Atomic layer etching using a combination of plasma and vapor treatments

1. A method for performing atomic layer etching (ALE) on a substrate, comprising:

(a) performing a surface modification operation on a surface of the substrate, the surface modification operation configured to convert at least one monolayer of the substrate surface to a modified layer;

(b) performing a removal operation on the substrate surface, the removal operation configured to remove the modified layer from the substrate surface, wherein removing the modified layer includes exposing the substrate surface to a metal complex, such that a ligand exchange reaction occurs between the metal complex and converted species of the modified layer;

(c) performing, following the removal operation, a plasma treatment on the substrate surface, the plasma treatment configured to remove residues formed from the exposure of the substrate surface to the metal complex, wherein the residues are volatilized by the plasma treatment;

(d) repeating operations (a) through (c) until a predefined thickness has been etched from the substrate surface.

2. The method of claim 1 ,

wherein the surface of the substrate includes a metal, metal oxide, metal nitride, metal phosphide, metal sulfide, or metal arsenide.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein performing the surface modification operation includes exposing the substrate surface to a halide-containing plasma, wherein the exposure to the halide-containing plasma is configured to convert the at least one monolayer of the substrate surface to a halide species.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein exposing the surface of the substrate to the halide-containing plasma includes introducing a halide-containing gas into a chamber in which the substrate is disposed, and igniting a plasma.

5. The method of claim 3 , wherein exposing the substrate surface to the halide-containing plasma includes receiving the halide-containing plasma from a remote plasma source.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein performing the removal operation includes exposing the substrate surface to tin-(II) acetylacetonate (Sn(acac) 2 ) vapor, the exposure to the Sn(acac) 2 vapor being configured to exchange acac ligands for atoms in the modified layer.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein performing the plasma treatment includes exposing the substrate surface to a hydrogen plasma.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein exposing the substrate surface to the hydrogen plasma includes receiving the hydrogen plasma from a remote plasma source.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein exposing the surface of the substrate to the plasma includes introducing a hydrogen gas into a chamber in which the substrate is disposed, and igniting a plasma.

10. The method of claim 1 ,

wherein operation (a) is performed in a first chamber;

wherein operation (b) is performed in a second chamber.

11. A method for performing atomic layer etching (ALE) on a substrate, comprising:

(a) performing a surface modification operation on a surface of the substrate, the surface modification operation configured to convert at least one monolayer of the substrate surface to a modified layer;

(b) performing a removal operation on the substrate surface, the removal operation configured to remove the modified layer from the substrate surface, wherein removing the modified layer includes exposing the substrate surface to a metal complex, such that a ligand exchange reaction occurs between the metal complex and converted species of the modified layer;

(c) repeating operations (a) and (b) for a predefined number of cycles;

(d) performing, following operation (c), a plasma treatment on the substrate surface, the plasma treatment configured to remove residues formed from the exposure of the substrate surface to the metal complex, wherein the residues are volatilized by the plasma treatment;

(e) repeating operations (a) through (d) until a predefined thickness has been etched from the substrate surface.

12. The method of claim 11 ,

wherein the surface of the substrate includes a metal, metal oxide, metal nitride, metal phosphide, metal sulfide, or metal arsenide.

13. The method of claim 11 , wherein performing the surface modification operation includes exposing the substrate surface to a halide-containing plasma, wherein the exposure to the halide-containing plasma is configured to convert the at least one monolayer of the substrate surface to a halide species.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein exposing the surface of the substrate to the halide-containing plasma includes introducing a halide-containing gas into a chamber in which the substrate is disposed, and igniting a plasma.

15. The method of claim 13 , wherein exposing the substrate surface to the halide-containing plasma includes receiving the halide-containing plasma from a remote plasma source.

16. The method of claim 11 , wherein performing the removal operation includes exposing the substrate surface to tin-(II) acetylacetonate (Sn(acac) 2 ) vapor, the exposure to the Sn(acac) 2 vapor being configured to exchange acac ligands for atoms in the modified layer.

17. The method of claim 11 , wherein performing the plasma treatment includes exposing the substrate surface to a hydrogen plasma.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein exposing the substrate surface to the hydrogen plasma includes receiving the hydrogen plasma from a remote plasma source.

19. The method of claim 11 , wherein exposing the surface of the substrate to the plasma includes introducing a hydrogen gas into a chamber in which the substrate is disposed, and igniting a plasma.

20. The method of claim 11 ,

wherein operation (a) is performed in a first chamber;

wherein operation (b) is performed in a second chamber.