IP Library › Granted Patent US 11,670,517
Granted Patent B2
US 11,670,517 · App. 17/262,807 · Granted Jun 6, 2023

Substrate processing method and substrate processing device

Inventors: Sei Negoro (Kyoto, JP); Kenji Kobayashi (Kyoto, JP)
H01L21/32134H01L21/02052H01L21/32055H01L21/67023H01L21/68764
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,670,517
App. No.
17/262,807
Granted
Jun 6, 2023
Kind
B2
Abstract

An alkaline etchant containing a quaternary ammonium hydroxide, water, and an inhibitory substance for inhibiting contact between hydroxide ions generated from the quaternary ammonium hydroxide and objects P 1 to P 3 to be etched is prepared. The prepared etchant is supplied to a substrate in which the polysilicon-containing objects P 1 to P 3 to be etched and objects O 1 to O 3 not to be etched, which are different from the objects P 1 to P 3 to be etched, are exposed, thereby etching the objects P 1 to P 3 to be etched while preventing the objects O 1 to O 3 not to be etched from being etched.

Claims (15)

1. A substrate processing method to supply an alkaline etching liquid to a substrate on which an etching object including polysilicon and a non-etching object different from the etching object are exposed, the substrate processing method comprising:

an etching liquid making step of making the alkaline etching liquid including quaternary ammonium hydroxide, water and inhibitor that inhibits contact of a hydroxide ion generated from the quaternary ammonium hydroxide and the etching object; and

a selective etching step of etching the etching object while inhibiting etching of the non-etching object by supplying the etching liquid made in the etching liquid making step to the substrate on which the etching object and the non-etching object are exposed, wherein

the etching liquid making step includes a concentration determining step of determining concentration of the inhibitor in the etching liquid based on a target value of a difference of etching speeds of a plurality of crystal planes of a silicon single crystal constituting the polysilicon.

2. The substrate processing method according to claim 1 , wherein the concentration of the inhibitor in the etching liquid made in the etching liquid making step is 20 percent concentration of mass or more, and less 100 percent concentration of mass.

3. The substrate processing method according to claim 1 , wherein a molecule of the inhibitor is larger than the hydroxide ion.

4. The substrate processing method according to claim 1 , wherein

the etching liquid making step includes a pre-discharge mixing step of mixing the quaternary ammonium hydroxide, the water and the inhibitor before the etching liquid is discharged from a discharge port, and

the selective etching step includes a discharging step of causing the discharge port to discharge the etching liquid made in the etching liquid making step toward the substrate.

5. The substrate processing method according to claim 1 , further comprising a natural oxide film removing step of supplying an oxide film removing liquid to the substrate and removing a natural oxide film of the etching object before the selectively etching step.

6. The substrate processing method according to claim 1 , wherein the etching object is a thin film obtained by performing a plurality of steps including a deposition step of depositing the polysilicon and a heat treatment step of heating the polysilicon deposited in the deposition step.

7. The substrate processing method according to claim 1 , wherein the etching liquid making step includes a dissolved oxygen concentration changing step of lowering dissolved oxygen concentration of at least one of the quaternary ammonium hydroxide, the water and the inhibitor.

8. The substrate processing method according to claim 1 , further comprising an atmosphere oxygen concentration changing step of lowering oxygen concentration in an atmosphere that is in contact with the etching liquid held by the substrate.

9. The substrate processing method according to claim 1 , wherein the inhibitor is glycol.

10. The substrate processing method according to claim 9 , wherein the etching liquid making step is a step of making the alkaline etching liquid including TMAH (tetramethylammonium hydroxide) as the quaternary ammonium hydroxide, the water and propylene glycol as the glycol.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 3, 2021
From: NEGORO, SEI; KOBAYASHI, KENJI
To: SCREEN HOLDINGS CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 055482/0489 →
Priority Claims (2)
JP JP2018-163796 · Aug 31, 2018 · national
JP JP2019-075345 · Apr 11, 2019 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20210313191A1 · Oct 7, 2021
Cited By (1)
US 12,545,839