Patent US6368518B1 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US6368518B1
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Methods for removing rhodium- and iridium-containing films
Assignee: Micron Technology Inc
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Filing: 1999-08-25
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Granted: 2002-04-09
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Expires: 2019-08-25
Abstract
Abstract A method for removing an iridium- and/or rhodium-containing material from a substrate, such as a semiconductor-based substrate, is provided. The method includes providing a substrate having an exposed iridium- and/or rhodium-containing material and exposing the substrate to a composition that includes at least one halogen-containing gas, whereby at least a portion of the exposed iridium- and/or rhodium-containing material is removed from the substrate.
Inventors
- 👤 Brian A. Vaartstra
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 01:42
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10P; H10P50/00; H10P50/20; H10P50/26; H10P50/264; H10P50/266; H10P50/267; C; C23; C23F; C23F4/00
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 46
Claim 1
Independent Claim
97 words
A method of removing a metal-containing material, the method comprising: providing a substrate comprising an exposed metal-containing material comprising rhodium; and exposing the substrate to a composition comprising at least one halogen-containing gas to remove at least a portion of the metal-containing material from the substrate, wherein the halogen-containing gas comprises one or more elements of Group VIIA (Group 17) of the Periodic Table, and optionally an element selected from the group of Hydrogen, Group IIIA (Group 13), Group IVA (Group 14), Group VA (Group 15), Group VIA (Group 16) of the Periodic Table, and combinations thereof.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
97 words
A method of removing a metal-containing material, the method comprising: providing a substrate comprising an exposed metal-containing material comprising rhodium; and exposing the substrate to a composition comprising at least one halogen-containing gas to remove at least a portion of the metal-containing material from the substrate, wherein the halogen-containing gas comprises one or more elements of Group VIIA (Group 17) of the Periodic Table, and optionally an element selected from the group of Hydrogen, Group IIIA (Group 13), Group IVA (Group 14), Group VA (Group 15), Group VIA (Group 16) of the Periodic Table, and combinations thereof.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
39 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein providing the substrate comprises providing a substrate comprising an exposed metal-containing material, wherein the metal-containing material is selected from the group of a rhodium film, a rhodium oxide film, and combinations thereof.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
36 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein providing the substrate comprises providing a substrate having a patterned mask layer thereon, and wherein the material removed from the substrate comprises exposed material under the patterned mask layer.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein exposing the substrate comprises exposing the substrate to a composition comprising at least one halogen-containing gas and at least one auxiliary gas.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 4 , wherein the auxiliary gas is selected from the group of carbon monoxide, nitric oxide, alkylphosphines, isocyanides, and combinations thereof.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein exposing the substrate comprises exposing the substrate to a composition comprising at least one halogen-containing gas and at least one source of oxygen.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
51 words
The method of claim 6 , wherein the source of oxygen is selected from the group of O 2 , NO, N 2 O, NO 2 , oxyhalides, H 2 O, H 2 O 2 , CO 2 , SO 2 , SO 3 , O 3 , and combinations thereof.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
101 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein the halogen-containing gas is selected from the group consisting of F 2 , Cl 2 , Br 2 , I 2 , C x F y and C x Cl y wherein x=1-6 and y=4-14, C x F y H z and C x Cl y H z wherein x=1-6, y=1-13, and z=1-13, SF 6 , SiF 4 , SiCl 4 , BF 3 , BCl 3 , NF 3 , HCl, HBr, XeF 4 , XeF 6 , a halogen oxide, an oxoacid, an interhalogen, a halogen oxyfluoride, a nitrosylhalide, and combinations thereof.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein the substrate is a semiconductor-based substrate or substrate assembly.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 9 , wherein the semiconductor-based substrate is a wafer.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein the metal-containing material is an electrode in a high-k dielectric capacitor.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein the substrate forms a part of an etch chamber.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein the substrate forms a part of a deposition chamber.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein the halogen-containing gas is a liquid at room temperature.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein the halogen-containing gas is a solid at room temperature.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein exposing the substrate to a composition comprising at least one halogen-containing gas comprises exposing the substrate to the composition under plasma etching conditions.
Claim 18
Independent Claim
52 words
A method of removing a metal-containing material, the method comprising: providing a substrate comprising an exposed metal-containing material comprising rhodium; and exposing the substrate to a composition comprising at least one halogen-containing gas and at least one auxiliary gas to remove at least a portion of the metal-containing material from the substrate.
Claim 19
Independent Claim
52 words
A method of removing a metal-containing material, the method comprising: providing a substrate comprising an exposed metal-containing material comprising rhodium; and exposing the substrate to a composition comprising at least one halogen-containing gas and at least one auxiliary gas to remove at least a portion of the metal-containing material from the substrate.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
39 words
The method of claim 17 , wherein providing the substrate comprises providing a substrate comprising an exposed metal-containing material, wherein the metal-containing material is selected from the group of a rhodium film, a rhodium oxide film, and combinations thereof.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
36 words
The method of claim 17 , wherein providing the substrate comprises providing a substrate having a patterned mask layer thereon, and wherein the material removed from the substrate comprises exposed material under the patterned mask layer.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 17 , wherein the auxiliary gas is selected from the group of carbon monoxide, nitrous oxide, alkylphosphines, isocyanides, and combinations thereof.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method of claim 17 , wherein exposing the substrate to a composition comprising at least one halogen-containing gas comprises exposing the substrate to the composition under plasma etching conditions.
Claim 24
Independent Claim
52 words
A method of removing a metal-containing material, the method comprising: providing a substrate comprising an exposed metal-containing material comprising rhodium; and exposing the substrate to a composition comprising at least one halogen-containing gas and at least one oxygen-containing gas to remove at least a portion of the metal-containing material from the substrate.
Claim 25
Independent Claim
52 words
A method of removing a metal-containing material, the method comprising: providing a substrate comprising an exposed metal-containing material comprising rhodium; and exposing the substrate to a composition comprising at least one halogen-containing gas and at least one oxygen-containing gas to remove at least a portion of the metal-containing material from the substrate.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 22 , wherein the composition further comprises at least one auxiliary gas.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 23 , wherein the auxiliary gas is selected from the group of carbon monoxide, nitric oxide, alkylphosphines, isocyanides, and combinations thereof.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
51 words
The method of claim 22 , wherein the source of oxygen is selected from the group of O 2 , NO, N 2 O, NO 2 , oxyhalides, H 2 O, H 2 O 2 , CO 2 , SO 2 , SO 3 , O 3 , and combinations thereof.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein the metal-containing material comprises rhodium and one or more other metals, one or more metalloids, or combinations thereof.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method of claim 26 , wherein the metal-containing material comprises rhodium and a metal selected from the group of iridium, nickel, palladium, platinum, iron, ruthenium, osmium, and combinations thereof.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 17 , wherein the metal-containing material comprises rhodium and one or more other metals, one or more metalloids, or combinations thereof.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method of claim 28 , wherein the metal-containing material comprises rhodium and a metal selected from the group of iridium, nickel, palladium, platinum, iron, ruthenium, osmium, and combinations thereof.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 22 , wherein the metal-containing material comprises rhodium and one or more other metals, one or more metalloids, or combinations thereof.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method of claim 30 , wherein the metal-containing material comprises rhodium and a metal selected from the group of iridium, nickel, palladium, platinum, iron, ruthenium, osmium, and combinations thereof.
Claim 35
Independent Claim
125 words
A method of removing a metal-containing material, the method comprising: providing a substrate comprising an exposed metal-containing material comprising rhodium, iridium, or combinations thereof, and exposing the substrate to a composition comprising at least one halogen-containing gas and at least one auxiliary gas to remove at least a portion of the metal-containing material from the substrate, wherein the halogen-containing gas comprises one or more elements of Group VIIA (Group 17) of the Periodic Table, and optionally an element selected from the group of Hydrogen, Group IIIA (Group 13), Group IVA (Group 14), Group VA (Group 15), Group VIA (Group 16) of the Periodic Table, and combinations thereof, and wherein the auxiliary gas is selected from the group of nitrous oxide, alkylphosphines, isocyanides, and combinations thereof.
Claim 36
Independent Claim
125 words
A method of removing a metal-containing material, the method comprising: providing a substrate comprising an exposed metal-containing material comprising rhodium, iridium, or combinations thereof, and exposing the substrate to a composition comprising at least one halogen-containing gas and at least one auxiliary gas to remove at least a portion of the metal-containing material from the substrate, wherein the halogen-containing gas comprises one or more elements of Group VIIA (Group 17) of the Periodic Table, and optionally an element selected from the group of Hydrogen, Group IIIA (Group 13), Group IVA (Group 14), Group VA (Group 15), Group VIA (Group 16) of the Periodic Table, and combinations thereof, and wherein the auxiliary gas is selected from the group of nitrous oxide, alkylphosphines, isocyanides, and combinations thereof.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
46 words
The method of claim 32 , wherein providing the substrate comprises providing a substrate comprising an exposed metal-containing material, wherein the metal-containing material is selected from the group of an iridium film, an iridium oxide film, a rhodium film, a rhodium oxide film, and combinations thereof.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 32 , wherein the metal-containing material comprises rhodium and one or more other metals, one or more metalloids, or combinations thereof.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method of claim 34 , wherein the metal-containing material comprises rhodium and a metal selected from the group of iridium, nickel, palladium, platinum, iron, ruthenium, osmium, and combinations thereof.
Claim 40
Independent Claim
73 words
A method of removing a metal-containing material, the method comprising: providing a substrate comprising an exposed metal-containing material comprising rhodium, iridium, or combinations thereof; and exposing the substrate to a composition comprising at least one halogen-containing gas and at least one auxiliary gas to remove at least a portion of the metal-containing material from the substrate, wherein the auxiliary gas is selected from the group of nitrous oxide, alkylphosphines, isocyanides, and combinations thereof.
Claim 41
Independent Claim
73 words
A method of removing a metal-containing material, the method comprising: providing a substrate comprising an exposed metal-containing material comprising rhodium, iridium, or combinations thereof; and exposing the substrate to a composition comprising at least one halogen-containing gas and at least one auxiliary gas to remove at least a portion of the metal-containing material from the substrate, wherein the auxiliary gas is selected from the group of nitrous oxide, alkylphosphines, isocyanides, and combinations thereof.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
46 words
The method of claim 36 , wherein providing the substrate comprises providing a substrate comprising an exposed metal-containing material, wherein the metal-containing material is selected from the group of an iridium film, an iridium oxide film, a rhodium film, a rhodium oxide film, and combinations thereof.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 36 , wherein the metal-containing material comprises rhodium and one or more other metals, one or more metalloids, or combinations thereof.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method of claim 38 , wherein the metal-containing material comprises rhodium and a metal selected from the group of iridium, nickel, palladium, platinum, iron, ruthenium, osmium, and combinations thereof.
Claim 45
Independent Claim
105 words
A method of removing a metal-containing material, the method comprising: providing a substrate comprising an exposed metal-containing material comprising a metal alloy comprising rhodium, iridium, or combinations thereof; and exposing the substrate to a composition comprising at least one halogen-containing gas to remove at least a portion of the metal-containing material from the substrate, wherein the halogen-containing gas comprises one or more elements of Group VIIA (Group 17) of the Periodic Table, and optionally an element selected from the group of Hydrogen, Group IIIA (Group 13), Group IVA (Group 14), Group VA (Group 15), Group VIA (Group 16) of the Periodic Table, and combinations thereof.
Claim 46
Independent Claim
105 words
A method of removing a metal-containing material, the method comprising: providing a substrate comprising an exposed metal-containing material comprising a metal alloy comprising rhodium, iridium, or combinations thereof; and exposing the substrate to a composition comprising at least one halogen-containing gas to remove at least a portion of the metal-containing material from the substrate, wherein the halogen-containing gas comprises one or more elements of Group VIIA (Group 17) of the Periodic Table, and optionally an element selected from the group of Hydrogen, Group IIIA (Group 13), Group IVA (Group 14), Group VA (Group 15), Group VIA (Group 16) of the Periodic Table, and combinations thereof.
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