Method for processing target object

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9911621-B2
Application number	US-201515117052-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 16, 2015
Priority date	Feb 25, 2014
Publication date	Mar 6, 2018
Grant date	Mar 6, 2018

Abstract

This method for processing a target object includes steps ST 1 to ST 4 . The target object has an organic polymer layer and a resist mask on a substrate. In step ST 1 , the target object is electrostatically attached to an electrostatic chuck in a plasma processing apparatus. In step ST 2 , the organic polymer layer is etched through the resist mask by means of a plasma of a first gas. In step ST 3 , the target object is detached from the electrostatic chuck while a plasma of a second gas is generated. In step 4 , the resist mask is peeled off. The second gas is either oxygen gas or a mixture of oxygen gas and a rare gas having an atomic weight lower than that of argon gas.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for processing a target object, comprising:
a first step of electrostatically attracting the target object on an electrostatic chuck provided in a processing chamber of a plasma processing apparatus, the target object including a substrate containing silicon, an organic polymer layer formed on the substrate, and a resist mask formed on the organic polymer layer;
a second step of exposing the target object through the resist mask to a plasma of a first gas generated in the processing chamber so that the organic polymer layer is etched;
a third step, after the second step, of detaching the target object from the electrostatic chuck while generating a plasma of a second gas in the processing chamber;
a fourth step, after the third step, of peeling off the resist mask;
a fifth step, after the fourth step, of forming on the target object a self-assemblable block copolymer layer including a first polymer and a second polymer;
a sixth step of processing the target object such that a first region including the first polymer and a second region including the second polymer are formed in the block copolymer layer; and
a seventh step, after the sixth step, of etching the second region by using the plasma processing apparatus,
wherein the second gas is oxygen gas or a gaseous mixture of oxygen gas and a rare gas having an atomic weight lower than an atomic weight of argon gas.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the organic polymer layer contains polystyrene, or a random copolymer of styrene and methyl methacrylate.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second step and the seventh step are performed in the same processing chamber.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the target object is transferred to another apparatus prior to the fourth step.

5. A method for processing a target object, comprising:
a first step of electrostatically attracting the target object on an electrostatic chuck provided in a processing chamber of a plasma processing apparatus, the target object including a substrate containing silicon, an etching target layer formed on the substrate, an organic polymer layer formed on the etching target layer, and a resist mask formed on the organic polymer layer;
a second step of exposing the target object through the resist mask to a plasma of a first gas generated in the processing chamber so that the organic polymer layer is etched;
a third step, after the second step, of detaching the target object from the electrostatic chuck while generating a plasma of a second gas in the processing chamber;
a fourth step, after the third step, of peeling off the resist mask;
a step, after the fourth step, of forming a neutral film in an opening of the organic polymer layer and on the etching target layer;

a fifth step, after the step of forming a neutral film, of forming on the organic polymer layer and the neutral film a self-assemblable block copolymer layer including a first polymer and a second polymer;
a sixth step of processing the target object such that a first region including the first polymer and a second region including the second polymer are formed in the block copolymer layer; and
a seventh step, after the sixth step, of etching the second region and a portion of the neutral film which is directly below the second region, by using the plasma processing apparatus,
wherein the second gas is oxygen gas or a gaseous mixture of oxygen gas and a rare gas having an atomic weight lower than an atomic weight of argon gas.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the organic polymer layer contains polystyrene, or a random copolymer of styrene and methyl methacrylate.

Assignees

• Tokyo Electron Ltd

Inventors

• Tobana Toshikatsu
• You Gen
• Okada Soichiro

Classifications

• H10P72/72

  using electrostatic chucks · CPC title

• H10P50/73

  using masks for insulating materials · CPC title

• H10P14/683

  carbon-based polymeric organic materials, e.g. polyimides, poly cyclobutene or PVC · CPC title

• H10P50/287 Primary

  by chemical means · CPC title

• H01L21/31144

  Electricity · mapped topic