TWI820374B - Inductively coupled plasma apparatus and method for operating the same - Google Patents

Abstract

A method for operating an inductively coupled plasma apparatus is provided. The method includes disposing a first magnetic shield element adjacent a first side of a reaction chamber; performing a first plasma process when the first magnetic shield element is disposed adjacent the first side of the reaction chamber; removing the first magnetic shield element from the first side of the reaction chamber after performing the first plasma process; and performing a second plasma process after removing the first magnetic shield element from the first side of the reaction chamber.

Description

Inductively coupled plasma device and method of operating the same

The present disclosure relates to an inductively coupled plasma device and a method of operating the same.

In recent years, semiconductor integrated circuits have experienced exponential growth. Technological advances in integrated circuit materials and designs have produced multiple generations of integrated circuits, with each generation having smaller and more complex circuits than the previous generation. In the process of integrated circuit development, as the geometric size (that is, the smallest component or line that can be produced in the process) shrinks, the functional density (that is, the number of interconnected devices per chip area) usually increases.

Generally speaking, such a downsizing process can provide the benefits of increasing production efficiency and reducing manufacturing costs. However, such a downsizing process can also increase the complexity of manufacturing and producing integrated circuits. To achieve these advances, corresponding R&D is required in integrated circuit processes and manufacturing equipment. In one example, a plasma fabrication system is used to perform a plasma etching process of the substrate. In a plasma etching process, the plasma generates volatile etching products through chemical reactions between elements of the material etched from the substrate surface and reactive species produced by the plasma.

Certain embodiments of the present disclosure provide a method of operating an inductively coupled plasma device. The method includes: disposing a first magnetic field shielding element adjacent to a first side of a reaction chamber; and performing a first plasma process when the first magnetic field shielding element is disposed adjacent to the first side of the reaction chamber; After performing the first plasma process, removing the first magnetic field shielding element from the first side of the reaction chamber; and after removing the first magnetic field shielding element from the first side of the reaction chamber , perform a second plasma process.

Some embodiments of the present disclosure provide a method of operating an inductively coupled plasma device, including: disposing a first magnetic field shielding element adjacent to a first side of a reaction chamber; when the first magnetic field shielding element is disposed adjacent to when performing a first plasma process on the first side of the reaction chamber; after performing the first plasma process, disposing a second magnetic field shielding element adjacent to the first side of the reaction chamber; and when When the first magnetic field shielding element and the second magnetic field shielding element are disposed adjacent to the first side of the reaction chamber, a second plasma process is performed.

Some embodiments of the present disclosure provide an inductively coupled plasma device. The inductively coupled plasma device includes a reaction chamber, a wafer base, a first magnetic field shielding element and a second magnetic field shielding element. The reaction chamber has a body and a dielectric plate body, wherein the body and the dielectric plate body define a space. The wafer base is disposed in the reaction chamber to carry a substrate. The first magnetic field shielding element is detachably disposed on the outer surface of the body. The second magnetic field shielding element is detachably disposed on the outer surface of the body.

The following disclosure will provide many different implementations or examples for implementing different features of the provided patent subject matter. Many components and arrangements are described below with specific embodiments to simplify the present disclosure. Of course, these embodiments are only examples and should not be used to limit the present disclosure. For example, the statement "the first feature is formed on the second feature" includes various embodiments, including the first feature being in direct contact with the second feature, and additional features being formed between the first feature and the second feature. The two are not in direct contact. In addition, in various embodiments, the present disclosure may repeat reference numbers and/or reference letters. This repetition is for simplicity and clarity and is not intended to indicate the relationship between the various implementations and/or configurations discussed.

What's more, spatially relative words, such as "lower", "below", "below", "below", "upper", "above" and other related words, are used here to simply describe components or features. A relationship to another element or feature, as shown in the figure. These spatially relative terms cover different directions of use or operation of the device in addition to the direction illustrated in the figures. Alternatively, the devices may be rotated (90 degrees or other degrees) and the spatially relative descriptors used herein interpreted accordingly.

In an inductively coupled plasma device, the dielectric plate is disposed between the induction coil and the plasma, for example, at the periphery or top of the cavity. A radio frequency source is used to input a radio frequency current into the coil to generate an induced radio frequency magnetic field, and then the radio frequency magnetic field induces a radio frequency electric field in the cavity that is opposite to the radio frequency current. Thereby, the RF source can be responsible for inductive coupling to generate plasma and control the plasma density.

Figure 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of an inductively coupled plasma device 100 according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. In some embodiments, the inductively coupled plasma apparatus 100 is operable to perform a plasma etching process, such as plasma etching metal, dielectric, semiconductor and/or mask materials from the surface of the substrate W. For example, it can be used in planar transistor manufacturing processes to etch bottom antireflective coating (BARC), polycrystalline silicon, and masks. In some other embodiments, the inductively coupled plasma apparatus 100 is operable to perform a deposition process, such as plasma depositing metal, dielectric, semiconductor and/or masking materials on the surface of the substrate W. In some other embodiments, the inductively coupled plasma apparatus 100 is operable to perform a plasma treatment, such as plasma treatment of metal, dielectric, semiconductor and/or masking materials on the surface of the substrate W.

In some embodiments, the inductively coupled plasma device 100 includes a reaction chamber 110 , a wafer base 120 , a coil 130 , a gas transporter 140 , a fixture 160 and a magnetic field shielding element 170 .

In some embodiments, the reaction chamber 110 includes a body 112 and a dielectric window 114. The main body 112 and the dielectric plate body 114 define a closed space 110S of the reaction chamber 110 . In some embodiments, the enclosed space 110S of the reaction chamber 110 is insulated from the outside environment and can be maintained in an appropriate state, such as a vacuum or a pressure lower than atmospheric pressure.

In some embodiments, the wafer base 120 is disposed in the reaction chamber 110 and used to support the substrate W. The wafer base 120 may include an electrostatic chuck and/or a clamp ring (not shown) to secure the substrate W during the process. The wafer base 120 may also include cooling and/or heating elements (not shown) for controlling the temperature of the wafer base 120 . In some embodiments, the wafer base 120 may further include an electrode 122 coupled to an RF generator. During the plasma treatment process, the electrode 122 may be biased on a radio frequency voltage by an radio frequency generator. The biased electrode 122 can be used to provide a bias voltage to the incoming process gas and help excite it into a plasma. In addition, the electrode 122 can maintain the plasma during the plasma treatment process.

In some embodiments, the coil 130 is disposed on the dielectric plate 114 . The coil 130 is electrically coupled to a plasma radio frequency power source (not shown). The dielectric plate 114 allows the radio frequency energy provided by the plasma power source to be transmitted from the coil 130 to the enclosed space 110S of the reaction chamber 110 . Thereby, by using the coil 130 to transmit radio frequency energy to the sealed space 110S of the reaction chamber 110 through the dielectric plate 114, the process gas in the sealed space 110S of the reaction chamber 110 can form an inductively coupled plasma, and then the substrate W can be processed. Etching, deposition, and/or other plasma processes. In some embodiments, the inductively coupled plasma device 100 may optionally include a cover 150 for covering the coil 130 and the dielectric plate 114 to prevent dust particle contamination.

In some embodiments, the dielectric plate 114 has an opening 114O connected to the gas conveyor 140 . The gas transporter 140 is connected to a gas supply source (not shown) and is used to provide process gas or other appropriate gases (such as cleaning gas, protective gas, etc.) to the closed space 110S of the reaction chamber 110 . In various embodiments, the process gas may be an etching gas, a deposition gas, a treatment gas, a carrier gas (such as nitrogen, argon, etc.), other suitable gases, and combinations thereof. The number of gas conveyors 140 and openings 114O may be one or more. In some embodiments, the gas conveyor 140 and the opening 114O may be located approximately at the center of the coil 130 . In some other embodiments, the gas conveyor 140 and the opening 114O may be disposed offset from the center of the coil 130 . In some embodiments, the body 112 may include a gas outlet 112GO, which may be connected to an air extraction pump (not shown) to extract air from the enclosed space 110S.

In some embodiments, the magnetic field shielding element 170 can be selectively disposed on each outer surface 150OS of the cover 150 and each outer surface 112OS of the body 112 . The material of the magnetic field shielding element 170 may be a suitable metal plate that can block external magnetic fields. For example, the material of the magnetic field shielding element 170 may be a transition metal or other suitable material. In some embodiments, the material of the magnetic field shielding element 170 may be a metal from Group IV to Group Eleven. In some embodiments, the material of the magnetic field shielding element 170 may be molybdenum (Mo), iron (Fe), nickel (Ni), alloys thereof, or combinations thereof.

In some embodiments, the magnetic field shielding element 170 can be fixed on the outer surfaces 112OS and 150OS through the fixing member 160. For example, the fixing member 160 can be fixed (eg, locked) on the outer surface 112OS of the body 112 and/or the outer surface 150OS of the cover 150 . The fixture 160 may include one or more slots 160T for carrying the magnetic field shielding element 170 . In this article, the combination of the outer surface 112OS of the body 112 and the outer surface 150OS of the cover 150 is called the outer surface OS.

The magnetic field shielding element 170 may include a magnetic field shielding element 172 located on the side of the reaction chamber 110 and a magnetic field shielding element 174 located above the reaction chamber 110 . The magnetic field shielding elements 172, 174 are separable from each other and can be independently selected to be positioned around the reaction chamber 110. The fixing part 160 may include a fixing part 162 located on the side of the reaction chamber 110 and a fixing part 164 located above the reaction chamber 110 to carry the magnetic field shielding elements 172 and 174 respectively.

Through the arrangement of the fixing member 160 and the magnetic field shielding elements 170, the operator can adjust the distribution of the magnetic field shielding elements 170 around the reaction chamber 110 according to the desired plasma process, so as to effectively isolate the geomagnetic field. For example, various plasma processes may be performed using different distributions of magnetic field shielding elements 170 .

In some embodiments of the present disclosure, when the magnetic field shielding element 172 is disposed on the outer surface 112OS of the body 112 , the upper surface of the magnetic field shielding element 172 may be higher than the upper surface of the dielectric plate body 114 , and the magnetic field shielding element 172 The lower surface of the wafer base 120 may be lower than the lower surface of the wafer base 120 . Specifically, the upper surface of the magnetic field shielding element 172 may be higher than the position of the coil 130 , and the lower surface of the magnetic field shielding element 172 may be lower than the position of the lower surface of the electrode 122 in the wafer base 120 . Thereby, when the coil 130 is used to generate a magnetic field, the magnetic field shielding element 172 can surround the area between the coil 130 and the electrode 122 to prevent geomagnetism from affecting the plasma in this area. In this way, the plasma in this area can be effectively controlled by the coil 130 and the electrode 122 to achieve the target effect, such as uniform etching or uneven etching.

In some embodiments, in order to facilitate opening and closing the cover 150 during machine maintenance, the fixing member 162 located on the side may be designed not to be fixed to the outer surface 150OS of the cover 150, but only to be fixed to the outer surface 112OS of the body 112. . For example, the fixing member 162 is directly fixed to the body 112 rather than directly fixed to the cover 150 . Therefore, the arrangement of the fixing member 162 will not affect the operation of the machine itself. In some embodiments, the fixing member 162 may or may not contact the outer surface 150OS of the cover 150 . In some embodiments, the fixing member 164 can be directly fixed on the upper surface of the cover 150 .

In some embodiments, the magnetic field shielding elements 170 (such as the magnetic field shielding element 172 in FIG. 1 ) disposed on the same side of the reaction chamber 110 can be separated by the fixing member 160 (such as the fixing member 162 in FIG. 1 ) without being separated from each other. get in touch with. Alternatively, in some other embodiments, the magnetic field shielding elements 170 (such as the magnetic field shielding element 172 in FIG. 1 ) disposed on the same side of the reaction chamber 110 may not be separated by the fixing member 160 . In other words, in some other embodiments, the magnetic field shielding elements 170 (such as the magnetic field shielding element 172 in FIG. 1 ) disposed on the same side of the reaction chamber 110 may be in contact with each other.

In some embodiments, the substrate W may be a silicon wafer. In other embodiments, the substrate W may include other elemental semiconductor materials, compound semiconductor materials, alloy semiconductor materials or other semiconductor wafers, as well as other suitable substrates. For example, compound semiconductor materials include, but are not limited to, silicon carbide, gallium arsenide, gallium phosphide, indium phosphide, indium arsenide and/or indium antimonide. For example, alloy semiconductor materials include, but are not limited to, SiGe, GaAsP, AlInAs, AlGaAs, GaInAs, GaInP, and/or GaInAsP.

In some embodiments, the dielectric plate body 114 may be made of materials that are transparent to electromagnetic signals, such as quartz, ceramics, and/or dielectric materials. The above-mentioned electromagnetic signals may be visible light, infrared rays, ultraviolet rays, X-rays, and/or other electromagnetic signals. The electromagnetic signals passing through the dielectric plate 114 can be used to monitor the process conditions of the enclosed space 110S, such as the presence of plasma, the presence of process gas species, and/or the presence of etching/deposition residual materials. The dielectric plate body 114 may include a suitable shape, such as a round plate, a square plate, or other suitable shapes. In some embodiments, the dielectric plate 114 may be transparent. In some embodiments, the dielectric plate body 114 may also be called a dielectric window.

In some embodiments, the coil 130 may be a planar multi-turn spiral coil, a non-planar multi-turn spiral coil, or a coil with other suitable shapes. In some embodiments, the coil 130 may constitute a plasma antenna. In other embodiments, the plasma antenna may include multiple plates suitable for capacitively coupled plasma. In other embodiments, the plasma can be maintained through other plasmonic antennas, such as electron cyclotron resonance (ECR), parallel plates, helicons, helical resonators, or other plasmonic antennas. The plasma power supply ES may be, for example, a radio frequency (RF) power supply.

In some embodiments, the inductively coupled plasma device 100 may further include a ceramic support base 180 for supporting the inner coil and the outer coil of the coil 130 . For example, the coil 130 can be fixed to the ceramic support base 180 through appropriate means (eg, screws). The ceramic support base 180 may include appropriate openings for the gas conveyor 140 to pass through. In some embodiments, the inductively coupled plasma device 100 may further include terminals 190 , wherein the coil 130 is connected to the plasma RF power source through the terminals 190 .

In some embodiments, the inductively coupled plasma apparatus 100 may further include a plasma baffle 116 to limit the plasma surrounding the substrate W and enable the process gas and process by-products to be transported to the gas outlet 112GO through the plasma baffle 116 for discharge. . The plasma baffle 116 may be coated with an alternative chamber material evaluation (ACME) film, where the film may include an aluminum material, such as anodized aluminum, and may be configured to reduce defects.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an inductively coupled plasma device 100 according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. In the embodiment of the present disclosure, the fixing members 160 can be disposed on the upper and lower sides, left and right sides, and front and rear sides of the outer surface OS (including the outer surface 112OS of the body 112 and the outer surface 150OS of the cover 150), so that the magnetic field shielding element 170 can be configured according to the requirements. requirements, configured outside the reaction chamber 110.

For example, in some embodiments, the magnetic field shielding element 172 includes primary magnetic field shielding elements 172a to 172d and secondary magnetic field shielding elements 172a’ to 172d’ disposed on four sides of the reaction chamber 110. The magnetic field shielding elements 172a-172d and the secondary magnetic field shielding elements 172a'-172d' can be separated from each other and can be independently selected to be arranged around the reaction chamber 110. In some embodiments, the shapes and sizes of the primary magnetic field shielding elements 172a-172d and the secondary magnetic field shielding elements 172a'-172d' are designed to match the structures of other components in the inductively coupled plasma device 100. For example, the size of the secondary magnetic field shielding elements 172a'-172d' may be smaller than the size of the magnetic field shielding elements 172a-172d.

In some embodiments, the magnetic field shielding element 170 may be provided with a plurality of locking holes 170H, and the outer surface OS may be provided with a plurality of corresponding locking holes OSH for fixing the magnetic field shielding element 170 to the outer surface OS. The magnetic field shielding component 170 can be fixed on the outer surface OS through other fixing components (refer to the fixing component 160 in FIG. 1 ). Alternatively, in other embodiments, the magnetic field shielding element 170 can be directly fixed to the magnetic field shielding element 170 without the need for other fasteners to be interposed therebetween. Other details of this implementation are generally as described above and will not be described again here.

FIG. 3 is a three-dimensional schematic diagram of an inductively coupled plasma device 100 according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. As shown in FIG. 3 , the fixing member 160 can be fixed on the outer surface OS of the inductively coupled plasma device 100 through screw locking. For example, the fixing member 160 may be provided with a plurality of locking holes 160H, so that the locking holes 170H of the magnetic field shielding element 170 can be locked to the locking holes OSH on the outer surface OS through screws passing through the locking holes 160H. Thereby, the magnetic field shielding element 170 can also be fixed in the slot 160T of the fixing member 160 through screw locking. Other details of this implementation are generally as described above and will not be described again here.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of an inductively coupled plasma device 100 according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. In this embodiment, a housing 300 may be provided around the body 112 (refer to FIG. 1 ), and the material of the housing 300 may be a metal material that can block external magnetic fields. For example, the material of the housing 300 may be a transition metal or other suitable material. In some embodiments, the material of the housing 300 may be a metal from Group IV to Group 11. In some embodiments, the material of the housing 300 may be molybdenum (Mo), iron (Fe), nickel (Ni), alloys thereof, or combinations thereof. In this way, the magnetic field generated by the geomagnetic imaging coil can be further prevented. In some embodiments, the body 112 (refer to FIG. 1 ) for surrounding the enclosed space 110S may have a wafer channel to facilitate wafer transportation. The housing 300 may also have a wafer channel 300G connected to the wafer channel of the body 112 (refer to FIG. 1 ) to facilitate wafer transfer. The magnetic field shielding element 170 can be disposed on both sides of the body 112 (refer to FIG. 1 ) and the housing 300 where the wafer channel is not provided. In some embodiments, the magnetic field shielding element 170 and its fixing member 160 (see FIG. 1 ) can be omitted from the main body 112 (refer to FIG. 1 ) and the side of the housing 300 that is not provided with a wafer channel. Alternatively, in other embodiments, the main body 112 (refer to FIG. 1 ) and the side of the housing 300 where the wafer channel is provided may be provided with matching size magnetic field shielding elements 170 and their fixing members 160 (refer to FIG. 1 ). Other details of this implementation are generally as described above and will not be described again here.

Figure 5 is a flowchart of a method M of operating an inductively coupled plasma device in accordance with some embodiments of the present disclosure. 6A to 6B are schematic diagrams of various stages of a method M for operating an inductively coupled plasma device according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. This description is for illustration only and is not intended to further limit the content contained in the scope of subsequent patent applications. Method M includes steps S1 to S8. It should be understood that additional steps can be added before, during and after steps S1 to S8, and for another part of the implementation of the method, some of the steps mentioned below can be replaced or eliminated. The order of steps/procedures can be changed.

First, referring to FIGS. 5 and 6A , the method proceeds to step S1 , an inductively coupled plasma device 100 is provided, and a plurality of magnetic field shielding elements 170 are adjusted to a first position configuration. For example, the magnetic field shielding elements 170 are disposed around the four sides, upper and lower sides of the reaction chamber 110 . When the first position configuration is adopted, the number, shape, etc. of the magnetic field shielding elements 172a~172b, 172a'~172b' on the four sides of the reaction chamber 110, and the magnetic field shielding elements 174 on the upper and lower sides of the reaction chamber 110 can be arranged in a predetermined manner. . For example, taking the quantity as an example, the magnetic field shielding elements 172a to 172b and 174 are 3, 2, 1, 4, and 1 respectively.

Next, referring to Figures 5 and 6A, the method proceeds to step S2. After adjusting the plurality of magnetic field shielding elements 170 to the first position, the first wafer is placed into the reaction chamber. Alternatively, in some other implementations, the order of steps S1 and S2 can be exchanged, and is not limited to what is shown in the figure. For example, after the first wafer is placed into the reaction chamber, the plurality of magnetic field shielding elements 170 can be adjusted to the first position.

Next, the method proceeds to step S3, and then the inductively coupled plasma equipment 100 is used to perform an appropriate plasma process on the wafer, such as a plasma etching process, a plasma deposition process, or a plasma treatment process. In this embodiment, the plasma process includes using a gas conveyor 140 (refer to Figure 1) to transport process gas to the closed space 110S, and using a coil 130 (refer to Figure 1) to transmit energy to the closed space 110S, thereby improving The energy of the process gas is used to generate and/or maintain the plasma. In some embodiments, the plasma process may be anisotropic or isotropic.

Next, referring to Figures 5 and 6A, the method proceeds to step S4. After completing a plasma process on the wafer, the wafer can be removed from the reaction chamber and the next wafer can be placed into the reaction chamber 110 In the closed space 110S, this plasma process is performed on the next wafer.

After performing these plasma processes on multiple wafers (for example, multiple wafers in the same run), with reference to FIGS. 5 and 6B , the method proceeds to step S5 to adjust the magnetic field shielding element 170 to the second position. For example, the number of magnetic field shielding elements 170 located on any one of the four sides and the upper and lower sides of the reaction chamber 110 can be increased, for example, the number of magnetic field shielding elements 170 can be added on any one of the four sides and upper and lower sides of the reaction chamber 110 . Alternatively, in some examples, the number of magnetic field shielding elements 170 located on any one of the four sides, upper and lower sides of the reaction chamber 110 can be reduced, for example, the number of magnetic field shielding elements 170 located on any one of the four sides, upper and lower sides of the reaction chamber 110 can be removed. Element 170. When the second position configuration is adopted, the number, shape, etc. of the magnetic field shielding elements 172a~172b, 172a'~172b' on the four sides of the reaction chamber 110, and the magnetic field shielding elements 174 on the upper and lower sides of the reaction chamber 110 can be arranged in a predetermined manner. . For example, taking the quantity as an example, the magnetic field shielding elements 172a to 172b and 174 are 2, 4, 1, 5, and 1 respectively.

In some embodiments, when adjusting the magnetic field shielding element 170 to the second position configuration, the magnetic field shielding element 170 disposed on either side of the reaction chamber 110 can be removed. Alternatively, in other embodiments, the magnetic field shielding element 170 disposed on either side of the reaction chamber 110 can be moved to the other side. Alternatively, in some embodiments, the number of magnetic field shielding elements 170 disposed on either side of the reaction chamber 110 may be increased.

Next, referring to Figures 5 and 6B, the method proceeds to step S6. After adjusting the plurality of magnetic field shielding elements 170 to the second position, the second wafer is placed into the reaction chamber. Alternatively, in some other implementations, the order of steps S5 and S6 can be exchanged, and is not limited to what is shown in the figure. For example, after the second wafer is placed into the reaction chamber, the plurality of magnetic field shielding elements 170 can be adjusted to the second position.

Next, the method proceeds to step S7, and then the inductively coupled plasma device 100 is operated to perform an appropriate plasma process on the second wafer, such as a plasma etching process, a plasma deposition process, or a plasma treatment process. In this embodiment, the plasma process includes using a gas conveyor 140 (refer to Figure 1) to transport process gas to the closed space 110S, and using a coil 130 (refer to Figure 1) to transmit energy to the closed space 110S, thereby improving The energy of the process gas is used to generate and/or maintain the plasma. In some embodiments, the plasma process may be anisotropic or isotropic.

Next, referring to Figures 5 and 6B, the method proceeds to step S8. After a plasma process is performed on the wafer, the wafer can be removed from the reaction chamber and the next wafer can be placed into the reaction chamber 110. In the closed space 110S, the plasma process is performed on the next wafer (for example, multiple wafers in the same run).

In some embodiments of the present disclosure, the operator can select an appropriate configuration of the magnetic field shielding element 170 according to the requirements of the plasma process. For example, here, the configuration of the magnetic field shielding element 170 in the second plasma process is different from the configuration in the first plasma process. In FIG. 5 , although the first plasma process and the second plasma process are performed on the first wafer and the second wafer respectively as an example, this should not limit the scope of the disclosure. In other embodiments, the first plasma process and the second plasma process can be performed on the same wafer.

Figure 7 is a flowchart of a method N of operating an inductively coupled plasma device in accordance with some embodiments of the present disclosure. 6A to 6B are schematic diagrams of various stages of a method M for operating an inductively coupled plasma device according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. This description is for illustration only and is not intended to further limit the content contained in the scope of subsequent patent applications. Method N includes steps P1 to P6. It should be understood that additional steps can be added before, during and after steps P1 to P6, and for another part of the implementation of the method, some of the steps mentioned below can be replaced or eliminated. The order of steps/procedures can be changed.

Referring to FIGS. 7 and 6A , the method proceeds to step P1 , where the first wafer is placed into the reaction chamber of the inductively coupled plasma device 100 .

Next, the method proceeds to step P2, where the plurality of magnetic field shielding elements 170 are adjusted to the first position configuration. For example, the magnetic field shielding elements 170 are disposed around the four sides, upper and lower sides of the reaction chamber 110 . When the first position configuration is adopted, the number, shape, etc. of the magnetic field shielding elements 172a~172b, 172a'~172b' on the four sides of the reaction chamber 110, and the magnetic field shielding elements 174 on the upper and lower sides of the reaction chamber 110 can be arranged in a predetermined manner. . For example, taking the quantity as an example, the magnetic field shielding elements 172a to 172b and 174 are 3, 2, 1, 4, and 1 respectively. The order of steps P1 and P2 can be exchanged and is not limited to what is shown in the figure. For example, the plurality of magnetic field shielding elements 170 may be adjusted to the first position configuration before or after placing the first wafer into the reaction chamber.

The method proceeds to step P3, and then the inductively coupled plasma equipment 100 is operated to perform an appropriate plasma process on the wafer, such as a plasma etching process, a plasma deposition process, or a plasma treatment process.

Next, referring to Figures 7 and 6B, the method proceeds to step P4, where the plurality of magnetic field shielding elements 170 are adjusted to the second position. For example, the number of magnetic field shielding elements 170 located on any one of the four sides and the upper and lower sides of the reaction chamber 110 can be increased, for example, the number of magnetic field shielding elements 170 can be added on any one of the four sides and upper and lower sides of the reaction chamber 110 . Alternatively, in some examples, the number of magnetic field shielding elements 170 located on any one of the four sides, upper and lower sides of the reaction chamber 110 can be reduced, for example, the number of magnetic field shielding elements 170 located on any one of the four sides, upper and lower sides of the reaction chamber 110 can be removed. Element 170. When the second position configuration is adopted, the number, shape, etc. of the magnetic field shielding elements 172a~172b, 172a'~172b' on the four sides of the reaction chamber 110, and the magnetic field shielding elements 174 on the upper and lower sides of the reaction chamber 110 can be arranged in a predetermined manner. . For example, taking the quantity as an example, the magnetic field shielding elements 172a to 172b and 174 are 2, 4, 1, 5, and 1 respectively.

Next, the method proceeds to step P5, and then the inductively coupled plasma device 100 is operated to perform an appropriate plasma process on the wafer, such as a plasma etching process, a plasma deposition process, or a plasma treatment process.

8A to 8J are schematic diagrams of semiconductor devices at various stages of a manufacturing process according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. This description is for illustration only and is not intended to further limit the content contained in the scope of subsequent patent applications. It should be understood that additional steps can be added before, during and after the steps of Figures 8A to 8J, and for other implementations of the method, some of the steps mentioned below can be replaced or eliminated. The order of steps/procedures can be changed.

Referring to FIG. 8A , on the semiconductor substrate 910, a hard mask layer 920, a bottom anti-reflection coating (BARC) 930 and a patterned photoresist layer 940 are formed. In some embodiments, the patterned photoresist layer 940 may include suitable organic materials. In some embodiments, the patterned photoresist layer 940 is formed by coating a photoresist layer on the bottom anti-reflective layer 930 and performing a photolithography process (such as exposure and development) on the photoresist layer.

In some embodiments, the semiconductor substrate 910 may include suitable semiconductor materials, such as silicon (Si), germanium (Ge), silicon carbide (SiC), silicon germanium (SiGe), or combinations thereof. In some embodiments, the semiconductor substrate 910 is, for example, bulk silicon. In some embodiments, the semiconductor substrate 910 may be a silicon on insulator (SOI) substrate, a multilayer substrate, a gradient substrate or a hybrid directional substrate.

In some embodiments, the hard mask layer 920 may include multiple layers of dielectric material, and may be a three-layer structure of silicon carbide-silicon oxide-silicon carbide. Alternatively, in some embodiments, the hard mask layer 920 may include a silicon carbide layer. In some embodiments, the bottom anti-reflective layer 930 may include suitable organic or inorganic dielectric materials, such as silicon carbide (SiC). The bottom anti-reflective layer 930 can reduce reflection interference from underlying features when exposing the photoresist layer.

Referring to FIG. 8B , the aforementioned inductively coupled plasma device 100 is used to perform a plasma etching process to remove the portion of the bottom anti-reflective layer 930 that is not covered by the patterned photoresist layer 940 to form the bottom anti-reflective layer 932 . Specifically, the semiconductor substrate 910 is placed on the wafer base (refer to the wafer base 120 in FIG. 1 ), and the gas transporter 140 is controlled to introduce a gas Ga to generate plasma Pa to etch the unpatterned light. The resistive layer 940 covers the portion of the bottom anti-reflective layer 930 (see FIG. 8A). During this plasma etching process, the magnetic field shielding element 170 (refer to the aforementioned Figures 1 to 4 or Figure 6A and Figure 6B) can adopt a position configuration 170LA.

Referring to FIG. 8C , the hard mask layer 920 is etched to form a hard mask 922 . Specifically, the inductively coupled plasma device 100 introduces a gas Gb to generate plasma Pb to etch the portion of the hard mask layer 920 (see FIG. 8B ) that is not covered by the bottom anti-reflective layer 932 . During this plasma etching process, the magnetic field shielding element 170 (refer to the aforementioned Figures 1 to 4 or Figure 6A and Figure 6B) can adopt a position configuration 170LB.

Referring to FIG. 8D , the hard mask 922 is used as an etching mask to etch the semiconductor substrate 910 to form a trench 910R in the semiconductor substrate 910 . Specifically, the inductively coupled plasma device 100 introduces a gas Gc to generate plasma Pc to etch the portion of the semiconductor substrate 910 that is not covered by the hard mask 922 . During this plasma etching process, the magnetic field shielding element 170 (refer to the aforementioned Figures 1 to 4 or Figure 6A and Figure 6B) can adopt a position configuration 170LC.

Referring to FIG. 8E, a dielectric material is filled in the trench 910R to form a shallow trench isolation region 950. Shallow trench isolation region 950 may be used to define active region 912 of semiconductor substrate 910 .

Referring to Figure 8F, on the shallow trench isolation area 950 and the active area 912, a gate dielectric layer 960, a gate electrode layer 970, a hard mask layer 980, and a bottom anti-reflection coating (BARC) are formed. ) 990 and patterned photoresist layer 1000. In some embodiments, the patterned photoresist layer 1000 is formed by coating a photoresist layer on the bottom anti-reflective layer 990 and performing a photolithography process (such as exposure and development) on the photoresist layer.

Referring to FIG. 8G, the bottom anti-reflective layer 990 is etched to form a bottom anti-reflective layer 992. Specifically, the inductively coupled plasma device 100 introduces a gas Ga' to generate plasma Pa' to etch the portion of the bottom anti-reflective layer 990 (refer to FIG. 7F) that is not covered by the patterned photoresist layer 1000. During this plasma etching process, the magnetic field shielding element 170 (refer to the aforementioned Figures 1 to 4 or Figure 6A and Figure 6B) can be configured in a position 170LD.

Referring to Figure 8H, the hard mask layer 980 is etched to form a hard mask 982. Specifically, the inductively coupled plasma device 100 introduces a gas Gb' to generate plasma Pb' to etch the portion of the hard mask layer 980 (refer to FIG. 7G) that is not covered by the bottom anti-reflective layer 992. During this plasma etching process, the magnetic field shielding element 170 (refer to the aforementioned Figures 1 to 4 or Figure 6A and Figure 6B) can adopt a position configuration 170LE.

Referring to FIG. 8I, the hard mask 982 is used as an etching mask to etch the gate electrode layer 970 and the gate dielectric layer 960 (see FIG. 7H) to form the gate electrode 972 and the gate dielectric 962 respectively. Specifically, the inductively coupled plasma device 100 introduces a gas Gc' to generate plasma Pc' to etch the gate electrode layer 970 and the gate dielectric layer 960 that are not covered by the hard mask 982 (refer to FIG. 8H )part. During this plasma etching process, the magnetic field shielding element 170 (refer to the aforementioned Figures 1 to 4 or Figure 6A and Figure 6B) can adopt a position configuration 170LF.

In some embodiments, referring to Figures 8B to 8I, at least two of the position configurations 170LA~170LF are different. In some implementations, depending on the similarity of the etching patterns, the position configurations 170LA~170LF may be partially the same. For example, location configurations 170LA~170LC may be substantially the same, and location configurations 170LD~170LF may be substantially the same, where location configurations 170LA~170LC are different from location configurations 170LD~170LF. In some implementations, depending on the type of target material to be etched, the position configurations 170LA to 170LF may be partially the same. For example, the position configurations 170LA and 170LD used for etching the bottom anti-reflective layer can be substantially the same, the position configurations 170LB and 170LE used for the hard mask layer can be substantially the same, and the position configurations 170LC and 170LF used for the silicon substrate or polycrystalline silicon can be substantially the same. They are essentially the same, but the group of position configurations 170LA and 170LD, the group of position configurations 170LB and 170LE, and the group of position configurations 170LC and 170LF are different. Or, in some other implementations, the position configurations 170LA~170LF are different.

In some embodiments, depending on the material being etched, the gases Ga, Gb, and Gc may be different, thereby causing the plasmas Pa, Pb, and Pc to be different. Likewise, depending on the material being etched, the gases Ga', Gb', and Gc' may be different, causing the plasmas Pa', Pb', and Pc' to be different. In some embodiments, the gases Ga and Ga' can be the same gas, so that the compositions of the plasmas Pa and Pa' are substantially the same. In some embodiments, the gases Gb and Gb' can be the same gas, so that the compositions of the plasmas Pb and Pb' are substantially the same. In some embodiments, the gases Gc and Gc' can be the same gas, so that the compositions of the plasmas Pc and Pc' are substantially the same. Or, in other embodiments, the gases Ga, Gb, Gc, Ga', Gb', and Gc' can be different.

Referring to FIG. 8J , a source/drain region 1100 is formed in/on the portion of the active region 912 that is not covered by the gate electrode 972 and the gate dielectric 962 . For example, the source/drain region 1100 can be formed through n-type or p-type doping. Alternatively, in some embodiments, the source/drain regions 1100 can be formed through epitaxial growth. The above steps in Figures 8A to 8J can be repeated for multiple substrates.

FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram of a semiconductor processing tool 200 according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. The semiconductor process tool 200 may be a cluster tool, including a load port LP, an equipment front-end module (Equipment Front-End Module; EFCM) TC, a load-lock chamber LC, and a buffer Chamber BC and the process reaction chamber (eg, inductively coupled plasma device 100).

The loading port LP is used to carry the wafer transfer box WP. The wafer transfer box WP can load multiple wafers and be transported by an appropriate automated moving system, such as an overhead monorail unmanned transport system (Overhead Hoist Transfer; OHT).

The equipment front-end module TC is connected to the loading port LP and the load lock chamber LC. The load lock chamber LC can be used to load or unload wafers. For example, the load lock chamber LC includes a wafer entry chamber WI and a wafer delivery chamber WO. The equipment front-end module TC may be provided with a robotic arm A1 to take out the wafer from the wafer transfer box WP carried by the loading port LP and transfer it to the wafer entry chamber WI of the load lock chamber LC. The wafer may also be moved into the wafer entry chamber WI. The wafer is taken out from the wafer delivery chamber WO of the load lock chamber LC and transferred to the wafer transfer box WP carried by the load port LP. The buffer chamber BC connects the load lock chamber LC and the process reaction chamber (eg, inductively coupled plasma device 100). The buffer chamber BC may be provided with a robotic arm A2 to transfer wafers between the load lock chamber LC and a plurality of reaction chamber process chambers (eg, the inductively coupled plasma apparatus 100 ). In some embodiments, the configuration of the inductively coupled plasma device 100 is generally as described above. The number of the inductively coupled plasma device 100 is only for illustration and should not be limited to this number.

Based on the above discussion, it can be seen that the present disclosure provides multiple advantages. It is understood, however, that other embodiments may provide additional advantages, not all of which are necessarily disclosed herein, and not all embodiments require specific advantages. One of the advantages of this case is that by installing fixtures around the reaction chamber, the operator can easily adjust the distribution of magnetic field shielding elements around the reaction chamber according to the desired plasma process, so as to effectively isolate the geomagnetic field and thereby improve Control of plasma to achieve good plasma etching control, such as uniform etching or uneven etching. The magnetic field shielding element in the embodiment of the present disclosure can also be fixed by other means, and is not limited to the fixing components shown in the figures and text.

Certain embodiments of the present disclosure provide a method of operating an inductively coupled plasma device. The method includes: disposing a first magnetic field shielding element adjacent to a first side of a reaction chamber; and performing a first plasma process when the first magnetic field shielding element is disposed adjacent to the first side of the reaction chamber; After performing the first plasma process, removing the first magnetic field shielding element from the first side of the reaction chamber; and after removing the first magnetic field shielding element from the first side of the reaction chamber , perform a second plasma process.

In some embodiments, the method further includes disposing a second magnetic field shielding element adjacent to a second side of the reaction chamber after performing the first plasma process and before performing the second plasma process.

In some embodiments, the method further includes disposing a first substrate in the reaction chamber, wherein the first plasma process is performed on the first substrate in the reaction chamber, and the second plasma process is performed on the first substrate in the reaction chamber. performed on the first substrate in the reaction chamber.

In some embodiments, the method further includes disposing a first substrate in the reaction chamber, wherein the first plasma process is performed on the first substrate in the reaction chamber; removing the first substrate from the reaction chamber. a substrate; and disposing a second substrate in the reaction chamber, wherein the second plasma process is performed on the second substrate in the reaction chamber.

Some embodiments of the present disclosure provide a method of operating an inductively coupled plasma device, including: disposing a first magnetic field shielding element adjacent to a first side of a reaction chamber; when the first magnetic field shielding element is disposed adjacent to when performing a first plasma process on the first side of the reaction chamber; after performing the first plasma process, disposing a second magnetic field shielding element adjacent to the first side of the reaction chamber; and when When the first magnetic field shielding element and the second magnetic field shielding element are disposed adjacent to the first side of the reaction chamber, a second plasma process is performed.

In some embodiments, performing the first plasma process includes introducing a first gas into the reaction chamber, and performing the second plasma process includes introducing a second gas into the reaction chamber, wherein the second gas is different from the first gas.

In some embodiments, disposing the first magnetic field shielding element adjacent to the first side of the reaction chamber includes: locking the first magnetic field shielding element to the first side of the reaction chamber.

In some embodiments, disposing the second magnetic field shielding element adjacent to the first side of the reaction chamber is performed such that the second magnetic field shielding element contacts the first magnetic field shielding element.

Some embodiments of the present disclosure provide an inductively coupled plasma device. The inductively coupled plasma device includes a reaction chamber, a wafer base, a first magnetic field shielding element and a second magnetic field shielding element. The reaction chamber has a body and a dielectric plate body, wherein the body and the dielectric plate body define a space. The wafer base is disposed in the reaction chamber to carry a substrate. The first magnetic field shielding element is detachably disposed on the outer surface of the body. The second magnetic field shielding element is detachably disposed on the outer surface of the body.

In some embodiments, an upper surface of the first magnetic field shielding element is higher than an upper surface of the dielectric plate body, and a lower surface of the first magnetic field shielding element is lower than a lower surface of the wafer base.

The features of various embodiments are summarized above, and those with ordinary skill in the art can better understand the various aspects of the present disclosure. Those skilled in the art should appreciate that the present disclosure may be used as a basis for designing or modifying other processes or structures to achieve the same purposes and/or achieve the same benefits mentioned in the embodiments. Those with ordinary knowledge in this technical field should also understand that these equivalent structures do not exceed the spirit and scope of the disclosure, and various changes, substitutions, and transformations can be made. Here, the spirit and scope of the disclosure cover these changes, substitutions, and transformations. .

100: Inductively coupled plasma equipment 110:Reaction room 110S: Confined space 112:Ontology 112OS:Outer surface 112GO: Gas outlet 114:Dielectric plate body 114O:Open your mouth 116:Plasma baffle 120:Wafer base 122:Electrode 130: coil 140:Gas conveyor 150: Cover 150OS: outer surface 160: Fixtures 160H: Locking hole 162, 164: Fixing parts 160T: slot 170:Magnetic field shielding element 170H: Locking hole 170LA~170LF: Position configuration 172, 174: Magnetic field shielding element 172a~172d: Main magnetic field shielding components 172a’~172d’: Secondary magnetic field shielding element 180:Ceramic support seat 190:Terminal 200:Semiconductor process machine 300: Shell 300G: Wafer channel 910:Semiconductor substrate 910R: Groove 912:Active zone 920: Hard mask layer 922:Hard mask 930: Bottom anti-reflective layer 932: Bottom anti-reflective layer 940:Patterned photoresist layer 950:Shallow trench isolation area 960: Gate dielectric layer 962: Gate dielectric 970: Gate electrode layer 972: Gate electrode 980: Hard mask layer 982:Hard mask 990: Bottom anti-reflective layer 992: Bottom anti-reflective layer 1000:Patterned photoresist layer 1100: Source/drain area W: substrate M, N: method S1~S8, P1~P5: steps Ga, Ga’, Gb, Gb’, Gc, Gc’: gas Pa, Pa’, Pb, Pb’, Pc, Pc’: plasma OS: outer surface OSH: locking hole LP: loading port TC: device front-end module LC: Load lock chamber BC: buffer room WP: wafer transfer box WI: Wafer entry chamber WO: Wafer delivery room A1, A2: Robotic arm

The aspect of this disclosure can be understood from the following detailed description and review with diagrams. It should be noted that various features are not drawn to a scale that is standard practice in the industry. In fact, the dimensions of the various features may be arbitrarily increased or decreased for clarity of discussion. Figure 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of an inductively coupled plasma device according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. Figure 2 is a three-dimensional schematic diagram of an inductively coupled plasma device according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. Figure 3 is a three-dimensional schematic diagram of an inductively coupled plasma device according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. Figure 4 is a three-dimensional schematic diagram of an inductively coupled plasma device according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. Figure 5 is a flowchart of a method of operating an inductively coupled plasma device in accordance with some embodiments of the present disclosure. 6A to 6B are schematic diagrams of various stages of a method of operating an inductively coupled plasma device according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. Figure 7 is a flowchart of a method of operating an inductively coupled plasma device in accordance with some embodiments of the present disclosure. 8A to 8J are schematic diagrams of semiconductor devices at various stages of a manufacturing process according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram of a semiconductor manufacturing tool according to some embodiments of the present disclosure.

Domestic storage information (please note in order of storage institution, date and number) without Overseas storage information (please note in order of storage country, institution, date, and number) without

100: Inductively coupled plasma equipment

110:Reaction room

110S: Confined space

112:Ontology

112OS:Outer surface

112GO: Gas outlet

114:Dielectric plate body

114O:Open your mouth

116:Plasma baffle

120:Wafer base

122:Electrode

130: coil

140:Gas conveyor

150: Cover

150OS: outer surface

160: Fixtures

162, 164: Fixing parts

160T: slot

170:Magnetic field shielding element

172, 174: Magnetic field shielding element

180:Ceramic support seat

190:Terminal

W: substrate

OS: outer surface

Claims (10)

A method of operating an inductively coupled plasma device, comprising: disposing a first magnetic field shielding element adjacent to an upper side of a reaction chamber, wherein the first magnetic field shielding element is located on a cover that is located on the reaction chamber. The chamber is covered with a coil; when the first magnetic field shielding element is disposed adjacent to the upper side of the reaction chamber, a first plasma process is performed through the coil; after the first plasma process is completed, The first magnetic field shielding element is removed from the upper side of the reaction chamber; and after the first magnetic field shielding element is removed from the upper side of the reaction chamber, a second plasma process is performed through the coil. The method of claim 1 further includes: after performing the first plasma process and before performing the second plasma process, disposing a second magnetic field shielding element adjacent to the other side of the reaction chamber. The method of claim 1, further comprising: placing a first substrate in the reaction chamber, wherein the first plasma process is performed on the first substrate in the reaction chamber, and the second plasma process The process is performed on the first substrate in the reaction chamber. The method of claim 1, further comprising: disposing a first substrate in the reaction chamber, wherein the first plasma process is performed on the first substrate in the reaction chamber; Remove the first substrate from the reaction chamber; and place a second substrate in the reaction chamber, wherein the second plasma process is performed on the second substrate in the reaction chamber. A method of operating an inductively coupled plasma device, comprising: arranging a first number of at least one first magnetic field shielding element adjacent to a first outside of a reaction chamber; and arranging a second number of at least one second magnetic field shielding element The elements are disposed adjacent to a second outer side of the reaction chamber, the first number is greater than or less than the second number; and when the first number of the at least one first magnetic field shielding element is disposed adjacent to the first side of the reaction chamber When the outer side and the second number of the at least one second magnetic field shielding element are disposed adjacent to the second outer side of the reaction chamber, a first plasma process is performed. The method of claim 5, further comprising: after completing the first plasma process, adjusting the first number of the at least one first magnetic field shielding element to a third number of the at least one first magnetic field shielding element. magnetic field shielding elements; after completing the first plasma process, adjusting the second number of the at least one second magnetic field shielding element to a fourth number of the at least one second magnetic field shielding element; and when the third number of the at least one second magnetic field shielding element is Three numbers of the at least one first magnetic field shielding element are disposed adjacent to the first outer side of the reaction chamber and the fourth number of the at least one second magnetic field shielding element When the shielding element is disposed adjacent to the second outer side of the reaction chamber, a second plasma process is performed, wherein performing the first plasma process includes introducing a first gas into the reaction chamber, and performing the second plasma process includes A second gas is introduced into the reaction chamber, where the second gas is different from the first gas. The method of claim 5, wherein disposing the first number of the at least one first magnetic field shielding element adjacent to the first outside of the reaction chamber includes: shielding the first number of the at least one first magnetic field shielding element. The component is locked to the first outer side of the reaction chamber. The method of claim 5, wherein arranging the first number of the at least one first magnetic field shielding element adjacent to the first outer side of the reaction chamber is performed such that a plurality of the first magnetic field shielding elements are in contact with each other. An inductively coupled plasma device includes: a reaction chamber having a body and a dielectric plate body, wherein the body and the dielectric plate body define a space; a coil arranged on the dielectric plate body; and a cover A body located on the reaction chamber and covering the dielectric plate body and the coil; a wafer base disposed in the reaction chamber; at least a first magnetic field shielding element disposed on a first outer side of the body; At least one second magnetic field shielding element is separated from the first magnetic field shielding element and is disposed on a second outer side of the body, wherein the at least one first magnetic field shielding element The number of shielding elements is greater than or less than the number of the at least one second magnetic field shielding element; a fixing member is disposed on the cover and has a slot; and a third magnetic field shielding element is disposed on the cover. and located in the slot of the fixture. The inductively coupled plasma device of claim 9, wherein an upper surface of the at least one first magnetic field shielding element is higher than an upper surface of the dielectric plate and lower than an upper surface of the cover, and the The lower surface of at least one first magnetic field shielding component is lower than the lower surface of the wafer base.

Images