IP Library › Granted Patent US 8,283,259
Granted Patent B2
US 8,283,259 · App. 12/872,564 · Granted Oct 9, 2012

Methods of removing a metal nitride material

Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,283,259
App. No.
12/872,564
Granted
Oct 9, 2012
Kind
B2
Abstract

A method of removing a metal nitride material is disclosed. The method comprises forming a semiconductor device structure comprising an exposed metal material and an exposed metal nitride material. The semiconductor device structure is subjected to a solution comprising water, ozone, and at least one additive to remove the exposed metal nitride material at a substantially greater rate than the exposed metal material.

Claims (20)

1. A method of removing a metal nitride material, comprising:

forming a semiconductor device structure comprising an exposed metal material and an exposed metal nitride material; and

subjecting the semiconductor device structure to a solution comprising water, ozone, and at least one additive to remove the exposed metal nitride material at a substantially greater rate than the exposed metal material.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein forming a semiconductor device structure comprising an exposed metal material and an exposed metal nitride material comprises forming a semiconductor device structure comprising an exposed tungsten feature and an exposed titanium nitride feature.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein forming a semiconductor device structure comprising an exposed metal material and an exposed metal nitride material comprises forming a tungsten plug and a titanium nitride liner on a substrate.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein subjecting the semiconductor device structure to a solution comprising water, ozone, and at least one additive comprises contacting the semiconductor device structure with the solution comprising water, ozone, and at least one additive selected from the group consisting of hydrochloric acid, hydrogen fluoride, ammonium hydroxide, tetramethylammonium hydroxide, and hydrogen peroxide.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein subjecting the semiconductor device structure to a solution comprising water, ozone, and at least one additive comprises contacting the semiconductor device structure with the solution comprising water, ozone, and hydrogen fluoride.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein subjecting the semiconductor device structure to a solution comprising water, ozone, and at least one additive comprises contacting the semiconductor device structure with the solution comprising water, ozone, hydrogen fluoride, and hydrogen chloride.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein subjecting the semiconductor device structure to a solution comprising water, ozone, and at least one additive comprises contacting the semiconductor device structure with the solution consisting of water, ozone, and at least one additive.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein subjecting the semiconductor device structure to a solution comprising water, ozone, and at least one additive to remove the exposed metal nitride material at a substantially greater rate than the exposed metal material comprises etching the exposed metal nitride material without substantially etching the exposed metal material.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein forming a semiconductor device structure comprising an exposed metal material and an exposed metal nitride material comprises forming a semiconductor device structure comprising an exposed titanium feature, an exposed vanadium feature, an exposed nickel feature, an exposed copper feature, an exposed zinc feature, an exposed zirconium feature, an exposed niobium feature, an exposed molybdenum feature, an exposed ruthenium feature, an exposed rhodium feature, an exposed cadmium feature, an exposed lanthanum feature, an exposed hafnium feature, an exposed tantalum feature, or an exposed tungsten feature.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein forming a semiconductor device structure comprising an exposed metal material and an exposed metal nitride material comprises forming a semiconductor device structure comprising an exposed titanium nitride feature, an exposed tantalum nitride feature, or an exposed tungsten nitride feature.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein forming a semiconductor device structure comprising an exposed metal material and an exposed metal nitride material comprises forming the exposed metal nitride material in contact with sidewalls of an insulative material and an exposed surface of a semiconductor substrate and the exposed metal material in contact with sidewalls and a horizontal portion of the exposed metal nitride material.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein subjecting the semiconductor device structure to a solution comprising water, ozone, and at least one additive to remove the exposed metal nitride material at a substantially greater rate than the exposed metal material comprises oxidizing the exposed metal material and the exposed metal nitride material.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein subjecting the semiconductor device structure to a solution comprising water, ozone, and at least one additive comprises subjecting the semiconductor device structure to the solution at a temperature of from approximately 20° C. to approximately 25° C.

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein subjecting the semiconductor device structure to a solution comprising water, ozone, and at least one additive comprises subjecting the semiconductor device structure to the solution having a pH of less than approximately 4.

15. A method of removing a metal nitride material, comprising:

forming a semiconductor device structure comprising an exposed transition metal material and an exposed metal nitride material; and

subjecting the semiconductor device structure to a solution comprising water, ozone, and at least one additive to remove the exposed metal nitride material without removing the exposed transition metal material.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein forming a semiconductor device structure comprising an exposed transition metal material and an exposed metal nitride material comprises forming the exposed transition metal material from titanium, vanadium, nickel, copper, zinc, zirconium, niobium, molybdenum, ruthenium, rhodium, cadmium, lanthanum, hafnium, tantalum, or tungsten.

Assignments (8)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Nov 12, 2019
From: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.; MICRON SEMICONDUCTOR PRODUCTS, INC.
Reel/Frame 051028/0001 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Oct 9, 2019
From: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.
Reel/Frame 050937/0001 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Aug 23, 2018
From: U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.
Reel/Frame 047243/0001 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jul 13, 2018
From: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.; MICRON SEMICONDUCTOR PRODUCTS, INC.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 047540/0001 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE REPLACE ERRONEOUSLY FILED PATENT #7358718 WITH THE CORRECT PATENT #7358178 PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 038669 FRAME 0001. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE SECURITY INTEREST. Recorded Jun 8, 2017
From: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.
To: U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 043079/0001 →
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Jun 2, 2016
From: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.
To: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 038954/0001 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded May 12, 2016
From: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.
To: U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 038669/0001 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 24, 2010
From: SAPRA, SANJEEV; FUCSKO, JANOS
To: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.
Reel/Frame 025040/0571 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20120052678A1 · Mar 1, 2012