Gas cluster ion beam etching process for metal-containing materials
View Patent ↗A method and system for performing gas cluster ion beam (GCIB) etch processing of metal-containing material is described. In particular, the GCIB etch processing includes forming a GCIB that contains a halogen element.
1. A method for etching metal-containing material on a substrate, comprising:
maintaining a reduced-pressure environment around a substrate holder for holding a substrate having a surface;
holding said substrate securely within said reduced-pressure environment;
forming a gas cluster ion beam (GCIB) from a pressurized gas comprising an etching gas that includes a mono-substituted halomethane, a di-substituted halomethane, a tri-substituted halomethane, or a tetra-substituted halomethane substituted with two different halogen elements, or any combination of two or more thereof;
accelerating said GCIB through said reduced-pressure environment; and
irradiating said accelerated GCIB onto at least a portion of said surface of said substrate to etch a metal-containing material on said substrate,
wherein said metal-containing material includes a transition or post-transition metal.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein said etching gas includes CClF 3 , CBrF 3 , CHClF 2 , or C 2 ClF 5 .
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein said pressurized gas mixture further comprises He, Ne, Ar, Kr, Xe, O 2 , CO, CO 2 , N 2 , NO, NO 2 , N 2 O, NH 3 , F 2 , HF, SF 6 , or NF 3 , or any combination of two or more thereof.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein said etching gas includes CHF 3 or CH 3 F.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein said metal-containing material on said substrate is W, Ti, Ta, or Ru.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein said metal-containing material on said substrate is W.