Abstract: An etching method includes preparing a compound; and etching an etching target in an environment in which the compound is present. The etching of the etching target includes: etching the etching target in an environment in which hydrogen (H) and fluorine (F) are present when the etching target contains silicon nitride (SiN); and etching the etching target in an environment in which nitrogen (N), hydrogen (H) and fluorine (F) are present when the etching target contains silicon (Si). The compound contains an element that forms an anion of an acid stronger than hydrogen fluoride (HF) or contains an element that forms a cation of a base stronger than ammonia (NH3).

Abstract: A substrate processing method includes: providing a substrate having a pattern formed on a surface layer thereof; setting a temperature of the substrate such that a change in the pattern becomes a predetermined change amount; forming a reaction layer having a thickness corresponding to the temperature set in the setting on the surface layer of the substrate; and applying energy to the substrate formed with the reaction layer thereby removing the reaction layer from the surface layer of the substrate.

Abstract: According to an embodiment, a wafer (W) includes a layer (EL) to be etched, an organic film (OL), an antireflection film (AL), and a mask (MK1), and a method (MT) according to an embodiment includes a step of performing an etching process on the antireflection film (AL) by using the mask (MK1) with plasma generated in a processing container (12), in the processing container (12) of a plasma processing apparatus (10) in which the wafer (W) is accommodated, and the step includes steps ST3a to ST4 of conformally forming a protective film (SX) on the surface of the mask (MK1), and steps ST6a to ST7 of etching the antireflection film (AL) by removing the antireflection film (AL) for each atomic layer by using the mask (MK1) on which the protective film (SX) is formed.

Abstract: In an embodiment, in the method for processing a workpiece including an etching target layer containing silicon oxide, a mask provided on the etching target layer, and an opening provided in the mask and exposing the etching target layer, according to the embodiment, the etching target layer is etched by removing the etching target layer for each atomic layer through repetitive execution of a sequence of generating plasma of a first processing gas containing nitrogen, forming a mixed layer containing ions included in the plasma on an atomic layer on an exposed surface of the etching target layer, generating plasma of a second processing gas containing fluorine, and removing the mixed layer by radicals included in the plasma. The plasma of the second processing gas contains the radicals that remove the mixed layer containing silicon nitride.

Abstract: A plasma processing apparatus which forms a first film on a pattern formed on a substrate having dense and coarse areas, and then performs sputtering or etching on the first film.

Abstract: A method includes anisotropically etching an etching target layer of a target object through an opening of the target object by generating plasma of a first gas within a processing vessel in which the target object is accommodated; and then forming a film on an inner surface of the opening by repeating a sequence comprising: a first process of supplying a second gas into the processing vessel; a second process of purging a space within the processing vessel; a third process of generating plasma of a third gas containing an oxygen atom within the processing vessel; and a fourth process of purging the space within the processing vessel. The first gas contains a carbon atom and a fluorine atom. The second gas contains an aminosilane-based gas. The etching target layer is a hydrophilic insulating layer containing silicon. Plasma of the first gas is not generated in the first process.

Abstract: An embodiment of the present disclosure provides a method of processing a workpiece in which a plurality of holes are formed on a surface of the workpiece. The method includes a first sequence including a first process of forming a film with respect to an inner surface of each of the holes and a second process of isotropically etching the film. The first process includes a film forming process using a plasma CVD method, and the film contains silicon.

Abstract: A substrate processing method includes providing a processing target substrate having a pattern, forming a film on the substrate, forming a reaction layer on a surface layer of the substrate by plasma, and removing the reaction layer by applying energy to the substrate.

Abstract: Provided is a method of etching a silicon-containing film made of at least one of silicon oxide and silicon nitride. The etching method includes: (i) preparing a workpiece having a silicon-containing film and a mask provided on the silicon-containing film in a chamber body of a plasma processing apparatus, in which an opening is formed in the mask; and (ii) etching the silicon-containing film, in which plasma is produced in the chamber body from processing gas containing fluorine, hydrogen, and iodine in order to etch the silicon-containing film, and a temperature of the workpiece is set to a temperature of 0° C. or less.

Abstract: A plasma processing method performed using a plasma processing apparatus includes a first step of forming a first film on a pattern formed on a substrate and having dense and coarse areas, and a second step of performing sputtering or etching on the first film.

Abstract: In an embodiment, in the method for processing a workpiece including an etching target layer containing silicon oxide, a mask provided on the etching target layer, and an opening provided in the mask and exposing the etching target layer, according to the embodiment, the etching target layer is etched by removing the etching target layer for each atomic layer through repetitive execution of a sequence of generating plasma of a first processing gas containing nitrogen, forming a mixed layer containing ions included in the plasma on an atomic layer on an exposed surface of the etching target layer, generating plasma of a second processing gas containing fluorine, and removing the mixed layer by radicals included in the plasma. The plasma of the second processing gas contains the radicals that remove the mixed layer containing silicon nitride.

Abstract: A method of high-throughput dry etching of silicon oxide and silicon nitride materials by in-situ autocatalyst formation. The method includes providing a substrate having a film thereon in a process chamber, the film containing silicon oxide, silicon nitride, or both silicon oxide and silicon nitride, introducing an etching gas containing fluorine and hydrogen, and setting a gas pressure in the process chamber that is between about 1 mTorr and about 300 mTorr, and a substrate temperature that is below about ?30° C. The method further includes plasma-exciting the etching gas, and exposing the film to the plasma-excited etching gas, where the film is continuously etched during the exposing.

Abstract: A method according to an embodiment includes: (a) a first step of etching a workpiece held by a holding structure in a state in which a first direction and a second direction are maintained to form a first angle, by a plasma generated in a processing container; and (a) a second step of, after execution of the first step, etching the workpiece held by the holding structure in a state in which the first direction and the second direction are maintained to form a second angle, by the plasma generated in the processing container.

Abstract: A substrate processing method suppresses a shape abnormality of a pattern formed on a substrate. The substrate processing method executed by a substrate processing apparatus includes step a), step b), and step c). The step a) is a step of providing a substrate including an etching target film and a mask layer formed on the etching target film in which the mask layer has an opening. The step b) is a step of forming a protective film on an upper portion of an opening of the mask. The step c) is a step of etching the mask while suppressing a variation of an opening dimension of the upper portion of the opening by the protective film, and varying a dimension of a lower portion of the opening not covered by the protective film.

Abstract: A technique improves pattern features formed by etching and the uniformity of the features across the surface of a substrate. An etching method includes steps a), b), c), d), and e). Step a) includes placing, on a support, a substrate including a target film. Step b) includes partially etching the target film and forming a recess. Step c) includes setting the temperature of the support at a first temperature, and forming, on a sidewall of the recess, a first film having a first film thickness distribution. Step d) includes partially further etching the target film having the first film formed on the target film. Step e) includes setting the temperature of the support at a second temperature different from the first temperature, and forming, on the sidewall of the recess, a second film having a second film thickness distribution different from the first film thickness distribution.

Abstract: A method for etching a film includes: supplying a precursor gas to the substrate, thereby forming a precursor layer on a substrate; and etching the film with a chemical species from plasma formed from a processing gas so as to increase a depth of the opening, and form a protective region from the precursor layer with the chemical species or another chemical species from the plasma. A plurality of cycles each including the supplying the precursor gas and the etching the film is executed. A temperature of the substrate during execution of the etching the film included in at least one cycle of the plurality of cycles and a temperature of the substrate during execution of the etching the film included in at least one other cycle of the plurality of cycles are set to be different from each other.

Abstract: An etching method of an exemplary embodiment involves providing a substrate in a chamber of a plasma treatment system. The substrate includes a silicon-containing film. The method further involves etching the silicon-containing film by a chemical species in plasma generated from a process gas in the chamber. The process gas contains a halogen gas component and phosphorous gas component.

Abstract: An etching method enables plasma etching of a silicon-containing film with reduced lateral etching. The etching method includes providing a substrate in a chamber included in a plasma processing apparatus. The substrate includes a silicon-containing film. The etching method further includes setting a flow rate proportion of a phosphorus-containing gas with respect to a total flow rate of the process gas so as to establish a predetermined ratio of an etching rate of an alternate stack of a silicon oxide film and a silicon nitride film to an etching rate of the silicon oxide film.

Abstract: A technique protects a mask in plasma etching of a silicon-containing film. An etching method includes providing a substrate in a chamber included in a plasma processing apparatus. The substrate includes a silicon-containing film and a mask. The mask contains carbon. The etching method further includes etching the silicon-containing film with a chemical species in plasma generated from a process gas in the chamber. The process gas contains a halogen and phosphorus. The etching includes forming a carbon-phosphorus bond on a surface of the mask.

Abstract: A method for processing a substrate in a plasma chamber is provided. The method includes providing a substrate on which an underlying layer to be etched and a mask are formed. The method further includes forming a protective film on the mask. The method further includes performing an anisotropic deposition to selectively form a deposition layer on a top portion of the mask.