IP Library Granted Patent US 12,165,848
Granted Patent B2
US 12,165,848 · App. 17/755,406 · Granted Dec 10, 2024

Substrate processing method, substrate processing apparatus, and method for producing nanowire or nanosheet transistor

Inventors: Kenichi Oyama (Narisaki, JP); Shohei Yamauchi (Narisaki, JP); Kazuya Dobashi (Hillsboro, OR); Akitaka Shimizu (Narisaki, JP)
Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
H01J37/32449H01J37/32357H01L21/02252H01L21/0234H01L21/3065C23C8/24H01J2237/334H01J2237/3387
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,165,848
App. No.
17/755,406
Granted
Dec 10, 2024
Kind
B2
Abstract

The present disclosure appropriately shortens a processing step for processing a substrate in which a silicon layer and a silicon germanium layer are alternatively laminated. The present disclosure provides a substrate processing method of processing the substrate in which the silicon layer and the silicon germanium layer are alternatively laminated, which includes forming an oxide film by selectively modifying a surface layer of an exposed surface of the silicon germanium layer by using a processing gas including fluorine and oxygen and converted into plasma.

Claims (28)

1. A substrate processing method of processing a substrate in which a silicon layer and a silicon germanium layer are alternatively laminated, the substrate processing method comprising:

forming an oxide film by selectively modifying a surface layer of an exposed surface of the silicon germanium layer by using a processing gas including fluorine and oxygen and converted into plasma; and

forming a nitride film by modifying at least the surface layer of the oxide film by using a second processing gas including a nitrogen-containing gas and converted into plasma.

2. The substrate processing method of claim 1 , wherein the processing gas includes an O 2 gas and a fluorine-containing gas, and a volume ratio of the fluorine-containing gas to the O 2 gas is 0.1 vol % or more and 1.0 vol % or less.

3. The substrate processing method of claim 2 , wherein the fluorine-containing gas is a NF 3 gas, a F 2 gas, or a SF 6 gas.

4. The substrate processing method of claim 1 , wherein the processing gas further includes at least one of a H 2 gas and a rare gas.

5. The substrate processing method of claim 1 , wherein remote plasma is used when the processing gas is converted into plasma.

6. The substrate processing method of claim 1 , wherein an etching amount of the silicon germanium layer from the exposed surface is proportional to a plasma processing time for the substrate.

7. The substrate processing method of claim 1 , wherein a thickness of the oxide film thus formed is saturated at a set value regardless of a plasma processing time for the substrate.

8. The substrate processing method of claim 6 , wherein a plasma processing for the substrate is repeatedly performed, and a plasma processing time for one set is 30 sec to 180 sec.

9. The substrate processing method of claim 1 , further comprising forming a carbide film by modifying at least the surface layer of the oxide film by using a second processing gas including a carbon-containing gas and converted into plasma.

10. A substrate processing apparatus which processes a substrate in which a silicon layer and a silicon germanium layer are alternatively laminated, the substrate processing apparatus comprising:

a processor configured to form an oxide film by selectively modifying a surface layer of an exposed surface of the silicon germanium layer by using a processing gas including fluorine and oxygen and converted into plasma; and

a controller configured to control plasma processing in the processor,

wherein the controller is further configured to control the plasma processing in the processor to form a nitride film by modifying at least the surface layer of the oxide film by using a second processing gas including a nitrogen-containing gas and converted into plasma.

11. The substrate processing apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the processing gas includes an O 2 gas and a fluorine-containing gas, and

wherein the controller is further configured to control a supply amount of the processing gas in the processor such that a volume ratio of the fluorine-containing gas to the O 2 gas is 0.1 vol % or more and 1.0 vol % or less.

12. The substrate processing apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the fluorine-containing gas is a NF 3 gas, a F 2 gas, or a SF 6 gas.

13. The substrate processing apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the controller is further configured to control supply of the processing gas in the processor to further supply at least one of a H 2 gas and a rare gas.

14. The substrate processing apparatus of claim 10 , wherein remote plasma is used when the processing gas is converted into plasma in the processor.

15. The substrate processing apparatus of claim 10 , wherein an etching amount of the silicon germanium layer from the exposed surface in the plasma processing is proportional to a plasma processing time.

16. The substrate processing apparatus of claim 10 , wherein a thickness of the oxide film thus formed in the plasma processing is saturated at a desired set value regardless of a plasma processing time.

17. The substrate processing apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the controller is further configured to repeatedly perform the plasma processing on the substrate and control a plasma processing time for one set from 30 sec to 180 sec.

18. The substrate processing apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the controller is further configured to control the plasma processing in the processor to form a carbide film by modifying at least the surface layer of the oxide film by using a second processing gas including a carbon-containing gas and converted into plasma.

19. A method of manufacturing a nanowire or nanosheet transistor by using a substrate in which a silicon layer and a silicon germanium layer are alternately laminated, the method comprising:

forming an insulating oxide film by selectively modifying a surface layer of an exposed surface of the silicon germanium layer by using a processing gas including fluorine and oxygen and converted into plasma; and

forming a nitride film by modifying at least the surface layer of the insulating oxide film by using a second processing gas including a nitrogen-containing gas and converted into plasma.

20. The method of claim 19 , further comprising forming a carbide film by modifying at least the surface layer of the insulating oxide film by using a second processing gas including a carbon-containing gas and converted into plasma.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 6, 2022
From: OYAMA, KENICHI; YAMAUCHI, SHOHEI; DOBASHI, KAZUYA; SHIMIZU, AKITAKA
To: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
Reel/Frame 059836/0274 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2019-196464 · Oct 29, 2019 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20220406572A1 · Dec 22, 2022