Adhesion between carbon doped oxide and etch stop layers

• US 20050087517A1
• Filed: 10/09/2003
• Published: 04/28/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 10/09/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Jain, Ajay, Xu, Jessica, Zhou, Ying, Ott, Andrew
• Application Number:
  US10/683,759
• Publication Number:
  US 20050087517A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 216/67
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02126 the material containing Si, O, and at least one of H, N, C, F, or other non-metal elements, e.g. SiOC, SiOC:H or SiONC
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/0234 treatment by exposure to a plasma
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02362 formation of intermediate layers, e.g. capping layers or diffusion barriers
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/31633 Deposition of carbon doped silicon oxide, e.g. SiOC
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/76826 by contacting the layer with gases, liquids or plasmas
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/76829 characterised by the formation of thin functional dielectric layers, e.g. dielectric etch-stop, barrier, capping or liner layers
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/5329 Insulating materials
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00 Indexing scheme for arrangements or methods for connecting or disconnecting semiconductor or solid-state bodies as covered by H01L24/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/0002 Not covered by any one of groups H01L24/00, H01L24/00 and H01L2224/00

Abstract

The invention forms a graded modified layer in a substrate by exposing the substrate to hydrogen plasma. Methyl groups may be removed from carbon doped oxide in the substrate by the hydrogen plasma treatment. This may result in a stronger interface between the substrate and an etch stop layer on the substrate.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

forming a substrate with a top surface;

exposing the top surface of the substrate to hydrogen plasma to remove methyl groups from the top surface; and

depositing an intermediate layer on the top surface of the substrate.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the intermediate layer comprises at least one of an etch stop layer and a diffusion barrier layer.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the intermediate layer comprises at ieast one of SiN, SiON and SiC.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the substrate comprises at least one of carbon doped oxide, a spin on dielectric layer, and porous carbon doped oxide that includes the methyl groups.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein exposing the top surface of the substrate to hydrogen plasma to remove methyl groups comprises:

disposing the substrate within a plasma chamber;

exposing the substrate to a flow of hydrogen into the plasma chamber; and

applying a radio frequency power for a selected time.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the substrate is part of a wafer with a diameter of about 300 mm, and wherein the radio frequency power has a range from about 200 Watts to about 1000 Watts.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the substrate is part of a wafer with a diameter of about 300 mm, and wherein the radio frequency power has a range from about 400 Watts to about 600 Watts for a 300 mm wafer.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein the selected time is in a range from about 4 seconds to about 30 seconds.

9. The method of claim 5, wherein the selected time is in a range from about 10 seconds to about 15 seconds.

10. The method of claim 5, wherein the substrate is exposed to hydrogen plasma at a temperature in a range from about 200 degrees Celsius to about 450 degrees Celsius.

11. The method of claim 5, wherein the flow of hydrogen into the plasma chamber has a flow rate in a range of about 0.1 liter per minute to about 10 liters per minute.

12. The method of claim 5, wherein the substrate is exposed to hydrogen plasma at a pressure in a range from about 1 Torr to about 10 Torr.

13. The method of claim 5, wherein the substrate is exposed to hydrogen plasma at a pressure in a range from about 2 Torr to about 5 Torr.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein exposing the top surface of the substrate to hydrogen plasma results in a graded modified region of reduced methyl groups with fewer methyl groups at the top surface of the substrate.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the graded modified region extends less than about 100 angstroms below the top surface of the substrate.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the graded modified region extends less than about 50 angstroms below the top surface of the substrate.

17. A device, comprising:

a substrate with a top surface;

a graded region of the substrate starting at the top surface of the substrate and extending a distance into the substrate, the graded region having fewer methyl groups at the top surface of the substrate and more methyl groups further into the substrate; and

an intermediate layer on the top surface of the substrate.

18. The device of claim 17, wherein the graded region extends less than about 100 angstroms below the top surface of the substrate.

19. The device of claim 17, wherein the graded region extends less than about 50 angstroms below the top surface of the substrate.

20. The device of claim 17, wherein the intermediate layer comprises at least one of an etch stop layer and a diffusion barrier layer.

21. The device of claim 20, wherein the intermediate layer comprises at least one of SiN, SiON and SiC.

22. The device of claim 21, wherein the substrate comprises at least one of carbon doped oxide, spin on dielectric, and porous carbon doped oxide that includes the methyl groups.

23. The device of claim 17, further comprising an interlayer dielectric layer.

24. The device of claim 17, further comprising:

an interlayer dielectric layer;

a via extending from the substrate through the intermediate layer and the interlayer dielectric layer;

a connector electrically connected to the via; and

a package electrically connected to the connector.

25. A method, comprising:

forming a first layer comprising carbon doped oxide;

exposing the carbon doped oxide to hydrogen plasma to remove methyl groups from the carbon doped oxide; and

depositing a second layer comprising at least one of SiN and SiC on the first layer.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein exposing the carbon doped oxide to hydrogen plasma comprises:

disposing the carbon doped oxide within a plasma chamber;

flowing hydrogen into the chamber at a rate of about 1 liter per minute;

heating the carbon doped oxide to a temperature in a range of about 200 degrees Celsius to about 450 degrees Celsius; and

applying a radio frequency power in a range from about 400 Watts to about 600 Watts for a time in a range from about 10 seconds to about 15 seconds.