Method, apparatus and system for processing semiconductor structure

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12596305-B2
Application number	US-202318151510-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 9, 2023
Priority date	Jul 21, 2022
Publication date	Apr 7, 2026
Grant date	Apr 7, 2026

Abstract

The disclosure relates to the technical field of semiconductors, and to a method, apparatus and system for processing a semiconductor structure. The processing method of the disclosure includes: providing a semiconductor substrate; forming a photoresist layer on the semiconductor substrate, the photoresist layer including an edge area and a middle area that are adjacently distributed, the edge area including a protrusion; detecting position information of the protrusion, and determining a target etching area according to the position information, the protrusion being located in the target etching area; and etching the photoresist layer located in the target etching area. By means of the processing method of the disclosure, the maintenance cost of a device can be reduced, and product yield can be improved.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1 . A method for processing a semiconductor structure, comprising:
providing a semiconductor substrate; forming a photoresist layer on the semiconductor substrate, the photoresist layer comprising an edge area and a middle area that are adjacently distributed, the edge area comprising a protrusion; generating a change curve according to an actual position of a detection probe of a detection circuit and a thickness of the photoresist layer corresponding to the actual position; determining the boundary of the protrusion close to the middle area according to the change curve; determining an area that is enclosed by the boundary of the protrusion close to the middle area and a boundary of the edge area away from the middle area as a target etching area; and etching the photoresist layer located in the target etching area.

2 . The method for processing of claim 1 , wherein the determining the boundary of the protrusion close to the middle area according to the change curve comprises:
using an initial position of a planarization area after a peak value in the change curve as the boundary of the protrusion close to the middle area.

3 . The method for processing of claim 1 , wherein the etching the photoresist layer located in the target etching area comprises:
using a plasma etching process to etch the photoresist layer located in the target etching area.

4 . The method for processing of claim 1 , wherein the forming a photoresist layer on the semiconductor substrate comprises:
pre-processing a surface of the semiconductor substrate to improve adhesion of the semiconductor substrate; and using a spin-coating process to form the photoresist layer on the semiconductor substrate.

5 . The method for processing of claim 4 , further comprising:
removing a material of the photoresist layer located on a sidewall and a back surface of the semiconductor substrate.

6 . An apparatus for processing a semiconductor structure, comprising:
a box body, comprising a vacuum chamber; a spin-coating machine, disposed in the vacuum chamber, and configured to form a photoresist layer on a semiconductor substrate, wherein the photoresist layer comprises an edge area and a middle area that are adjacently distributed, and the edge area comprises a protrusion; wherein the spin-coating machine comprises a rotary table, configured to bear the semiconductor substrate, and drive the semiconductor substrate to rotate; a position detection assembly, disposed in the vacuum chamber, and configured to detect position information of the protrusion, and determine a target etching area according to the position information, wherein the protrusion is located in the target etching area; an etching machine, disposed in the vacuum chamber and electrically connected to the position detection assembly, wherein the etching machine is configured to receive the target etching area that is determined by the position detection assembly, and etch the photoresist layer located in the target etching area; wherein the position detection assembly is located on a side of the semiconductor substrate away from the rotary table, and is moved from outside of the semiconductor substrate to the middle area via the edge area; the position detection assembly comprises: a detection circuit, configured to detect a boundary of the protrusion close to the middle area during moving from the outside of the semiconductor substrate to the middle area via the edge area; and an area determination module, configured to determine the target etching area according to the boundary of the protrusion close to the middle area and a boundary of the edge area away from the middle area; a curve generation module, configured to generate a change curve according to an actual position of a detection probe of the detection circuit and a thickness of the photoresist layer corresponding to the actual position; and a boundary determination module, configured to determine the boundary of the protrusion close to the middle area according to the change curve.

7 . The apparatus for processing of claim 6 , wherein the spin-coating machine comprises:
a dropper, disposed in the vacuum chamber, wherein an opening of the dropper is disposed opposite to the rotary table, and the dropper is configured to drop a material of the photoresist layer onto a surface of the semiconductor substrate.

8 . The apparatus for processing of claim 7 , wherein the spin-coating machine further comprises:
a first spray nozzle, disposed opposite to the rotary table, and configured to spray a wetting material on the surface of the semiconductor substrate before the material of the photoresist layer is dropped onto the surface of the semiconductor substrate to improve adhesion of the surface of the semiconductor substrate.

9 . The apparatus for processing of claim 6 , wherein the boundary determination module is configured to use an initial position of a planarization area after a peak value in the change curve as the boundary of the protrusion close to the middle area.

10 . The apparatus for processing of claim 6 , wherein the etching machine comprises:
a bearing platform, configured to bear the semiconductor substrate having the photoresist layer; a second spray nozzle, disposed opposite to the bearing platform; and a control assembly, electrically connected to the position detection assembly, and configured to receive the target etching area that is determined by the position detection assembly and control the second spray nozzle to spray an etching gas to the target etching area.

11 . The apparatus for processing of claim 10 , wherein the etching gas comprises an oxygen-containing gas.

12 . The apparatus for processing of claim 11 , wherein the oxygen-containing gas comprises at least one of oxygen, carbon monoxide, or carbon dioxide.

13 . The apparatus for processing of claim 10 , wherein the etching gas comprises hydrogen and nitrogen.

14 . The apparatus for processing of claim 6 , further comprising:
a gas concentration detection assembly, which extends into the vacuum chamber, and is configured to detect a gas concentration in the vacuum chamber and determine that the photoresist layer in the target etching area is etched completely in response to the gas concentration being less than a preset value.

15 . A system for processing a semiconductor structure, comprising the apparatus for processing a semiconductor structure of claim 6 ; and
a moving apparatus, configured to transport the semiconductor substrate from the spin-coating machine to the etching machine.

Assignees

• Changxin Memory Tech Inc

Inventors

• Liu Jing

Classifications

• H01J2237/334

  Etching · CPC title

• H01J2237/24585

  Other variables, e.g. energy, mass, velocity, time, temperature · CPC title

• H01J2237/336

  Changing physical properties of treated surfaces · CPC title

• H01J2237/20214

  Rotation · CPC title

• H01J37/32743

  for introducing the material into processing chamber · CPC title