IP Library › Granted Patent US 10,106,737
Granted Patent B2
US 10,106,737 · App. 15/466,779 · Granted Oct 23, 2018

Liquid mixture and method for selectively wet etching silicon germanium

Inventors: Dries Dictus (Villach, AT); Christian Fischer (Riegersdorf, AT)
Assignee: LAM RESEARCH AG
C09K13/08C09K13/00C09K13/06H01L21/0217H01L21/02164H01L21/02381H01L21/02428H01L21/30604H01L21/32134
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,106,737
App. No.
15/466,779
Granted
Oct 23, 2018
Kind
B2
Abstract

A liquid mixture for etching a substrate includes a first liquid comprising one of: (i) percarboxylic acid comprising 3 to 70 mass. % of the liquid mixture; or (ii) carboxylic acid comprising 3 to 70 mass. % of the liquid mixture and at least one liquid selected from a group consisting of hydrogen peroxide comprising 3 to 30 mass. % of the liquid mixture and ozone comprising 0.5 to 5 mass. % of the liquid mixture; a water drawing agent comprising 2 to 40 mass. % of the liquid mixture; hydrofluoric acid comprising 0.05 to 3 mass. % of the liquid mixture; and water comprising 0 to 60 mass. % of the liquid mixture. The liquid mixture may be used to etch silicon germanium relative to silicon, silicon dioxide and silicon nitride.

Claims (34)

1. A liquid mixture for etching a substrate, comprising:

a first liquid comprising carboxylic acid comprising 3 to 12 mol/L of the liquid mixture and hydrogen peroxide comprising 1.5 to 7 mol/L of the liquid mixture;

sulfuric acid comprising 0.5 to 5 mol/L of the liquid mixture;

hydrofluoric acid comprising 0.1 to 1 mol/L of the liquid mixture; and

water comprising 4 to 40 mol/L of the liquid mixture.

2. The liquid mixture of claim 1 , wherein the carboxylic acid comprises acetic acid.

3. The liquid mixture of claim 1 , wherein the carboxylic acid comprises 7.6 mol/L of the liquid mixture.

4. The liquid mixture of claim 1 , wherein the hydrogen peroxide comprises 4.3 mol/L of the liquid mixture.

5. The liquid mixture of claim 1 , wherein the sulfuric acid comprises 2.15 mol/L of the liquid mixture.

6. The liquid mixture of claim 1 , wherein the hydrofluoric acid comprises 0.13 mol/L of the liquid mixture.

7. The liquid mixture of claim 1 , wherein the water comprises 20 mol/L of the liquid mixture.

8. A method for wet etching a substrate, comprising:

providing a substrate comprising silicon germanium, silicon and at least one material selected from a group consisting of silicon dioxide and silicon nitride; and

selectively etching the silicon germanium relative to the silicon and the at least one material by applying the liquid mixture of claim 1 to the substrate.

9. A method for wet etching a substrate, comprising:

providing a substrate comprising silicon germanium and at least one material selected from a group consisting of silicon, silicon dioxide and silicon nitride; and

selectively etching the silicon germanium relative to the at least one material by applying the liquid mixture of claim 1 to the substrate.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the substrate includes nanowires that are exposed after etching of the silicon germanium.

11. A method for wet etching a substrate, comprising:

arranging the substrate on a spin chuck, wherein the substrate comprises silicon germanium and at least one material selected from a group consisting of silicon, silicon dioxide and silicon nitride;

rotating the substrate using the spin chuck; and

applying the liquid mixture of claim 1 onto at least one surface of the substrate to selectively etch the silicon germanium relative to the at least one material by applying the liquid mixture.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the silicon germanium is etched at a ratio greater than or equal to 10:1 relative to the at least one material selected from a group consisting of silicon, silicon dioxide and silicon nitride.

13. The method of claim 11 , wherein the silicon germanium is etched at a ratio greater than or equal to 10:1 relative to the silicon material, the silicon dioxide material and the silicon nitride material.

14. A liquid mixture for etching silicon germanium comprising:

carboxylic acid comprising 3 to 12 mol/L of the liquid mixture;

hydrogen peroxide comprising 1.5 to 7 mol/L of the liquid mixture;

sulfuric acid 0.5 to 5 mol/L of the liquid mixture;

hydrofluoric acid comprising 0.1 to 1 mol/L of the liquid mixture; and

water comprising 4 to 50 mol/L of the liquid mixture.

15. The liquid mixture of claim 14 , wherein a molarity of the carboxylic acid is higher than a molarity of hydrogen peroxide.

16. A method for wet etching a substrate, comprising:

providing a substrate comprising silicon germanium, silicon and at least one material selected from a group consisting of silicon dioxide and silicon nitride; and

selectively etching the silicon germanium relative to the at least one material using the liquid mixture of claim 14 .

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 23, 2017
From: DICTUS, DRIES; FISCHER, CHRISTIAN
To: LAM RESEARCH AG
Reel/Frame 041694/0399 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20180277379A1 · Sep 27, 2018
Cited By (2)
US 12,234,400 US 12,300,498