METHOD OF DEPOSITING AN AMORPHOUS CARBON LAYER

• US 20070128538A1
• Filed: 02/09/2007
• Published: 06/07/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 02/17/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Applied Materials Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Applied Materials Incorporated
• Inventors: Wang, Yuxiang, Weidman, Timothy, Rice, Michael, Latchford, Ian, FAIRBAIRN, KEVIN, Ngai, Christopher, Bencher, Christopher
• Granted Patent: US 7,335,462 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 430/201
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/26 Deposition of carbon only
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02115 the material being carbon, e.g. alpha-C, diamond or hydrogen doped carbon
• 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 21/022 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 21/02205 the layer being characterised by the precursor material for deposition
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02274 in the presence of a plasma [PECVD]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/0276 using an anti-reflective coating anti-reflective coating for lithography in general G03F7/09
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/28035 the final conductor layer next to the insulator being silicon, e.g. polysilicon, with or without impurities H01L21/28105 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/3081 characterised by their composition, e.g. multilayer masks, materials
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/3088 Process specially adapted to improve the resolution of the mask
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/31138 by dry-etching
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/31144 using masks
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/3146 Carbon layers, e.g. diamond-like layers
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/31612 on a silicon body
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/32137 of silicon-containing layers
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/76802 by forming openings in dielectrics
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/76807 for dual damascene structures
• 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

Abstract

A method of forming an integrated circuit using an amorphous carbon film. The amorphous carbon film is formed by thermally decomposing a gas mixture comprising a hydrocarbon compound and an inert gas. The amorphous carbon film is compatible with integrated circuit fabrication processes. In one integrated circuit fabrication process, the amorphous carbon film is used as a hardmask. In another integrated circuit fabrication process, the amorphous carbon film is an anti-reflective coating (ARC) for deep ultraviolet (DUV) lithography. In yet another integrated circuit fabrication process, a multi-layer amorphous carbon anti-reflective coating is used for DUV lithography.

Claims

1. A method of forming an amorphous carbon layer on a substrate, comprising:

positioning a substrate in a chamber;

providing a gas mixture to the chamber, wherein the gas mixture comprises an inert gas and a hydrocarbon compound; and

depositing the amorphous carbon layer on the substrate from the gas mixture by plasma enhanced decomposition of the hydrocarbon compound at a chamber pressure between about 1 Torr to about 20 Torr.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the hydrocarbon compound has the general formula C_xH_y, wherein x has a range of 2 to 4 and y has a range of 2 to 10.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the hydrocarbon compound comprises propylene (C₃H₆), acetylene (C₂H₂), or a combination thereof.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the hydrocarbon compound is propylene, and the inert gas is selected from the group consisting of helium, argon, and combinations thereof.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the gas mixture further comprises hydrogen.

6. A method of forming an amorphous carbon layer on a substrate, comprising:

positioning a substrate in a chamber;

providing a gas mixture to the chamber, wherein the gas mixture comprises an inert gas and a hydrocarbon compound;

depositing the amorphous carbon layer on the substrate from the gas mixture by plasma enhanced decomposition of the hydrocarbon compound;

forming an intermediate layer on the amorphous carbon layer, wherein the intermediate layer is selected from the group consisting of an oxide, nitride, silicon oxynitride, silicon carbide, and amorphous silicon; and

forming an energy sensitive resist material on the intermediate layer.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the intermediate layer is silicon oxynitride.

8. The method of claim 6, further comprising defining a pattern in the energy sensitive resist material.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising transferring the pattern through the intermediate layer.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising transferring the pattern through the amorphous carbon layer.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising transferring the pattern through an oxide layer of the substrate, wherein the amorphous carbon layer is deposited on the oxide layer of the substrate.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the oxide layer is a silicon dioxide layer.

13. The method of claim 6, wherein the amorphous carbon layer is deposited at a chamber pressure between about 1 Torr to about 20 Torr.

14. The method of claim 6, wherein the amorphous carbon layer is deposited in the presence of a plasma at an RF power between about 3 W/in² to about 20 W/in².

15. A method of forming an amorphous carbon layer on a substrate, comprising:

positioning a substrate in a chamber;

providing a gas mixture to the chamber, wherein the gas mixture comprises an inert gas and a hydrocarbon compound; and

depositing the amorphous carbon layer on the substrate from the gas mixture by plasma enhanced decomposition of the hydrocarbon compound in the presence of RF power at a chamber pressure between about 1 Torr to about 20 Torr.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the RF power is applied at between about 3 W/in² to about 20 W/in².

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the hydrocarbon compound is propylene, and the inert gas is selected from the group consisting of helium, argon, and combinations thereof.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the amorphous carbon layer is deposited at a temperature of about 100°

C. to about 500°

C.

19. The method of claim 15, further comprising defining a pattern in the amorphous carbon layer and transferring the pattern into the substrate.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising removing the amorphous carbon layer from the substrate after the pattern is transferred into the substrate.