Film Formation method and apparatus for forming silicon-containing insulating film

• US 20090203227A1
• Filed: 01/28/2009
• Published: 08/13/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/01/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
• Original Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
• Inventors: Hasebe, Kazuhide, Ogawa, Jun, Nakajima, Shigeru
• Granted Patent: US 7,923,378 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 438/787
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/345 Silicon nitride
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/402 Silicon dioxide
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/452 by activating reactive gas streams before their introduction into the reaction chamber, e.g. by ionisation or addition of reactive species
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/45536 Use of plasma, radiation or electromagnetic fields
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02164 the material being a silicon oxide, e.g. SiO2
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02219 the compound comprising silicon and nitrogen
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/0228 deposition by cyclic CVD, e.g. ALD, ALE, pulsed CVD
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/31612 on a silicon body

Abstract

A silicon-containing insulating film is formed on a target substrate by CVD, in a process field to be selectively supplied with a first process gas including di-iso-propylaminosilane gas and a second process gas including an oxidizing gas or nitriding gas. The film is formed by performing a plurality of times a cycle alternately including first and second steps. The first step performs supply of the first process gas, thereby forming an adsorption layer containing silicon on a surface of the target substrate. The second performs supply of the second process gas, thereby oxidizing or nitriding the adsorption layer on the surface of the target substrate. The second step includes an excitation period of supplying the second process gas to the process field while exciting the second process gas by an exciting mechanism.

Claims

1. A film formation method for a semiconductor process for forming a silicon-containing insulating film on a target substrate by CVD, in a process field configured to be selectively supplied with a first process gas comprising di-iso-propylaminosilane gas and a second process gas comprising an oxidizing gas or nitiriding gas, the method being arranged to perform a cycle a plurality of times to laminate thin films formed by respective times, thereby forming the silicon-containing insulating film with a predetermined thickness, the cycle alternately comprising:

a first step of performing supply of the first process gas to the process field while maintaining a shut-off state of supply of the second process gas to the process field, thereby forming an adsorption layer containing silicon on a surface of the target substrate; and

a second step of performing supply of the second process gas to the process field while maintaining a shut-off state of supply of the first process gas to the process field, thereby oxidizing or nitiriding the adsorption layer on the surface of the target substrate, the second step comprising an excitation period of supplying the second process gas to the process field while exciting the second process gas by an exciting mechanism.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first step is arranged to set the process field at a temperature of −

32°

C. to 300°

C.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first step is arranged to set the process field at a temperature of room temperature to 200°

C.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first and second steps are arranged to set the process field at the same temperature.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the second process gas comprises an oxidizing gas selected from the group consisting of oxygen, ozone, and water vapor.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the second process gas comprises a nitriding gas selected from the group consisting of ammonia, nitrogen dioxide, nitrogen oxide, and nitrogen.

7. The method according to claim 5, wherein the second process gas comprises oxygen as an oxidizing gas, and the first and second steps are arranged to set the process field at the same temperature within a range of −

32°

C. to 200°

C.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first step is arranged to set the process field at a pressure of 0.133 Pa to 13.3 kPa.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first step is arranged to supply the di-iso-propylaminosilane to the process field at a flow rate of 10 sccm to 10 slm.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein the second step is arranged to set the process field at a pressure of 0.133 Pa to 13.3 kPa.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein the second step is arranged to supply the oxidizing gas or nitriding gas to the process field at a flow rate of 1 sccm to 10 slm.

12. The method according to claim 1, wherein the exciting mechanism is configured to excite the second process gas by use of a medium selected from the group consisting of plasma, catalyst, UV, heat, and magnetic force.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein the exciting mechanism comprises a plasma generation section, which forms part of a supply system of the second process gas and is attached to a reaction chamber that envelops the process field.

14. The method according to claim 1, wherein the cycle further comprises an intermediate step of exhausting gas from the process field while maintaining a shut-off state of supply of the first and second process gases to the process field after the second step.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein the cycle further comprises an intermediate step of exhausting gas from the process field while maintaining a shut-off state of supply of the first and second process gases to the process field between the first and second steps.

16. The method according to claim 14, wherein the cycle is arranged to exhaust gas from the process field continuously through the cycle.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein the intermediate step comprises a period of supplying an inactive gas to the process field.

18. The method according to claim 1, wherein the process field is configured to accommodate a plurality of target substrates at intervals in a vertical direction, and the target substrates are heated by a heater disposed around the process field.

19. A film formation apparatus for a semiconductor process for forming a silicon-containing insulating film, the apparatus comprising:

a reaction chamber having a process field configured to accommodate a target substrate;

a support member configured to support the target substrate inside the process field;

a heater configured to heat the target substrate inside the process field;

an exhaust system configured to exhaust gas from the process field;

a first process gas supply circuit configured to supply a first process gas comprising di-iso-propylaminosilane gas to the process field;

a second process gas supply circuit configured to supply a second process gas comprising an oxidizing gas or nitiriding gas to the process field;

an exciting mechanism configured to excite the second process gas to be supplied to the process field; and

a control section configured to control an operation of the apparatus,

wherein, in order to form a silicon-containing insulating film on the target substrate by CVD, the control section is preset to perform a cycle a plurality of times to laminate thin films formed by respective times, thereby forming the silicon-containing insulating film with a predetermined thickness, the cycle alternately comprising

a first step of performing supply of the first process gas to the process field while maintaining a shut-off state of supply of the second process gas to the process field, thereby forming an adsorption layer containing silicon on a surface of the target substrate, and

a second step of performing supply of the second process gas to the process field while maintaining a shut-off state of supply of the first process gas to the process field, thereby oxidizing or nitriding the adsorption layer on the surface of the target substrate, the second step comprising an excitation period of supplying the second process gas to the process field while exciting the second process gas by the exciting mechanism.

20. A computer readable medium containing program instructions for execution on a processor, which is used for a film formation apparatus for a semiconductor process for forming a silicon-containing insulating film on a target substrate by CVD, in a process field configured to be selectively supplied with a first process gas comprising di-iso-propylaminosilane gas and a second process gas comprising an oxidizing gas or nitriding gas, wherein the program instructions, when executed by the processor, control the film formation apparatus to perform a cycle a plurality of times to laminate thin films formed by respective times, thereby forming the silicon-containing insulating film with a predetermined thickness, the cycle alternately comprising:

a first step of performing supply of the first process gas to the process field while maintaining a shut-off state of supply of the second process gas to the process field, thereby forming an adsorption layer containing silicon on a surface of the target substrate; and

a second step of performing supply of the second process gas to the process field while maintaining a shut-off state of supply of the first process gas to the process field, thereby oxidizing or nitriding the adsorption layer on the surface of the target substrate, the second step comprising an excitation period of supplying the second process gas to the process field while exciting the second process gas by an exciting mechanism.