Systems and methods for storage and supply of f3no-free fno gases and f3no-free fno gas mixtures for semiconductor processes

Abstract

Disclosed are systems and methods for supplying a F 3 NO-free FNO-containing gas and systems and methods for etching using the F 3 NO-free FNO-containing gas. The system comprises a NiP coated steel cylinder with a polished inner surface to store the F 3 NO-free FNO-containing gas, a cylinder valve to release the F 3 NO-free FNO-containing gas from the cylinder, a manifold assembly, including a pressure regulator and line components to deliver the F 3 NO-free FNO-containing gas to a target reactor. The pressure regulator de-pressurizes the F 3 NO-free FNO-containing gas in the manifold assembly thereby dividing the manifold assembly into a first pressure zone upstream of the pressure regulator and a second pressure zone downstream of the pressure regulator. A gaseous composition comprises F 3 NO-free FNO gas containing less than approximately 1% F 3 NO impurity by volume and an inert gas being capable of suppressing the concentration of F 3 NO impurity in the F 3 NO-free FNO gas.

1 . A system for storage and supply of a F 3 NO-free FNO-containing gas, the system comprising:
 a NiP coated steel cylinder with a polished inner surface, configured and adapted to store the F 3 NO-free FNO-containing gas;   a cylinder valve, in fluid communication with the cylinder, configured and adapted to release the F 3 NO-free FNO-containing gas from the cylinder; and   a manifold assembly, comprising a pressure regulator and line components, downstream of the cylinder valve, configured and adapted to deliver the F 3 NO-free FNO-containing gas to a target reactor;   wherein the pressure regulator is configured and adapted to de-pressurize the F 3 NO-free FNO-containing gas in the manifold assembly so as to divide the manifold assembly into a first pressure zone upstream of the pressure regulator and a second pressure zone downstream of the pressure regulator.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein F 3 NO-free FNO contained in the F 3 NO-free FNO-containing gas has less than approximately 1% F 3 NO by volume. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the F 3 NO-free FNO-containing gas is selected from the group consisting of F 3 NO-free FNO gas, a mixture of the F 3 NO-free FNO gas with an inert gas, a mixture of the F 3 NO-free FNO gas with an additional gas and a mixture of the F 3 NO-free FNO gas with the inert gas and the additional gas. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein the inert gas is N 2 , Ar, He, Ne, Kr, Xe, or mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 4 , wherein the additional gas is selected from the group consisting of F 2 , HF, cC 4 F 8 , C 4 F 8 , C 4 F 6 , C 5 F 8 , CF 4 , CH 3 F, CF 3 H, CH 2 F 2 , COS, CS 2 , CF 3 I, C 2 F 3 I, C 2 F 5 I, CFN, SO 2 , NO, O 2 , CO 2 , CO, NO 2 , N 2 O, O 3 , Cl 2 , H 2 , HBr, and combination thereof. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein the F 3 NO-free FNO-containing gas is a gas mixture of F 3 NO-free FNO gas, F 2  and N 2  for etch films. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the cylinder valve, the pressure regulator and line components in the first pressure zone are made of nickel containing material having at least 14% nickel by weight. 
     
     
         8 . A method for storage and supply of a F 3 NO-free FNO-containing gas, the method comprising the steps of:
 storing the F 3 NO-free FNO-containing gas in a NiP coated steel cylinder with a polished inner surface;   releasing the F 3 NO-free FNO-containing gas from the cylinder to a manifold assembly by activating a cylinder valve in fluid communication with the cylinder and the manifold assembly;   de-pressurizing the F 3 NO-free FNO-containing gas by activating a pressure regulator in the manifold assembly so as to divide the manifold assembly into a first pressure zone upstream of the pressure regulator and a second pressure zone downstream of the pressure regulator; and   feeding the de-pressurized F 3 NO-free FNO-containing gas to a target reactor downstream of the second pressure zone.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising the step of producing F 3 NO-free FNO contained in the F 3 NO-free FNO-containing gas by mixing NO and F 2  gases at a ratio of F 2  gas to NO gas less than or equal to ½ and a purity of NO gas at least 99.9% by volume, wherein the produced F 3 NO-free FNO contains less than approximately 1% F 3 NO by volume. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the F 3 NO-free FNO-containing gas is a gas mixture of F 3 NO-free FNO gas, F 2  and N 2  for etch films produced by the steps of
 mixing the produced F 3 NO-free FNO gas with an additional amount of F 2  to produce the gas mixture of the F 3 NO-free FNO gas and F 2 ; and   diluting the gas mixture of the F 3 NO-free FNO gas and F 2  in N 2  to form the gas mixture of F 3 NO-free FNO gas, F 2  and N 2 .   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising the step of
 passivating the manifold assembly with F 2  or FNO.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the cylinder valve, the pressure regulator and line components in the first pressure zone are made of nickel containing material having at least 14% nickel by weight. 
     
     
         13 . An etching system, the system comprising
 a reactor, configured and adapted to provide a film to be etched therein, the film being on a substrate held inside the reactor or on the inner surface of the reactor;   a NiP coated steel cylinder, configured and adapted to store a pressurized etching gas F 3 NO-free FNO;   a cylinder valve, in fluid communication with the cylinder, configured and adapted to release the etching gas F 3 NO-free FNO from the NiP coated steel cylinder; and   a manifold assembly, comprising a pressure regulator and line components, downstream of the cylinder valve, configured and adapted to deliver the etching gas F 3 NO-free FNO to the reactor;   wherein the pressure regulator in the manifold assembly is configured and adapted to de-pressurize the etching gas F 3 NO-free FNO so as to divide the manifold assembly into a first pressure zone upstream of the pressure regulator and a second pressure zone downstream of the pressure regulator.   
     
     
         14 . The etching system of  claim 13 , wherein the F 3 NO-free FNO gas contains less than approximately 1% F 3 NO by volume. 
     
     
         15 . The etching system of  claim 13 , further comprising a first gas line parallel to the manifold assembly, the first gas line feeding an additional etching gas to the NiP coated steel cylinder or the etching chamber, wherein the additional etching gas is selected from the group consisting of F 2 , HF, cC 4 F 8 , C 4 F 8 , C 4 F 6 , C 5 F 8 , CF 4 , CH 3 F, CF 3 H, CH 2 F 2 , COS, CS 2 , CF 3 I, C 2 F 3 I, C 2 F 5 I, CFN, SO 2 , NO, O 2 , CO 2 , CO, NO 2 , N 2 O, O 3 , Cl 2 , H 2 , HBr, and combination thereof, to form a first etching composition with F 3 NO-free FNO gas. 
     
     
         16 . The etching system of  claim 15 , further comprising a second gas line for feeding an inert gas to the NiP coated steel cylinder or the first pressure zone of the manifold assembly, wherein the F 3 NO-free FNO gas is mixed with the inert gas to produce a diluted F 3 NO-free FNO gas, wherein the inert gas is N 2 , Ar, He, Ne, Kr, Xe, or mixtures thereof, to form a second etching composition with F 3 NO-free FNO gas and the additional etching gas. 
     
     
         17 . The etching system of  claim 16 , wherein the second etching composition is a gas mixture of F 3 NO-free FNO gas, F 2  and N 2 . 
     
     
         18 . The etching system of  claim 13 , wherein the cylinder valve, the pressure regulator and the line components in the first pressure zone are made of nickel containing material having 14% nickel by weight. 
     
     
         19 . The etching system of  claim 13 , wherein the line components in the second pressure zone is made of a metal or a metal alloy. 
     
     
         20 . A gaseous composition for semiconductor applications, the gaseous composition comprising
 F 3 NO-free FNO gas containing less than approximately 1% F 3 NO impurity by volume; and   an inert gas being capable of suppressing the concentration of F 3 NO impurity in the F 3 NO-free FNO gas.