Substrate processing method and substrate processing apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2024304439-A1
Application number	US-202218273116-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jan 13, 2022
Priority date	Jan 20, 2021
Publication date	Sep 12, 2024
Grant date	—

Abstract

A substrate processing method includes: forming a metal film, which changes in volume when the metal film is oxidized, on a rear surface of a substrate; forming an oxide film, through which oxygen permeates, on a front surface of the metal film; and applying stress to the substrate by oxidizing the metal film.

First claim

1 - 4 . (canceled)

15 . A substrate processing method comprising:
forming a metal film, which changes in volume when oxidized, on a rear surface of a substrate; forming an oxide film, through which oxygen permeates, on a front surface of the metal film; and applying stress to the substrate by oxidizing the metal film.

16 . The substrate processing method of claim 15 , wherein the metal film expands in volume when oxidized and applies compressive stress to the substrate by being oxidized.

17 . The substrate processing method of claim 16 , wherein the metal film, which expands in volume when oxidized, is tungsten or vanadium.

18 . The substrate processing method of claim 16 , wherein the substrate includes a metal wiring line on a front surface of the substrate.

19 . The substrate processing method of claim 15 , wherein the metal film contracts in volume when oxidized and applies tensile stress to the substrate by being oxidized.

20 . The substrate processing method of claim 19 , wherein the metal film, which contracts in volume when oxidized, is magnesium or strontium.

21 . The substrate processing method of claim 15 , wherein the oxide film is zirconia, hafnia, or a composite compound of zirconia and hafnia.

22 . A substrate processing method comprising:
forming a first metal film, which changes in volume when oxidized, on a rear surface of a substrate; forming a first oxide film, through which oxygen permeates, on a front surface of the first metal film; forming a second metal film, which changes in volume, on a front surface of the first oxide film; forming a second oxide film, through which oxygen permeates, on a front surface of the second metal film; and applying stress to the substrate by oxidizing the first metal film and the second metal film.

23 . The substrate processing method of claim 22 , wherein the first metal film contracts in volume when oxidized, and
the second metal film expands in volume when oxidized and applies compressive stress to the substrate by being oxidized.

24 . The substrate processing method of claim 23 , wherein the metal film, which expands in volume when oxidized, is tungsten or vanadium.

25 . The substrate processing method of claim 23 , wherein the metal film, which contracts in volume when oxidized, is magnesium or strontium.

26 . The substrate processing method of claim 19 , wherein the substrate includes a metal wiring line on a front surface of the substrate.

27 . The substrate processing method of claim 22 , wherein the first metal film expands in volume when oxidized, and
the second metal film contracts in volume when oxidized and applies tensile stress to the substrate by being oxidized.

28 . The substrate processing method of claim 27 , wherein the metal film, which expands in volume when oxidized, is tungsten or vanadium.

29 . The substrate processing method of claim 27 , wherein the metal film, which contracts in volume when oxidized, is magnesium or strontium.

30 . The substrate processing method of claim 22 , wherein the oxide film is zirconia, hafnia, or a composite compound of zirconia and hafnia.

31 . A substrate processing apparatus comprising:
an oxidation apparatus configured to oxidize a metal film formed on a substrate; a spectroscope configured to emit spectrally divided light to the metal film; a detector configured to detect light reflected from the metal film; and a stress estimator configured to estimate a distribution of stress applied to the substrate by the metal film based on a light absorption spectrum of the reflected light detected by the detector.

32 . The substrate processing apparatus of claim 31 , wherein the oxidation apparatus is configured to oxidize the metal film by using any one of an oxygen plasma, active oxygen, and thermal oxidation.

33 . The substrate processing apparatus of claim 32 , further comprising:
a reduction apparatus configured to reduce a metal oxide film on a rear surface of a semiconductor substrate.

34 . The substrate processing apparatus of claim 33 , wherein the reduction apparatus is configured to reduce the metal film by using a hydrogen plasma, active hydrogen, and heated hydrogen.

Assignees

• Tokyo Electron Ltd

Inventors

• Akiyama Koji
• Gaubert Philippe
• Nakabayashi Hajime
• Tamura Chihiro
• Warashina Hisashi

Classifications

• H10P72/0616

  Monitoring of warpages, curvatures, damages, defects or the like · CPC title

• H10P14/69395

  the material containing zirconium, e.g. ZrO2 · CPC title

• H10P14/69392

  the material containing hafnium, e.g. HfO2 · CPC title

• H10P14/6939 Primary

  characterised by the metal · CPC title

• H10W42/121

  protecting against mechanical damage (H10W76/00, H10W74/00 take precedence) · CPC title