Substrate processing method and substrate processing apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12506012-B2
Application number	US-202118248900-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 6, 2021
Priority date	Oct 19, 2020
Publication date	Dec 23, 2025
Grant date	Dec 23, 2025

Abstract

A substrate processing method includes (A) to (C) described below. (A) A substrate having a surface in which a SiO film and a Low-k film or a SiN film are exposed is preprared. The Low-k film or the SiN film is exposed to oxygen plasma. (B) A protective film is formed on the Low-k film or the SiN film by supplying an organic compound (self-assembled monolayer (SAM) material) configured to form a SAM to the surface of the substrate. (C) The SiO film is etched by supplying hydrofluoric acid to the surface of the substrate while inhibiting etching of the Low-k film or the SiN film caused by the hydrofluoric acid with the protective film.

First claim

We claim:

1 . A substrate processing method, comprising:
preparing a substrate having a surface in which a SiO film and a Low-k film or a SiN film are exposed, the Low-k film or the SiN film being exposed to oxygen plasma; forming a protective film on the Low-k film or the SiN film by supplying an organic compound (self-assembled monolayer (SAM) material) configured to form a SAM to the surface of the substrate; and etching the SiO film by supplying hydrofluoric acid to the surface of the substrate, while inhibiting etching of the Low-k film or the SiN film caused by the hydrofluoric acid with the protective film.

2 . The substrate processing method of claim 1 ,
wherein the forming of the protective film comprises supplying a liquid containing the SAM material to the surface of the substrate.

3 . The substrate processing method of claim 2 ,
wherein the forming of the protective film comprises supplying the liquid containing the SAM material and a first organic solvent to the surface of the substrate in this order.

4 . The substrate processing method of claim 3 ,
wherein the forming of the protective film comprises supplying a second organic solvent different from the first organic solvent to the surface of the substrate after supplying the liquid containing the SAM material and before supplying the first organic solvent, the first organic solvent has higher volatility than the second organic solvent, and the second organic solvent does not contain an OH group.

5 . The substrate processing method of claim 4 ,
wherein the second organic solvent includes acetone, dibutyl ether, cyclohexane, ethyl acetate, butyl acetate, propyl acetate, or PGMEA (propylene glycol monomethyl ether acetate).

6 . The substrate processing method of claim 2 ,
wherein the forming of the protective film comprises supplying an organic solvent to the surface of the substrate before supplying the liquid containing the SAM material.

7 . The substrate processing method of claim 6 ,
wherein the organic solvent supplied to the surface of the substrate prior to the liquid containing the SAM material includes IPA, acetone, dibutyl ether, cyclohexane, ethyl acetate, butyl acetate, propyl acetate, or PGMEA (propylene glycol monomethyl ether acetate).

8 . The substrate processing method of claim 2 , further comprising:
accommodating, in a nozzle bath, a discharge opening of a nozzle configured to discharge the liquid containing the SAM material; and supplying dry air or an inert gas into the nozzle bath.

9 . The substrate processing method of claim 2 ,
wherein the forming of the protective film comprises supplying dry air or an inert gas into a processing vessel accommodating the substrate therein.

10 . The substrate processing method of claim 2 ,
wherein the forming of the protective film and the etching of the SiO film are repeated a preset number of times.

11 . The substrate processing method of claim 2 ,
wherein the SAM material includes (trimethylsilyl)dimethyl amine, butyl dimethyl silane, octadecyl dimethyl silane, triethyl silane, or octadecyl diisobutyl silane.

12 . The substrate processing method of claim 2 ,
wherein the Low-k film includes a SiOC film, a SiOCH film, a hydrogen silsesquioxane (HSQ) film, a methyl silsesquioxane (MSQ) film, or a polyaryl ether (PAE) film.

13 . The substrate processing method of claim 1 ,
wherein the forming of the protective film and the etching of the SiO film are repeated a preset number of times.

14 . The substrate processing method of claim 1 ,
wherein the SAM material includes (trimethylsilyl)dimethyl amine, butyl dimethyl silane, octadecyl dimethyl silane, triethyl silane, or octadecyl diisobutyl silane.

15 . The substrate processing method of claim 1 ,
wherein the Low-k film includes a SiOC film, a SiOCH film, a hydrogen silsesquioxane (HSQ) film, a methyl silsesquioxane (MSQ) film, or a polyaryl ether (PAE) film.

16 . A substrate processing apparatus, comprising:
a control device configured to control a protective film forming apparatus, an etching apparatus and a transfer device to perform a substrate processing method as claimed in claim 1 ; the protective film forming apparatus configured to form the protective film on the Low-k film or the SiN film by supplying the SAM material to the surface of the substrate; the etching apparatus configured to etch the SiO film by supplying the hydrofluoric acid to the surface of the substrate, while inhibiting etching of the Low-k film or the SiN film caused by the hydrofluoric acid with the protective film; and the transfer device configured to transfer the substrate between the protective film forming apparatus and the etching apparatus.

17 . A substrate processing apparatus, comprising:
a control device configured to control a liquid processing apparatus to perform a substrate processing method as claimed in claim 1 ; and the liquid processing apparatus configured to supply a liquid containing the SAM material and a liquid containing the hydrofluoric acid to the surface of the substrate.

Assignees

• Tokyo Electron Ltd

Inventors

• Kagawa Koji
• Hiroshiro Koukichi

Classifications

• H10P76/405

  characterised by their composition, e.g. multilayer masks · CPC title

• H10P72/0448 Primary

  Apparatus for applying a liquid, a resin, an ink or the like · CPC title

• H10P72/0424

  using mainly spraying means, e.g. nozzles · CPC title

• H10P50/642

  Chemical etching · CPC title

• H10P50/283

  by chemical means · CPC title