Process for depositing a SiO.sub.x film having reduced intrinsic stress and/or reduced hydrogen content
First Claim
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1. An ECR CVD process for growing a SiOx , film having reduced intrinsic stress. comprising the steps of:
- providing a substrate in a reaction zone of an ECR CVD reactor;
simultaneously introducing first, second and third gases into the reaction zone, the first gas being a carbon-free silicon containing gas and the third gas consisting essentially of oxygen;
growing the film on the substrate by decomposing the first gas and reacting the decomposed gas on a surface of the substrate, the growing film comprising atoms in ordered and disordered crystallographic states; and
reducing intrinsic stress in the film by removing atoms from the growing film in the disordered crystallographic state, the disordered atoms being removed by reacting a chemically active species of the second gas with the growing film, the second gas being a carbon-free halogen containing gas and the film growing and intrinsic stress reducing steps being performed simultaneously, the film growing and intrinsic stress reducing steps being performed under ECR condition in a vacuum environment.
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Abstract
A process for reducing intrinsic stress and/or hydrogen content of a SiOx film grown by ECR chemical vapor deposition, wherein a vapor phase etchant is introduced while growing the silicon dioxide film. The presence of the etchant during the plasma deposition process allows for selective removal of high energy silicon dioxide molecules in the growing film thus reducing intrinsic stress within the film. The use of halogen etchants further reduces the amount of hydrogen present as hydroxyl within the film.
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Citations
29 Claims
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1. An ECR CVD process for growing a SiOx , film having reduced intrinsic stress. comprising the steps of:
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providing a substrate in a reaction zone of an ECR CVD reactor; simultaneously introducing first, second and third gases into the reaction zone, the first gas being a carbon-free silicon containing gas and the third gas consisting essentially of oxygen; growing the film on the substrate by decomposing the first gas and reacting the decomposed gas on a surface of the substrate, the growing film comprising atoms in ordered and disordered crystallographic states; and reducing intrinsic stress in the film by removing atoms from the growing film in the disordered crystallographic state, the disordered atoms being removed by reacting a chemically active species of the second gas with the growing film, the second gas being a carbon-free halogen containing gas and the film growing and intrinsic stress reducing steps being performed simultaneously, the film growing and intrinsic stress reducing steps being performed under ECR condition in a vacuum environment. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. An ECR CVD process for growing a SiOX film having reduced hydrogen content, comprising the steps of:
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providing a substrate in a reaction zone of an ECR CVD reactor; simultaneously introducing first, second and third gases into the reaction zone, the first gas being a carbon-free silicon containing gas and at least one of the first and second eases containing hydrogen, the third gas consisting essentially of oxygen; growing the film on the substrate by decomposing the first gas and reacting the decomposed gas on a surface of the substrate, the film including hydrogen atoms therein; and removing the hydrogen atoms from the film by reacting the growing film with a chemically active species in the second gas, the second gas being a carbon-free halogen containing gas and the film growing and hydrogen removing steps being performed simultaneously, the film growing and hydrogen removing steps being performed under ECR condition in a vacuum environment. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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Specification