IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,033,866
Granted Patent B2
US 12,033,866 · App. 18/116,556 · Granted Jul 9, 2024

Vapor phase thermal etch solutions for metal oxo photoresists

Inventors: Lakmal Charidu Kalutarage (San Jose, CA); Mark Joseph Saly (Milpitas, CA); Bhaskar Jyoti Bhuyan (Milpitas, CA); Madhur Sachan (Belmont, CA); Regina Freed (Los Altos, CA)
Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
H01L21/32135C23F4/02G03F7/0042G03F7/0043G03F7/265G03F7/36
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,033,866
App. No.
18/116,556
Granted
Jul 9, 2024
Kind
B2
Abstract

Embodiments disclosed herein include methods of developing a metal oxo photoresist. In an embodiment, the method comprises providing a substrate with the metal oxo photoresist into a vacuum chamber, where the metal oxo photoresist comprises exposed regions and unexposed regions. In an embodiment, the unexposed regions comprise a higher carbon concentration than the exposed regions. The method may further comprise vaporizing a halogenating agent into the vacuum chamber, where the halogenating agent reacts with either the unexposed regions or the exposed regions to produce a volatile byproduct. In an embodiment, the method may further comprise purging the vacuum chamber.

Claims (12)

1. A method of developing a metal oxo photoresist, comprising:

providing a substrate with the metal oxo photoresist into a vacuum chamber, wherein the metal oxo photoresist comprises exposed regions and unexposed regions, and wherein the unexposed regions comprise a higher carbon concentration than the exposed regions;

vaporizing a halogenating agent into the vacuum chamber, wherein the halogenating agent reacts with the exposed regions to produce a volatile byproduct, wherein the halogenating agent comprises methanesulfonyl chloride (CH 3 SO 2 Cl), trichloromethanesulfonyl chloride (CCl 3 SO 2 Cl), 4-toluenesulfonyl chloride (tosyl chloride), oxalyl chloride (ClCOCOCl), tert-butyl hypochlorite ((CH 3 ) 3 COCl), N-chlorophthalimide, 1,3-dichloro-5,5-dimethylhydantoin, trimethylsilyl chloride, PCl 5 , CCl 3 Br, 1,2-dibromo-1,1,2,2-tetrachloroethane (Cl 2 CBrCBrCl 2 ), PBr 3 , N-bromosuccinimide, N-bromoacetamide, 2-bromo-2-cyano-N,N-dimethylacetamide, 1,3-dibromo-5,5-dimethylhydantoin, 2,4,4,6-tetrabromo-2,5-cyclohexadienone, trimethylsilyl bromide, SO 2 Cl 2 (sulfuryl chloride), or SO 2 Br 2 (sulfuryl bromide); and

purging the vacuum chamber.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the halogenating agent is diluted with a gas selected from the group consisting of Ar, N 2 and He.

3. A method of developing a metal oxo photoresist, comprising:

providing a substrate with the metal oxo photoresist into a vacuum chamber, wherein the metal oxo photoresist comprises exposed regions and unexposed regions, and wherein the unexposed regions comprise a higher carbon concentration than the exposed regions;

vaporizing an organic acid into the vacuum chamber, wherein the organic acid reacts with either the unexposed regions or the exposed regions to produce a volatile byproduct, wherein the organic acid is a carboxylic acid (RCO 2 H), and wherein the R group comprises CH 3 , tBu, or iPr; and

purging the vacuum chamber.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the organic acid is diluted with a gas selected from the group consisting of Ar, N 2 and He.

5. The method of claim 3 , wherein the organic acid reacts with the unexposed regions to produce the volatile byproduct.

6. The method of claim 3 , wherein the organic acid reacts with the exposed regions to produce the volatile byproduct.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 6, 2023
From: KALUTARAGE, LAKMAL CHARIDU; SALY, MARK JOSEPH; BHUYAN, BHASKAR JYOTI; SACHAN, MADHUR; FREED, REGINA
To: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
Reel/Frame 062890/0305 →
Continuity (3)
Continuation 17348589 · Jun 15, 2021
Provisional Application 63047157 · Jul 1, 2020
Related Publication 20230215736A1 · Jul 6, 2023