Plasma treatment to enhance adhesion and to minimize oxidation of carbon-containing layers

• US 20050101154A1
• Filed: 11/22/2004
• Published: 05/12/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/18/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Applied Materials Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Applied Materials Incorporated
• Inventors: Huang, Judy
• Granted Patent: US 7,144,606 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 438/758
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/325 Silicon carbide
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/56 After-treatment
• 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 21/02167 the material being a silicon carbide not containing oxygen, e.g. SiC, SiC:H or silicon carbonitrides H01L21/02126 and H01L21/0214 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02211 the compound being a silane, e.g. disilane, methylsilane or chlorosilane
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02274 in the presence of a plasma [PECVD]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02323 introduction of oxygen
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/0234 treatment by exposure to a plasma
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/3105 After-treatment
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/314 Inorganic layers H01L21/3105, H01L21/32 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/3146 Carbon layers, e.g. diamond-like layers
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/31633 Deposition of carbon doped silicon oxide, e.g. SiOC

Abstract

The present invention generally provides improved adhesion and oxidation resistance of carbon-containing layers without the need for an additional deposited layer. In one aspect, the invention treats an exposed surface of carbon-containing material, such as silicon carbide, with an inert gas plasma, such as a helium (He),. argon (Ar), or other inert gas plasma, or an oxygen-containing plasma such as a nitrous oxide (N₂O) plasma. Other carbon-containing materials can include organic polymeric materials, amorphous carbon, amorphous fluorocarbon, carbon containing oxides, and other carbon-containing materials. The plasma treatment is preferably performed in situ following the deposition of the layer to be treated. Preferably, the processing chamber in which in situ deposition and plasma treatment occurs is configured to deliver the same or similar precursors for the carbon-containing layer(s). However, the layer(s) can be deposited with different precursors. The invention also provides processing regimes that generate the treatment plasma and systems which use the treatment plasma. The carbon-containing material can be used in a variety of layers, such as barrier layers, etch stops, ARCs, passivation layers, and dielectric layers.

Claims

1. A method of processing a semiconductor substrate, comprising:

depositing a layer comprising silicon-carbon-oxygen based material on the surface of the semiconductor substrate;

depositing a silicon carbide layer on the silicon-carbon-oxygen based material; and

treating the silicon carbide layer with a plasma consisting essentially of an inert gas.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising depositing a photoresist layer on the silicon carbide layer.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the treatment plasma comprises a helium (He) plasma.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the silicon carbide layer is deposited by trimethylsilane.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the silicon carbide layer and the silicon-carbon-oxygen based material is deposited with the same precursor.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein treating the silicon carbide layer occurs in situ with a deposition of the silicon carbide layer.

7. The method of claim 1, the treatment the silicon carbide layer with a plasma comprises flowing the inert gas into a processing chamber at a rate of about 100 to about 4000 sccm, maintaining a temperature between about 0°

C. to about 500°

C., establishing a chamber pressure between about 1 to about 12 Torr, applying RF power to the chamber having a power density of about 0.7 Watts/in² to about 11 Watts/in².

8. The method of claim 7, wherein applying RF power comprises applying between about 50 watts and about 800 watts.

9. The method of claim 1, the treatment the silicon carbide layer with a plasma comprises flowing the inert gas into a processing chamber at a rate of about 500 to about 2500 sccm, maintaining a temperature between about 50°

C. to about 450°

C., establishing a chamber pressure between about 2 to about 10 Torr, applying RF power to the chamber having a power density of about 1.4 Watts/in² to about 7.2 Watts/in².

10. The method of claim 9, wherein applying RF power comprises applying between about 100 watts and about 500 watts.

11. The method of claim 1, the treatment the silicon carbide layer with a plasma comprises flowing the inert gas into a processing chamber at a rate of about 750 to about 2000 sccm, maintaining a temperature between about 100°

C. to about 400°

C., establishing a chamber pressure between about 4 to about 9 Torr, applying RF power to the chamber having a power density of about 1.4 to about 5.7 W/in².

12. The method of claim 11, wherein applying RF power comprises applying between about 100 watts and about 400 watts.

13. A method of processing a semiconductor substrate, comprising:

depositing a first silicon carbide layer on the substrate surface;

depositing a layer comprising silicon-carbon-oxygen based material on the first silicon carbide layer;

depositing a second silicon carbide layer on the silicon-carbon-oxygen based material; and

treating the second silicon carbide layer with a plasma consisting essentially of an inert gas.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising depositing a photoresist layer on the second silicon carbide layer.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising patterning the first silicon carbide layer prior to depositing the silicon-carbon-oxygen based material.

16. The method of claim 13, further comprising treating the first silicon carbide layer with a plasma consisting essentially of an inert gas

17. The method of claim 13, wherein treating the second silicon carbide layer to the treatment plasma occurs in situ with a deposition of the second silicon carbide layer.

18. The method of claim 17, the treatment the second silicon carbide layer with a plasma comprises flowing the inert gas into a processing chamber at a rate of about 100 to about 4000 sccm, maintaining a temperature between about 0°

C. to about 500°

C., establishing a chamber pressure between about 1 to about 12 Torr, applying RF power to the chamber having a power density of about 0.7 Watts/in² to about 11 Watts/in².

19. The method of claim 16, wherein treating the second silicon carbide layer to the treatment plasma occurs in situ with a deposition of the second silicon carbide layer.

20. The method of claim 19, the treatment the second silicon carbide layer with a plasma comprises flowing the inert gas into a processing chamber at a rate of about 100 to about 4000 sccm, maintaining a temperature between about 0°

C. to about 500°

C., establishing a chamber pressure between about 1 to about 12 Torr, applying RF power to the chamber having a power density of about 0.7 Watts/in² to about 11 Watts/in².