Applied materials, inc. (20240266180). ENHANCED ETCH SELECTIVITY USING HALIDES simplified abstract

ENHANCED ETCH SELECTIVITY USING HALIDES

Organization Name

applied materials, inc.

Inventor(s)

David Knapp of Santa Clara CA (US)

Feng Qiao of San Jose CA (US)

Hailong Zhou of San Jose CA (US)

Junkai He of San Jose CA (US)

Qian Fu of Pleasanton CA (US)

Mark J. Saly of Santa Clara CA (US)

Jeffrey Anthis of Redwood City CA (US)

Jayoung Choi of San Jose CA (US)

ENHANCED ETCH SELECTIVITY USING HALIDES - A simplified explanation of the abstract

This abstract first appeared for US patent application 20240266180 titled 'ENHANCED ETCH SELECTIVITY USING HALIDES

The method described in the patent application involves using a dry etch process to remove a portion of a first layer on top of a second layer in a stack of alternating layers.

• The first layer is made of a first material, while the second layer is made of a second material different from the first material.
• The dry etch process creates a passivation layer with a byproduct on the surfaces of the second material.
• Some of the first material remains after the dry etch process, so a halide gas is introduced to enhance the passivation layer on the surfaces of the second material.

Potential Applications: - Semiconductor manufacturing - Microelectronics industry - Thin film technology

Problems Solved: - Improving etching processes in semiconductor manufacturing - Enhancing passivation layers for better surface protection

Benefits: - Increased efficiency in etching processes - Enhanced protection for underlying layers - Improved overall quality of semiconductor devices

Commercial Applications: Title: Advanced Semiconductor Etching Technology for Enhanced Surface Protection This technology can be used in the production of various semiconductor devices, such as microprocessors, memory chips, and sensors. It can also be applied in the manufacturing of thin film transistors and solar cells.

Questions about the Technology: 1. How does the introduction of a halide gas enhance the passivation layer in the dry etch process?

  - The halide gas reacts with the byproduct on the surfaces of the second material, forming a more effective passivation layer.

2. What are the specific advantages of using a dry etch process in semiconductor manufacturing?

  - Dry etching allows for more precise control over the etching process and minimizes damage to the underlying layers.

Original Abstract Submitted

a method includes performing a dry etch process to remove a portion of a first layer disposed on a second layer of a stack of alternating layers. the first layer includes a first material and the second layer includes a second material different from the first material, and the dry etch process forms a passivation layer including a byproduct on surfaces of the second material. a amount of first material of the portion of the first layer remains after performing the dry etch process, the method further includes introducing a halide gas to enhance the passivation layer on the surfaces of the second material.