Process for silicon nitride removal selective to SiGe

1. A method for selectively removing silicon nitride, comprising:

providing a substrate having a surface with silicon nitride exposed on at least one portion of said surface and SiGe x , wherein x is greater than or equal to zero, exposed on at least another portion of said surface;

dispensing an oxidizing agent onto said surface of said substrate to oxidize said exposed SiGe x ;

following said dispensing said oxidizing agent, dispensing a silicon nitride etching agent as a liquid stream onto said surface of said substrate to remove at least a portion of said silicon nitride; and

repeating said dispensing an oxidizing agent onto said surface of said substrate and said dispensing a silicon nitride etching agent as a liquid stream onto said surface of said substrate two or more cycles to selectively remove a target amount of said silicon nitride.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

prior to dispensing a silicon nitride etching agent, dispensing a heating agent onto said surface of said substrate to pre-heat said substrate to a target temperature.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein said target temperature exceeds 150 degrees C.

4. The method of claim 2 , wherein said dispensing said oxidizing agent and dispensing said heating agent are performed simultaneously.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein said dispensing said oxidizing agent includes exposing said substrate to a mixture containing sulfuric acid and hydrogen peroxide.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein said sulfuric acid is heated to a temperature in excess of 150 degrees C.

7. The method of claim 5 , wherein said sulfuric acid is heated to a temperature in excess of 200 degrees C.

8. The method of claim 5 , wherein water is further added to said mixture of sulfuric acid and hydrogen peroxide.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein said dispensing said oxidizing agent includes exposing said substrate to a mixture containing sulfuric acid and hydrogen peroxide in the presence of water vapor.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein said mixture containing sulfuric acid and hydrogen peroxide is dispensed from a first array of injection openings located above said substrate, and said water vapor is dispensed from a second array of openings.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein said first array of openings and said second array of openings are oriented relative to one another to allow said mixture of sulfuric acid and hydrogen peroxide and said water vapor to mix in a space above said substrate.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein said first array of openings and said second array of openings are distributed radially along a spray arm that extends above said substrate from approximately a central region of said substrate to approximately a peripheral region of said substrate.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein said substrate is rotated while dispensing said mixture of sulfuric acid and hydrogen peroxide and said water vapor.

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein said dispensing a silicon nitride etching agent comprises dispensing phosphoric acid and sulfuric acid onto said surface of said substrate as a mixed acid liquid stream at a temperature greater than about 150 degrees C.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein said dispensing phosphoric acid and sulfuric acid removes said silicon nitride at a rate in excess of 20 times greater than said oxidized, exposed SiGe x .

16. The method of claim 14 , wherein water is added to a liquid solution of said mixed acid liquid stream as or after said liquid solution of said mixed acid liquid stream passes through a nozzle.

17. The method of claim 14 , wherein said substrate is rotated during the dispensing of the mixed acid stream.

18. The method of claim 14 , wherein said mixed acid liquid stream is flowed onto said substrate in the form of a continuous stream or is sprayed onto said substrate in the form of liquid aerosol droplets.

19. The method of claim 14 , wherein:

said phosphoric acid and sulfuric acid are mixed in a vessel for storage prior to dispensing from a nozzle as said mixed acid liquid stream, or

said phosphoric acid and sulfuric acid are mixed in-line at a location upstream from a nozzle to form said mixed acid liquid stream, or said phosphoric acid and sulfuric acid are mixed in a nozzle assembly prior to being ejected from a nozzle as said mixed acid liquid stream, or

said phosphoric acid and sulfuric acid are dispensed as separate liquid solutions in the form of streams from separate orifices of a nozzle assembly, which separate streams then impinge and form said mixed acid liquid stream externally of the nozzle and prior to contact with said surface of said substrate.