System and method for controllable non-volatile metal removal

摘要

A system and method for removing metal from a substrate in a controlled manner is disclosed. The system includes a chamber, with one or more gas inlets to allow the flow of gasses into the chamber, at least one exhaust pump, to exhaust gasses from the chamber, and a heater, capable of modifying the temperature of the chamber. In some embodiments, one or more gasses are introduced into the chamber at a first temperature. The atoms in these gasses chemically react with the metal on the surface of the substrate to form a removable compound. The gasses are then exhausted from the chamber, leaving the removable compound on the surface of the substrate. The temperature of the chamber is then elevated to a second temperature, greater than the sublimation temperature of the removable compound. This increased temperature allows the removable compound to become gaseous and be exhausted from the chamber.

主权项

1. A workpiece processing system, comprising:
a chamber comprising a gas inlet and an exhaust port; a heating element in communication with the chamber; a gas storage container containing at least one processing gas; a valve disposed between the gas storage container and the gas inlet; an exhaust pump in communication with the exhaust port; and a controller, in communication with the valve, the exhaust pump and the heating element, wherein the controller: actuates the valve to introduce the at least one processing gas into the chamber at a first temperature; actuates the valve to stop a flow of the at least one processing gas into the chamber; actuates the exhaust pump to exhaust the at least one processing gas from the chamber after a first dwell time while the temperature of the chamber is the first temperature; actuates the heating element to raise a temperature of the chamber to a second temperature after the at least one processing gas has been exhausted; and actuates the exhaust pump while the temperature of the chamber is the second temperature to eliminate a removable compound produced by a chemical reaction between the at least one processing gas and a metal disposed on a surface of a substrate disposed in the chamber,and wherein the first temperature is less than a temperature at which the removable computer sublimes, and the second temperature is greater than the temperature at which the removable compound sublimes.