US 12,033,866 B2
Vapor phase thermal etch solutions for metal oxo photoresists
Lakmal Charidu Kalutarage, San Jose, CA (US); Mark Joseph Saly, Milpitas, CA (US); Bhaskar Jyoti Bhuyan, Milpitas, CA (US); Madhur Sachan, Belmont, CA (US); and Regina Freed, Los Altos, CA (US)
Assigned to Applied Materials, Inc., Santa Clara, CA (US)
Filed by Applied Materials, Inc., Santa Clara, CA (US)
Filed on Mar. 2, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/116,556.
Application 18/116,556 is a continuation of application No. 17/348,589, filed on Jun. 15, 2021, granted, now 11,621,172.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/047,157, filed on Jul. 1, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2023/0215736 A1, Jul. 6, 2023
Int. Cl. H01L 21/3213 (2006.01); C23F 4/02 (2006.01); G03F 7/004 (2006.01); G03F 7/26 (2006.01); G03F 7/36 (2006.01)
CPC H01L 21/32135 (2013.01) [C23F 4/02 (2013.01); G03F 7/0042 (2013.01); G03F 7/0043 (2013.01); G03F 7/265 (2013.01); G03F 7/36 (2013.01)] 6 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method of developing a metal oxo photoresist, comprising:
providing a substrate with the metal oxo photoresist into a vacuum chamber, wherein the metal oxo photoresist comprises exposed regions and unexposed regions, and wherein the unexposed regions comprise a higher carbon concentration than the exposed regions;
vaporizing a halogenating agent into the vacuum chamber, wherein the halogenating agent reacts with the exposed regions to produce a volatile byproduct, wherein the halogenating agent comprises methanesulfonyl chloride (CH3SO2Cl), trichloromethanesulfonyl chloride (CCl3SO2Cl), 4-toluenesulfonyl chloride (tosyl chloride), oxalyl chloride (ClCOCOCl), tert-butyl hypochlorite ((CH3)3COCl), N-chlorophthalimide, 1,3-dichloro-5,5-dimethylhydantoin, trimethylsilyl chloride, PCl5, CCl3Br, 1,2-dibromo-1,1,2,2-tetrachloroethane (Cl2CBrCBrCl2), PBr3, N-bromosuccinimide, N-bromoacetamide, 2-bromo-2-cyano-N,N-dimethylacetamide, 1,3-dibromo-5,5-dimethylhydantoin, 2,4,4,6-tetrabromo-2,5-cyclohexadienone, trimethylsilyl bromide, SO2Cl2 (sulfuryl chloride), or SO2Br2 (sulfuryl bromide); and
purging the vacuum chamber.