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.

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.

Thermal atomic layer etching processes are disclosed. In some embodiments, the methods comprise at least one etch cycle in which the substrate is alternately and sequentially exposed to a first vapor phase halide reactant and a second vapor halide reactant. In some embodiments, the first reactant may comprise an organic halide compound. During the thermal ALE cycle, the substrate is not contacted with a plasma reactant.

Thermal atomic layer etching processes are disclosed. In some embodiments, the methods comprise at least one etch cycle in which the substrate is alternately and sequentially exposed to a first vapor phase halide reactant and a second vapor halide reactant. In some embodiments, the first reactant may comprise an organic halide compound. During the thermal ALE cycle, the substrate is not contacted with a plasma reactant.

Disclosed is a dry etching method for etching a metal film on a substrate with the use of an etching gas, wherein the etching gas contains a -diketone and first and second additive gases; wherein the metal film contains a metal element capable of forming a complex with the -diketone; wherein the first additive gas is at least one kind of gas selected from the group consisting of NO, NO.sub.2, O.sub.2 and O.sub.3; wherein the second additive gas is at least one kind of gas selected from the group consisting of H.sub.2O and H.sub.2O.sub.2; wherein the amount of the -diketone contained is 10 vol % to 90 vol % relative to the etching gas; and wherein the amount of the second additive gas contained is 0.1 vol % to 15 vol % relative to the etching gas. The etching rate of the metal film is increased by this etching method.

Disclosed is a dry etching method for etching a metal film on a substrate with the use of an etching gas, wherein the etching gas contains a -diketone and first and second additive gases; wherein the metal film contains a metal element capable of forming a complex with the -diketone; wherein the first additive gas is at least one kind of gas selected from the group consisting of NO, NO.sub.2, O.sub.2 and O.sub.3; wherein the second additive gas is at least one kind of gas selected from the group consisting of H.sub.2O and H.sub.2O.sub.2; wherein the amount of the -diketone contained is 10 vol % to 90 vol % relative to the etching gas; and wherein the amount of the second additive gas contained is 0.1 vol % to 15 vol % relative to the etching gas. The etching rate of the metal film is increased by this etching method.

Systems and methods of etching a semiconductor substrate may include flowing an oxygen-containing precursor into a substrate processing region of a semiconductor processing chamber. The substrate processing region may house the semiconductor substrate, and the semiconductor substrate may include an exposed metal-containing material. The methods may include flowing ammonia into the substrate processing region at a temperature above about 200 C. The methods may further include removing an amount of the metal-containing material.

Embodiments of the invention provide a method for in-situ selective deposition and etching for advanced patterning applications. According to one embodiment the method includes providing in a process chamber a substrate having a metal-containing layer thereon, and exposing the substrate to a gas pulse sequence to etch the metal-containing layer in the absence of a plasma, where the gas pulse sequence includes, in any order, exposing the substrate to a first reactant gas containing a halogen-containing gas, and exposing the substrate to a second reactant gas containing an aluminum alkyl. According to another embodiment, the substrate has an exposed first material layer and an exposed second material layer, and the exposing to the gas pulse sequence selectively deposits an additional material layer on the exposed first material layer but not on the exposed second material layer.

Methods for etching alkali metal compounds are disclosed. Some embodiments of the disclosure expose an alkali metal compound to an alcohol to form a volatile metal alkoxide. Some embodiments of the disclosure expose an alkali metal compound to a ?-diketone to form a volatile alkali metal ?-diketonate compound. Some embodiments of the disclosure are performed in-situ after a deposition process. Some embodiments of the disclosure provide methods which selectively etch alkali metal compounds.

Methods for etching alkali metal compounds are disclosed. Some embodiments of the disclosure expose an alkali metal compound to an alcohol to form a volatile metal alkoxide. Some embodiments of the disclosure expose an alkali metal compound to a ?-diketone to form a volatile alkali metal ?-diketonate compound. Some embodiments of the disclosure are performed in-situ after a deposition process. Some embodiments of the disclosure provide methods which selectively etch alkali metal compounds.