IP Library › Granted Patent US 8,586,483
Granted Patent B2
US 8,586,483 · App. 13/610,187 · Granted Nov 19, 2013

Semiconductor device structures and compositions for forming same

Inventors: Sanjeev Sapra (Boise, ID); Janos Fucsko (Boise, ID)
Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,586,483
App. No.
13/610,187
Granted
Nov 19, 2013
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. Resulting semiconductor device structures are also disclosed, as are compositions used to form the semiconductor device structures.

Claims (23)

1. A semiconductor device structure, comprising:

a metal feature and a metal nitride feature on a semiconductor substrate, the metal nitride feature in contact with sidewalls of an insulative material and a surface of the semiconductor substrate, the metal feature comprising a metal portion and an exposed metal oxide portion in contact with the metal nitride feature, wherein a top surface of the exposed metal oxide portion is coplanar with a top surface of the insulative material and a bottom surface of the exposed metal oxide portion is below the top surface of the insulative material.

2. The semiconductor device structure of claim 1 , wherein the metal feature comprises a titanium feature, a vanadium feature, a nickel feature, a copper feature, a zinc feature, a zirconium feature, a niobium feature, a molybdenum feature, a ruthenium feature, a rhodium feature, a cadmium feature, a lanthanum feature, a hafnium feature, a tantalum feature, or a tungsten feature.

3. The semiconductor device structure of claim 1 , wherein the metal nitride feature comprises a titanium nitride feature, a tantalum nitride feature, or a tungsten nitride feature.

4. The semiconductor device structure of claim 1 , wherein the metal feature comprises a tungsten feature and the metal nitride feature comprises an exposed titanium nitride feature.

5. The semiconductor device structure of claim 1 , wherein the metal portion comprises a tungsten feature and the exposed metal oxide portion comprises tungsten trioxide.

6. The semiconductor device structure of claim 1 , wherein the metal nitride feature comprises a titanium nitride liner in an opening in the insulative material and the metal feature comprises a tungsten contact.

7. A semiconductor device structure, comprising:

at least one opening in an insulative material;

a metal nitride material on sidewalls of the insulative material;

a metal material in the at least one opening;

a metal oxide material over the metal material, the metal oxide material comprising a lower surface in contact with the metal material at a location below a horizontal plane defined by an interface between the metal nitride material and the insulative material.

8. The semiconductor device structure of claim 7 , further comprising a gap between the metal material and the insulative material.

9. The semiconductor device structure of claim 7 , wherein the metal material comprises a conductive plug.

10. The semiconductor device of structure of claim 7 , wherein the metal material comprises tungsten and the metal oxide material comprises tungsten trioxide.

11. A composition, consisting of:

water, ozone, and at least one additive selected from the group consisting of hydrochloric acid, hydrogen fluoride, ammonium hydroxide, and tetramethylammonium hydroxide.

12. The composition of claim 11 , wherein the composition consists of water, ozone, and hydrochloric acid.

13. The composition of claim 11 , wherein the composition consists of water, ozone, hydrochloric acid, and hydrogen fluoride.

14. The composition of claim 11 , wherein the composition consists of water, ozone, and hydrogen fluoride.

15. The composition of claim 11 , wherein the composition consists of water, ozone, and ammonium hydroxide.

16. The composition of claim 11 , wherein the composition comprises between approximately 5 parts per million of ozone and approximately 100 parts per million of ozone.

17. The composition of claim 11 , wherein the composition has a pH of less than approximately 2.

Assignments (7)
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 →
Continuity (2)
Continuation 12872564 · Aug 31, 2010
Related Publication 20130009310A1 · Jan 10, 2013