Apparatus and methods for selectively etching films

• Main Authors: Wang, Fei, Walimbe, Aditya
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 26.04.2022
• Subjects: BASIC ELECTRIC ELEMENTS; ELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS; ELECTRIC SOLID STATE DEVICES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; ELECTRICITY; SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES

An apparatus and methods for selectively etching a particular layer are disclosed. The apparatus and methods are directed towards maintaining the etch rate of the particular layer, while keeping intact a non-etched layer. The etching process may be accomplished by co-flowing a hydrogen precursor gas and a fluorine precursor gas into a remote plasma unit. A resulting gas mixture may then be flowed onto the substrate having a silicon oxide layer as an etch layer and a silicon nitride layer as a non-etched layer, for example. A reaction between the resulting gas mixture and the particular layer takes place, resulting in etching of the silicon oxide layer while maintaining the silicon nitride layer in the above example.