US 12,320,012 B2
Thermal atomic layer etching processes
Tom E. Blomberg, Vantaa (FI); Varun Sharma, Helsinki (FI); Suvi Haukka, Helsinki (FI); Marko Tuominen, Espoo (FI); and Chiyu Zhu, Helsinki (FI)
Assigned to ASM IP Holding B.V., Almere (NL)
Filed by ASM IP HOLDING B.V., Almere (NL)
Filed on Jul. 24, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/357,856.
Application 18/357,856 is a continuation of application No. 17/646,389, filed on Dec. 29, 2021, granted, now 11,739,428.
Application 17/646,389 is a continuation of application No. 16/881,885, filed on May 22, 2020, granted, now 11,230,770, issued on Jan. 25, 2022.
Application 16/881,885 is a continuation of application No. 16/390,540, filed on Apr. 22, 2019, granted, now 10,662,534, issued on May 26, 2020.
Application 16/390,540 is a continuation of application No. 15/835,262, filed on Dec. 7, 2017, granted, now 10,280,519, issued on May 7, 2019.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/485,330, filed on Apr. 13, 2017.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/455,989, filed on Feb. 7, 2017.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/449,945, filed on Jan. 24, 2017.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/432,318, filed on Dec. 9, 2016.
Prior Publication US 2023/0374671 A1, Nov. 23, 2023
Int. Cl. C23F 4/02 (2006.01); C09K 13/00 (2006.01); C09K 13/08 (2006.01); C09K 13/10 (2006.01); C23F 1/12 (2006.01); H01J 37/32 (2006.01); H01L 21/3065 (2006.01); H01L 21/311 (2006.01); H01L 21/3213 (2006.01)
CPC C23F 4/02 (2013.01) [C09K 13/00 (2013.01); C09K 13/08 (2013.01); C09K 13/10 (2013.01); C23F 1/12 (2013.01); H01J 37/32009 (2013.01); H01J 37/3244 (2013.01); H01L 21/3065 (2013.01); H01L 21/31116 (2013.01); H01L 21/31122 (2013.01); H01L 21/32135 (2013.01); H01L 21/31138 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method of etching a film on a substrate in a reaction space, the method comprising one or more etching cycles, each etching cycle comprising:
exposing the substrate to a first vapor-phase reactant comprising sulfur;
exposing the substrate to a second vapor-phase reactant, such that volatile species comprising one or more atoms from the film are formed; and
removing the volatile species from the vicinity of the substrate,
wherein the second vapor-phase reactant comprises a halide reactant.