Cleaning Contact Holes with Ar Sputter-Etching
Author Information
Author(s): Choi Tae-Min, Jung Eun-Su, Yoo Jin-Uk, Lee Hwa-Rim, Yoon Songhun, Pyo Sung-Gyu, Liu Yao, Zhou Jinjie
Primary Institution: School of Integrative Engineering, Chung-Ang University
Hypothesis
How do process parameters in Ar sputter-etching affect contact-hole cleaning and substrate damage?
Conclusion
Optimizing RF and plasma power during Ar sputter-etching improves etching rates and reduces substrate damage.
Supporting Evidence
- Increasing plasma power lowers DC bias but enhances etching rate.
- Higher RF power raises both DC bias and etching rate.
- The selectivity ratio between nitride and oxide was about 1:2.
- Physical damage during etching was linked to DC bias.
- Si losses of up to 31.7 Å/s occurred during the etching process.
Takeaway
This study shows that adjusting the power during a cleaning process can help clean tiny holes in devices without hurting them.
Methodology
The study involved adjusting RF power, plasma power, and Ar flow rate during Ar sputter-etching to evaluate their effects on etching rates and substrate damage.
Limitations
The study did not explore all possible process conditions and their interactions.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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