Abstract
The etching of polycrystalline silicon (poly-Si)/SiO2 stacks by using VHF plasma was studied for three-dimensional NAND fabrication. One critical goal is achieving both a vertical profile and high throughput for multiple-stack etching. While the conventional process consists of multiple steps for each stacked layer, in this study, HBr/fluorocarbon-based gas chemistry was investigated to achieve a single-step etching process to reduce process time. By analyzing the dependence on wafer temperature, we improved both the etching profile and rate at a low temperature. The etching mechanism is examined considering the composition of the surface reaction layer. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis revealed that the adsorption of N–H and Br was enhanced at a low temperature, resulting in a reduced carbon-based-polymer thickness and enhanced Si etching. Finally, a vertical profile was obtained as a result of the formation of a thin and reactive surface-reaction layer at a low wafer temperature.
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