Chemistry and Compositions for Manufacturing Integrated Circuits

Abstract

In the manufacture of integrated circuits, reactive compositions that include a reactive etchant species and an oxygen-containing species can provide selective removal of target material and can reduce contamination of gas delivery lines.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A reactive composition comprising a gaseous mixture of a reactive etchant species comprising one or both of CCl 4  and SiCl 4  and an oxygen-containing species that excludes O 2 , each in an amount that, in combination with the other, is effective to selectively react with a metal oxide compared to a semiconductor material, a molar ratio of the reactive etchant species to the oxygen-containing species of the reactive composition being from 0.2 to 2.0. 
     
     
         2 . The reactive composition of  claim 1  wherein the reactive etchant species further comprises BCl 3 . 
     
     
         3 . The reactive composition of  claim 1  wherein the oxygen-containing species is CO, CO 2 , NO, N 2 O, NO 2 , SO 2 , H 2 O, or any combination thereof. 
     
     
         4 . The reactive composition of  claim 1  wherein the gaseous mixture comprises plasma. 
     
     
         5 . The reactive composition of  claim 1  wherein the oxygen-containing species comprises one or both of NO and NO 2 . 
     
     
         6 . The reactive composition of  claim 1  wherein the metal oxide Al 2 O 3  or HfO 2 . 
     
     
         7 . The reactive composition of  claim 1  wherein the reactive composition etches the metal oxide anisotropically. 
     
     
         8 . A reactive composition comprising a gaseous mixture of a reactive etchant species comprising CCl 4  and BCl 3  and an oxygen-containing species that excludes O 2 , effective to selectively react with a metal oxide compared to a semiconductor material, a molar ratio of the reactive etchant species to the oxygen-containing species of the reactive composition being from 0.2 to 2.0. 
     
     
         9 . The reactive composition of  claim 8  wherein the oxygen-containing species comprises one or both of NO and NO 2 . 
     
     
         10 . The reactive composition of  claim 9  wherein the oxygen-containing species further comprises CO, CO 2 , N 2 O, SO 2 , H 2 O or any combination thereof. 
     
     
         11 . The reactive composition of  claim 9  wherein the oxygen-containing species further comprises CO. 
     
     
         12 . The reactive composition of  claim 9  wherein the oxygen-containing species further comprises CO 2 . 
     
     
         13 . The reactive composition of  claim 9  wherein the oxygen-containing species further comprises N 2 O. 
     
     
         14 . The reactive composition of  claim 9  wherein the oxygen-containing species further comprises SO 2 . 
     
     
         15 . The reactive composition of  claim 9  wherein the oxygen-containing species further comprises H 2 O. 
     
     
         16 . A reactive composition comprising a mixture of a reactive etchant species comprising SiCl 4  and BCl 3 , and an oxygen-containing species comprising one or both of NO and NO 2  and that excludes O 2 , effective to selectively react with a metal oxide compared to a semiconductor material, a molar ratio of the reactive etchant species to the oxygen-containing species of the reactive composition being from 0.2 to 2.0. 
     
     
         17 . The reactive composition of  claim 9  wherein the oxygen-containing species further comprises CO 2  and at least one of NO and NO 2 , N 2 O, SO 2  and H 2 O.