desired reactive etching species to other species generated from the etching gas by dissociating the fluorocarbon gas into the desired reactive etching species; and (c) dry-etching a film with the desired reactive etching species, using a patterned inorganic etching mask overlying the film.
Claim 104
Dependent Claim
53 words
An integrated circuit device fabrication method according to claim 92, wherein the reaction between the excited metastable gas and the etching gas is performed utilizing a constant amount of energy emitted at transition from the metastable state in such a manner that the desired reactive species is selectively produced through a resonance reaction.
Claim 105
Dependent Claim
44 words
An integrated circuit device fabrication method according to claim 92, wherein the reaction between the excited metastable gas and the etching gas is performed under or closely under a resonance condition such that the desired reactive species is selectively produced through a resonance reaction.
Claim 106
Dependent Claim
19 words
An integrated circuit device fabrication method according to claim 93, wherein the inorganic film is a silicon nitride film.
Claim 107
Dependent Claim
25 words
An integrated circuit device fabrication method according to claim 93, wherein the processing gas pressure at the etching step is no less than 100 mTorr.
Claim 108
Dependent Claim
166 words
An integrated circuit device fabrication method, comprising the following steps: (a) generating a plasma, which includes a metastable inert gas excited to a metastable excited state to produce an excited metastable gas; (b) reacting the excited metastable gas with an etching gas including, as a principal component of the etching gas, a fluorocarbon gas having two or more carbon atoms, and thereby selectively generating a desired reactive etching species to other species generated from the etching gas by dissociating the fluorocarbon gas into the desired reactive etching species; (c) anisotropically dry-etching a silicon oxide film overlying a semiconductor integrated circuit wafer with the desired reactive etching species using a silicon nitride film underlying the silicon oxide film as an etching stopper, the silicon nitride film being thinner than the silicon oxide film; and (d) etching the silicon nitride film exposed through holes in the etched silicon oxide film, and thereby exposing a major surface of the wafer at an underlying portion of each of the holes.
Claim 109
Dependent Claim
166 words
An integrated circuit device fabrication method, comprising the following steps: (a) generating a plasma, which includes a metastable inert gas excited to a metastable excited state to produce an excited metastable gas; (b) reacting the excited metastable gas with an etching gas including, as a principal component of the etching gas, a fluorocarbon gas having two or more carbon atoms, and thereby selectively generating a desired reactive etching species to other species generated from the etching gas by dissociating the fluorocarbon gas into the desired reactive etching species; (c) anisotropically dry-etching a silicon oxide film overlying a semiconductor integrated circuit wafer with the desired reactive etching species using a silicon nitride film underlying the silicon oxide film as an etching stopper, the silicon nitride film being thinner than the silicon oxide film; and (d) etching the silicon nitride film exposed through holes in the etched silicon oxide film, and thereby exposing a major surface of the wafer at an underlying portion of each of the holes.
Claim 110
Dependent Claim
53 words
An integrated circuit device fabrication method according to claim 97, wherein the reaction between the excited metastable gas and the etching gas is performed utilizing a constant amount of energy emitted at transition from the metastable state in such a manner that the desired reactive species is selectively produced through a resonance reaction.
Claim 111
Dependent Claim
44 words
An integrated circuit device fabrication method according to claim 97, wherein the reaction between the excited metastable gas and the etching gas is performed under or closely under a resonance condition such that the desired reactive species is selectively produced through a resonance reaction.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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