US 12,394,631 B2
Selective etching of silicon-and-germanium-containing materials with increased surface purities
Jiayin Huang, Fremont, CA (US); Zihui Li, Santa Clara, CA (US); Yi Jin, San Mateo, CA (US); Anchuan Wang, San Jose, CA (US); and Nitin K. Ingle, San Jose, CA (US)
Assigned to Applied Materials, Inc., Santa Clara, CA (US)
Filed by Applied Materials, Inc., Santa Clara, CA (US)
Filed on Sep. 29, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/375,207.
Prior Publication US 2025/0112051 A1, Apr. 3, 2025
Int. Cl. H01L 21/3065 (2006.01); H01L 21/02 (2006.01)
CPC H01L 21/3065 (2013.01) [H01L 21/02236 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An semiconductor processing method comprising:
providing an oxygen-containing precursor to a processing region of a semiconductor processing chamber, wherein a substrate is housed within the processing region, and wherein a first layer of silicon-and-germanium-containing material, a second layer of silicon-and-germanium-containing material, and a layer of silicon-containing material are disposed on the substrate;
contacting the substrate with the oxygen-containing precursor, wherein the contacting oxidizes at least a portion of the second layer of silicon-and-germanium-containing material;
providing a first etchant precursor to the processing region;
contacting the substrate with the first etchant precursor, wherein the contacting selectively etches the first layer of silicon-and-germanium-containing material;
providing a second etchant precursor to the processing region; and
contacting the substrate with the second etchant precursor, wherein the contacting etches a portion of the layer of silicon-containing material.