Method of manufacturing a semiconductor device

• US 20030224617A1
• Filed: 01/17/2003
• Published: 12/04/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/04/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Baek, Eun-Kyung, Kim, Hong-Gun, Park, Sun-Hoo, Yoon, Kyung-Joong
• Granted Patent: US 6,774,048 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 438/763
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02164 the material being a silicon oxide, e.g. SiO2
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/0217 the material being a silicon nitride not containing oxygen, e.g. SixNy or SixByNz H01L21/02126 and H01L21/0214 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/022 the layer being a laminate, i.e. composed of sublayers, e.g. stacks of alternating high-k metal oxides adhesion layers or buffer layers H01L21/02304, H01L21/02362
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02321 introduction of substances into an already existing insulating layer H01L21/02227 and subgroups take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/0234 treatment by exposure to a plasma
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/31116 by dry-etching
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/3144 on silicon
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/3145 formed by deposition from a gas or vapour
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/8234 MIS technology , i.e. integration processes of field effect transistors of the conductor-insulator-semiconductor type

Abstract

A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device includes forming a silicon nitride layer on a semiconductor substrate on which a predetermined pattern is formed. The silicon nitride layer includes a plurality of bonds formed between silicon and nitrogen. A portion of the bonds formed between silicon and nitrogen is broken to form at least one free bonding site on a surface of the silicon nitride layer. A silane compound and a flow fill method are used to form a silicon oxide layer on the silicon nitride layer.

Claims

1. A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, the method comprising:

forming a silicon nitride layer on a semiconductor substrate on which a predetermined pattern is formed, the silicon nitride layer including a plurality of bonds formed between silicon and nitrogen;

breaking a portion of the bonds formed between silicon and nitrogen to form at least one free bonding site on a surface of the silicon nitride layer; and

using a silane compound and a flow fill method to form a silicon oxide layer on the silicon nitride layer.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of breaking a portion of the bonds includes isotropically etching a surface portion of the silicon nitride layer to a depth of between about 10 and 20 Å

using a remote plasma.

3. The method of claim 2 including producing the remote plasma using a mixed gas including carbon tetrafluoride (CF₄), oxygen, nitrogen and hydrogen fluoride.

4. The method of claim 2 including producing the remote plasma using a mixed gas including hydrogen, nitrogen and nitrogen trifluoride (NF₃).

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of breaking a portion of the bonds includes using ion implantation.

6. The method of claim 5 including using an inert gas at an energy of about 1 to 5 KeV and a dose of about 0.5×

10¹⁵ to 1.5×

10¹⁵/cm² to implement the ion implantation.

7. The method of claim 5 including using an ion implanting angle of about 13 to 17°

during the ion implantation.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising treating the surface of the silicon nitride layer with an ammonia plasma after forming the free bonding site.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of forming the silicon oxide layer includes using a condensation reaction of a hydroxy silane compound having a formula of R₄₋

nSi(OH)_n, wherein R represents an alkyl group and n is 1, 2, 3, or 4, obtained by a reaction of a silane compound and a hydrogen peroxide gas.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of forming the silicon nitride layer includes forming the silicon nitride layer so as to have a shape corresponding to that of an underlying pattern, and to define a gap between neighboring patterns, the gap having a gap size of between about 40 and 50 nm.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein an aspect ratio of the gap formed between the neighboring patterns of the silicon nitride layer is in the range of about 1:

8 to 1;

14.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of forming the silicon nitride layer includes forming the silicon nitride layer on an entire surface of an underlying layer and the underlying layer is not exposed through the silicon nitride layer.

13. A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, the method comprising:

forming a silicon nitride layer on a semiconductor substrate on which a predetermined pattern is formed;

increasing the hydrophilicity of a surface of the silicon nitride layer; and

using a silane compound and a flow fill method to form a silicon oxide layer on the silicon nitride layer.

14. The method of claim 13 including treating the surface of the silicon nitride layer with an ammonia plasma.

15. The method of claim 13 wherein the step of forming the silicon nitride layer includes forming the silicon nitride layer so as to have a shape corresponding to that of an underlying pattern, and to define a gap between neighboring patterns, the gap having a gap size of between about 40 and 50 nm.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein an aspect ratio of the gap formed between the neighboring patterns of the silicon nitride layer is in the range of about 1:

8 to 1;

14.

17. A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, the method comprising:

forming a gate pattern on a semiconductor substrate;

forming a spacer on a side wall portion of the gate pattern;

forming a silicon nitride layer, the silicon nitride layer including a plurality of bonds formed between silicon and nitrogen;

breaking a portion of the bonds between silicon and nitrogen to form free bonding sites on a surface of the silicon nitride layer; and

using a silane compound and a flow fill method to form a silicon oxide layer on the silicon nitride layer.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein the step of forming the silicon nitride layer includes forming the silicon nitride layer so as to have a shape corresponding to that of an underlying pattern, and a gap between neighboring patterns, the gap having a gap size of between about 40 and 50 nm.

19. The method of claim 17 wherein an aspect ratio of the gap formed between the neighboring patterns of the silicon nitride layer is in the range of about 1:

8 to 1;

14.

20. The method of claim 17 wherein the step of breaking a portion of the bonds includes isotropically etching a surface portion of the silicon nitride layer to a depth of between about 10 and 20 Å

using a remote plasma.

21. The method of claim 17 wherein the step of breaking a portion of the bonds includes using ion implantation.

22. The method of claim 17 further comprising treating the surface of the silicon nitride layer with an ammonia plasma after forming the free bonding site.