Characterization of resist-trimming processes by quasi <i>in situ</i> x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy

Pargon, E.; Joubert, O.; Xu, Songlin; Lill, Thorsten

doi:10.1116/1.1767038

Cited by 15 publications

(16 citation statements)

References 19 publications

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“…In the present article, we have used mass spectrometry to confirm the hypothesis suggested in the previous article, 3 concerning the deposition of resist-etch-by-products on the resist sidewalls directly correlated with the low trim rates measured in Cl 2 /O 2 plasmas. Moreover, as XPS analyses are not relevant to explain the trim rate variation with the plasma parameters in HBr/ O 2 chemistries, mass spectrometry can be an interesting source of information to progress in the understanding of trim mechanisms using this chemistry.…”

Section: Introductionsupporting

confidence: 82%

“…In a previous article, 3 we have shown that an increase of the oxygen concentration introduced in the plasma leads to an increase of the vertical and lateral etch rates, for both chemistries.…”

Section: Influence Of Oxygen Percentage Introduced In Reactormentioning

confidence: 84%

“…3 In this work, we have shown the effect of plasma parameters such as plasma chemistry, bias power, and reactor pressure on the trimming process performance (vertical resist etch rates and trim rates). For instance, the physical gate dimension targeted for the 45 nm technological node is 18 nm, while the lithographic processes used in manufacturing with 193 nm exposure can only achieve at best 60 nm.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 95%

“…6(a), we can notice that increasing the O 2 percentage introduced in the reactor favors the formation of ionic species such CO x H y + (representative of neutral species such as CO and CO 2 ) rather than bromine-rich-carbon-resist-etchby-products represented by C x H y Br z + . 3 where we have shown that an increase in the O 2 percentage introduced in the reactor with the Cl 2 /O 2 chemistry leads to a decrease of the thickness of the reactive layers formed on the resist sidewalls (when 30% of O 2 is introduced in the reactor, we found that the reactive layers formed on the resist sidewalls is 2.3 nm thick and it decreases to 1 nm when 60% of O 2 is introduced), and a decrease of the chlorine percentage in the layer (49% of chlorine is detected by XPS in the reactive layer formed on the resist sidewalls when 30% of O 2 is introduced in the reactor, while only 20% of chlorine is present when 60% of O 2 is introduced). With the Cl 2 /O 2 chemistry, an increase of the O 2 percentage introduced in the plasma has the same impact on the chemical nature of the resist-etch-by-products.…”

Section: Influence Of Oxygen Percentage Introduced In Reactormentioning

confidence: 99%

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Mass spectrometry studies of resist trimming processes in HBr∕O2 and Cl2∕O2 chemistries

Pargon

Joubert

Chevolleau

et al. 2005

Journal of Vacuum Science &Amp; Technology B: Microelectronics and Nanometer Structures Processing, Measurement, and Phenomena

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Articles you may be interested inPhotoresist modifications by plasma vacuum ultraviolet radiation: The role of polymer structure and plasma chemistry J. Vac. Sci. Technol. B 28, 993 (2010); 10.1116/1.3484249 Mass spectrometry study of decomposition of exo-tetrahydrodicyclopentadiene by low-power, low-pressure rf plasma J. Appl. Phys. 105, 033305 (2009); 10.1063/1.3074103Study of fluorocarbon plasma in 60 and 100 MHz capacitively coupled discharges using mass spectrometry In a previous article, a parametric study of HBr/ O 2 and Cl 2 /O 2 resist trimming processes correlated to x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analyses has been performed. The present article confirms the preliminary results obtained by XPS. Mass spectrometry experiments have established that the slow resist erosion rate measured in Cl 2 /O 2 trim chemistries is attributed to a competitive etching of the resist by atomic chlorine and oxygen, while in HBr/ O 2 trim chemistries, atomic oxygen is the main etching species, bromine playing only a minor role. The etching of the resist by the oxygen species originating from the dissociation of HBr/ O 2 and Cl 2 /O 2 plasmas generates the formation of volatile resist-etch-by-products such as CO and CO 2 , while the etching of the resist by halogen (bromine or chlorine) generates less volatile and heavier resist-etch-by-products such as C x H y Br z with bromine and C x H y Cl z with chlorine. Mass spectrometry has also shown that plasma conditions leading to a higher concentration of halogen-resist-etch-by-products in the plasma gas phase are also the conditions inducing the lower trim rates. This confirms the assumption that the deposition of heavy resist-etch-by-products on the resist sidewalls controls the trim rates.

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Section: Introductionsupporting

confidence: 82%

Section: Influence Of Oxygen Percentage Introduced In Reactormentioning

confidence: 84%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 95%

Section: Influence Of Oxygen Percentage Introduced In Reactormentioning

confidence: 99%

See 2 more Smart Citations

Mass spectrometry studies of resist trimming processes in HBr∕O2 and Cl2∕O2 chemistries

Pargon

Joubert

Chevolleau

et al. 2005

Journal of Vacuum Science &Amp; Technology B: Microelectronics and Nanometer Structures Processing, Measurement, and Phenomena

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“…There are several possible known nonvolatile residues, which can be deposited, such as TiO x N y , SiO x , or CO x Cl y . 15,23,24 As mentioned earlier, these components are not soluble in H 2 O 2 . As N 2 gas flow increases, the formation of TiO x N y could be reduced due to the reaction of nitrogen with oxygen to form nitric oxide.…”

Section: B Effect Of N 2 Gas Flow On Etch Rates and Nonvolatile Resimentioning

confidence: 99%

Selective dry etching of TiN nanostructures over SiO2 nanotrenches using a Cl2/Ar/N2 inductively coupled plasma

Sang

Gour

Darnon

et al. 2015

Journal of Vacuum Science &Amp; Technology B, Nanotechnology and Microelectronics: Materials, Processing, Measurement, and Phen

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An inductively coupled plasma etch process for the fabrication of TiN nanostructures over nanotopography is presented. Using a Cl2/Ar/N2 plasma, a selectivity of 50 is achieved over SiO2. The effect of N2 flow rate on the etch rates and the nonvolatile residues on TiN sidewalls is investigated. As N2 flow rate is increased up to 50 sccm, a change in the deposition of the nonvolatile residues on TiN sidewalls is observed. The current density–voltage characterizations of TiN devices fabricated with TiN nanostructure sidewalls are presented. The measured current densities of two different samples etched with low and high N2 flow rate, respectively, demonstrated the presence after cleaning of an insulating layer deposited on the sidewalls for low N2 flow rate only.

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Patterning of narrow porous SiOCH trenches using a TiN hard mask

Darnon

Chevolleau

Eon

et al. 2008

Microelectronic Engineering

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For the next technological generations of integrated circuits, the traditional challenges faced by etch plasmas (profile control, selectivity, critical dimensions, uniformity, defects, ...) become more and more difficult, intensified by the use of new materials, the limitations of lithography, and the recent introduction of new device structures and integration schemes. Particularly in the field of the interconnect fabrication, where dual-damascene patterning is performed by etching trenches and vias in porous low-k dielectrics, the main challenges are in controlling the profile of the etched structures, minimizing plasma-induced damage, and controlling the impact of various types of etch stops and hard mask materials. Metallic hard masks can help thanks to their high selectivity toward low-k materials, and by avoiding low-k exposure to potentially degrading ashing plasmas. In this paper, we will present some key issues related to the patterning of narrow porous SiOCH trenches with a metallic (TiN) hard mask. Narrow trenches (down to 40 nm width) can be opened into TiN with a critical dimensions bias (around 10 nm) attributed to carbon and silicon containing deposits on the photoresist and TiN sidewalls during the etching. Porous SiOCH etching using a TiN hard mask instead of the conventional SiO 2 hard mask may lead to severe profile distortions, attributed to TiF x compounds which settle on the trenches sidewalls. A chuck temperature of 60°C and fluorine-rich plasmas are required to minimize those distortions. An etching process leading to almost straight porous SiOCH profiles presenting a slight bow has been developed. However a wiggling phenomenon has been evidenced for the etching of narrow and deep trenches. This phenomenon is attributed to the highly compressive residual stress in the TiN hard mask, which is released when the dielectric is not mechanically strong enough to withstand it.

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Characterization of resist-trimming processes by quasi in situ x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy

Cited by 15 publications

References 19 publications

Mass spectrometry studies of resist trimming processes in HBr∕O2 and Cl2∕O2 chemistries

Mass spectrometry studies of resist trimming processes in HBr∕O2 and Cl2∕O2 chemistries

Selective dry etching of TiN nanostructures over SiO2 nanotrenches using a Cl2/Ar/N2 inductively coupled plasma

Patterning of narrow porous SiOCH trenches using a TiN hard mask

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