IP Library Granted Patent US 9,831,088
Granted Patent B2
US 9,831,088 · App. 13/877,777 · Granted Nov 28, 2017

Composition and process for selectively etching metal nitrides

Inventors: Tianniu Chen (Rocky Hill, CT); Nicole E. Thomas (Marlborough, MA); Steven Lippy (Brookfield, CT); Jeffrey A. Barnes (Bethlehem, CT); Emanuel I. Cooper (Scarsdale, NY); Peng Zhang (Montvale, NJ)
Assignee: ENTEGRIS, INC.
H01L21/28088B81C1/00539H01L21/28079H01L21/32134H01L21/823842
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,831,088
App. No.
13/877,777
Granted
Nov 28, 2017
Kind
B2
Abstract

A removal composition and process for selectively removing a first metal gate material (e.g., titanium nitride) relative to a second metal gate material (e.g., tantalum nitride) from a microelectronic device having said material thereon. The removal composition can include fluoride or alternatively be substantially devoid of fluoride. The substrate preferably comprises a high-k/metal gate integration scheme.

Claims (12)

1. A method comprising: contacting a substrate comprising a first metal gate material comprising titanium and a second metal gate material comprising tantalum with a removal composition, wherein the removal composition selectively removes the first metal gate material relative to the second metal gate material, wherein the removal composition comprises at least one oxidizing agent present in amount ranging from 0.01 wt. % to less than 10 wt. %, an etchant, and at least one metal nitride inhibitor, wherein the etchant comprises ammonium hydroxide or tetraalkylammonium salts of hydroxide and wherein the at least one metal nitride inhibitor comprises a species selected from the group consisting of boric acid, ammonium borates, ascorbic acid, L(+)-ascorbic acid, isoascorbic acid, ascorbic acid derivatives, gallic acid, 1-hydroxyethylidene-1,1-diphosphonic acid (HEDP),-1-hydroxyethane-1,1-diphosphonic acid, nitrilotris(methylenephosphonic acid) (NTMPA), 1,5,9-triazacyclododecane-N,N′,N″-tris(methylenephosphonic acid) (DOTRP), 1,4,7,10-tetraazacyclododecane-N,N′,N″,N′″-tetrakis(methylenephosphonic acid) (DOTP), diethylenetriaminepenta(methylenephosphonic acid) (DETAP), aminotri(methylenephosphonic acid), bis(hexamethylene)triamine phosphonic acid, 1,4,7-triazacyclononane-N,N′,N″-tris(methylenephosphonic acid (NOTP), esters of phosphoric acids; 5-amino-1,3,4-thiadiazole-2-thiol (ATDT), benzotriazole (BTA), tannic acid, ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA), uric acid, 1,2,4-triazole (TAZ), tolyltriazole, 5-phenyl-benzotriazole, 5-nitro-benzotriazole, 3-amino-5-mercapto-1,2,4-triazole, 1-amino-1,2,4-triazole, hydroxybenzotriazole, 2-(5-amino-pentyl)-benzotriazole, 1-amino-1,2,3-triazole, 1-amino-5-methyl-1,2,3-triazole, 3-amino-1,2,4-triazole, 3-mercapto-1,2,4-triazole, 3-isopropyl-1,2,4-triazole, 5-phenylthiol-benzotriazole, halo-benzotriazoles, naphthotriazole, 2-mercaptobenzimidazole (MBI), 2-mercaptobenzothiazole, 4-methyl-2-phenylimidazole, 2-mercaptothiazoline, 5-aminotetrazole, 2,4-diamino-6-methyl-1,3,5-triazine, thiazole, triazine, methyltetrazole, 1,3-dimethyl-2-imidazolidinone, 1,5-pentamethylenetetrazole, 1-phenyl-5-mercaptotetrazole, diaminomethyltriazine, imidazoline thione, mercaptobenzimidazole, 4-methyl-4H-1,2,4-triazole-3-thiol, benzothiazole, tritolyl phosphate, imidazole, indiazole, catechol, pyrogallol, resorcinol, hydroquinone, cyanuric acid, barbituric acid, 1,2-dimethylbarbituric acid, pyruvic acid, adenine, purine, glycine/ascorbic acid, p-tolylthiourea, phosphonobutane tricarboxylic acid (PBTCA), decylphosphonic acid, dodecylphosphonic acid (DDPA), tetradecylphosphonic acid, hexadecylphosphonic acid, bis(2-ethylhexyl)phosphate, octadecylphosphonic acid, perfluoroheptanoic acid, prefluorodecanoic acid, trifluoromethanesulfonic acid, phosphonoacetic acid, dodecylbenzenesulfonic acid, dodecenylsuccinic acid, dioctadecyl hydrogen phosphate, octadecyl dihydrogen phosphate, dodecylamine, dodecenylsuccinic acid monodiethanol amide, lauric acid, palmitic acid, oleic acid, juniperic acid, 12 hydroxystearic acid, octadecylphosphonic acid (ODPA), and combinations thereof.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the removal composition does not substantially remove other gate stack materials present on the substrate.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first metal gate material comprises titanium nitride and the second metal gate material comprises tantalum nitride.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one oxidizing agent comprises a species selected from the group consisting of ozone, hydrogen peroxide, oxone, oxone tetrabutylammonium salt, ferric nitrate, potassium iodate, iodic acid, periodic acid, potassium permanganate, permanganic acid, chromium (III) oxide, ammonium cerium nitrate, nitric acid, ammonium chlorite, ammonium chlorate, ammonium iodate, ammonium perborate, ammonium perchlorate, ammonium periodate, ammonium persulfate, sodium persulfate, potassium persulfate, tetramethylammonium chlorite, tetramethylammonium chlorate, tetramethylammonium iodate, tetramethylammonium perborate, tetramethylammonium perchlorate, tetramethylammonium periodate, tetramethylammonium persulfate, urea hydrogen peroxide, peracetic acid, and combinations thereof.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one oxidizing agent comprises hydrogen peroxide.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the removal composition further comprises at least one acid selected from the group consisting of sulfuric acid, nitric acid, acetic acid, trifluoroacetic acid, and hydrochloric acid.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one metal nitride inhibitor comprises 1-hydroxyethylidene-1,1-diphosphonic acid.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the removal composition further comprises at least one surfactant.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the removal composition is substantially devoid of fluoride.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the removal composition is substantially devoid of abrasive or other inorganic particulate material, amines, chlorides, metal halides, silicates, and combinations thereof.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the removal composition further comprises at least one solvent selected from the group consisting of water, methanol, ethanol, isopropanol, butanol, pentanol, hexanol, 2-ethyl-1-hexanol, heptanol, octanol, ethylene glycol, propylene glycol, butylene glycol, butylene carbonate, ethylene carbonate, propylene carbonate, dipropylene glycol, diethylene glycol monomethyl ether, triethylene glycol monomethyl ether, diethylene glycol monoethyl ether, triethylene glycol monoethyl ether, ethylene glycol monopropyl ether, ethylene glycol monobutyl ether, diethylene glycol monobutyl ether, triethylene glycol monobutyl ether, ethylene glycol monohexyl ether, diethylene glycol monohexyl ether, ethylene glycol phenyl ether, propylene glycol methyl ether, dipropylene glycol methyl ether (DPGME), tripropylene glycol methyl ether (TPGME), dipropylene glycol dimethyl ether, dipropylene glycol ethyl ether, propylene glycol n-propyl ether, dipropylene glycol n-propyl ether (DPGPE), tripropylene glycol n-propyl ether, propylene glycol n-butyl ether, dipropylene glycol n-butyl ether, tripropylene glycol n-butyl ether, propylene glycol phenyl ether, 2,3-dihydrodecafluoropentane, ethyl perfluorobutylether, methyl perfluorobutylether, alkyl carbonates, alkylene carbonates, 4-methyl-2-pentanol, dense fluid, and combinations thereof.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the at least one solvent comprises water.

Assignments (9)
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jul 8, 2022
From: ENTEGRIS, INC.; ENTEGRIS GP, INC.; POCO GRAPHITE, INC.; CMC MATERIALS, INC.; INTERNATIONAL TEST SOLUTIONS, LLC; QED TECHNOLOGIES INTERNATIONAL, INC.
To: TRUIST BANK, AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 060613/0072 →
ASSIGNMENT OF PATENT SECURITY INTEREST RECORDED AT REEL/FRAME 048811/0679 Recorded Nov 5, 2019
From: GOLDMAN SACHS BANK USA
To: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC.
Reel/Frame 050965/0035 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Nov 13, 2018
From: ENTEGRIS, INC.; SAES PURE GAS, INC.
To: GOLDMAN SACHS BANK USA
Reel/Frame 048811/0679 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Nov 8, 2018
From: GOLDMAN SACHS BANK USA, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: ENTEGRIS, INC.; POCO GRAPHITE, INC.; ATMI, INC.; ATMI PACKAGING, INC.; ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY MATERIALS, INC.
Reel/Frame 047477/0032 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Nov 8, 2018
From: GOLDMAN SACHS BANK USA, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: ENTEGRIS, INC.; POCO GRAPHITE, INC.; ATMI, INC.; ATMI PACKAGING, INC.; ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY MATERIALS, INC.
Reel/Frame 047477/0151 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 19, 2016
From: ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY MATERIALS, INC.
To: ENTEGRIS, INC.
Reel/Frame 041029/0903 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded May 2, 2014
From: ENTEGRIS, INC.; POCO GRAPHITE, INC.; ATMI, INC.; ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY MATERIALS, INC.; ATMI PACKAGING, INC.
To: GOLDMAN SACHS BANK USA, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 032812/0192 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded May 1, 2014
From: ENTEGRIS, INC.; POCO GRAPHITE, INC.; ATMI, INC.; ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY MATERIALS, INC.; ATMI PACKAGING, INC.
To: GOLDMAN SACHS BANK USA, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 032815/0852 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 22, 2013
From: CHEN, TIANNIU; THOMAS, NICOLE E.; LIPPY, STEVEN; BARNES, JEFFREY A.; COOPER, EMANUEL I.; ZHANG, PENG
To: ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY MATERIALS, INC.
Reel/Frame 031454/0414 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 61390372 · Oct 6, 2010
Related Publication 20140038420A1 · Feb 6, 2014