US 11,862,473 B2
Controlled degradation of a stimuli-responsive polymer film
Stephen M. Sirard, Austin, TX (US); Gregory Blachut, Campbell, CA (US); and Diane Hymes, San Jose, CA (US)
Assigned to Lam Research Corporation, Fremont, CA (US)
Appl. No. 17/998,489
Filed by Lam Research Corporation, Fremont, CA (US)
PCT Filed May 10, 2021, PCT No. PCT/US2021/031595
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Nov. 10, 2022,
PCT Pub. No. WO2021/231307, PCT Pub. Date Nov. 18, 2021.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/023,676, filed on May 12, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2023/0136036 A1, May 4, 2023
Int. Cl. H01L 21/311 (2006.01); H01L 21/302 (2006.01); H01L 21/306 (2006.01)
CPC H01L 21/31138 (2013.01) [H01L 21/302 (2013.01); H01L 21/306 (2013.01); H01L 21/31127 (2013.01)] 37 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method comprising:
providing to a chamber a high aspect ratio (HAR) structure having a stimulus responsive polymer (SRP) in a high aspect ratio gap formed between features of the HAR structure, the high aspect ratio gap having an aspect ratio of at least 8 and a total thickness Ttotal; and
performing one or more cycles of removing the SRP from the gap comprising, each cycle comprising:
(a) pulsing a first reactant to the chamber such that the first reactant diffuses into the gap only to a depth less than Ttotal,
(b) after (a), purging the chamber,
(c) after (b), pulsing a second reactant to the chamber such that the second reactant diffuses into the gap only to a depth less than Ttotal;
(d) reacting the first reactant and the second reactant to form a compound that degrades the SRP;
(e) degrading a thickness of SRP that is less than Ttotal; and
(f) removing the degraded SRP.