Silicone polymer insulation film on semiconductor substrate and method for forming the film

• US 6,383,955 B1
• Filed: 06/07/1999
• Issued: 05/07/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 02/05/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: ASM Japan K.K. (ASM International NV)
• Original Assignee: ASM Japan K.K. (ASM International NV)
• Inventors: Matsuki, Nobuo, Morisada, Yoshinori, Naito, Yuichi, Matsunoshita, Aya
• Primary Examiner(s): Bowers, Charles
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kilday, Lisa
• Application Number:
  US09/326,848
• Time in Patent Office: 1,065 Days
• Field of Search: 427/489, 437/235, 438/789, 438/790
• US Class Current: 438/790
• CPC Class Codes: B05D 1/62 Plasma-deposition of organic layers plasma deposition in general C23C14/00, C23C16/00
• CPC Class Codes: C08G 77/00 Macromolecular compounds obtained by reactions forming a linkage containing silicon with or without sulfur, nitrogen, oxygen or carbon in the main chain of the macromolecule
• CPC Class Codes: C09D 4/00 Coating compositions, e.g. paints, varnishes or lacquers, based on organic non-macromolecular compounds having at least one polymerisable carbon-to-carbon unsaturated bond ; Coating compositions, based on monomers of macromolecular compounds of groups C09D183/00 - C09D183/16
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/30 Deposition of compounds, mixtures or solid solutions, e.g. borides, carbides, nitrides
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/401 containing silicon
• 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 21/02216 the compound being a molecule comprising at least one silicon-oxygen bond and the compound having hydrogen or an organic group attached to the silicon or oxygen, e.g. a siloxane
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02274 in the presence of a plasma [PECVD]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/3121 Layers comprising organo-silicon compounds
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/3122 layers comprising polysiloxane compounds
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/296 Organo-silicon compounds
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/12044 OLED

Abstract

A method for forming a silicone polymer insulation film having a low dielectric constant, high thermal stability, high humidity-resistance, and high O₂ plasma resistance on a semiconductor substrate is applied to a plasma CVD apparatus. The first step is introducing a silicon-containing hydrocarbon compound expressed by the general formula Si_αO_α−1(R)_2α−β+2(OC_nH_2n+1)_β (α, β, x, and y are integers) and then introducing the vaporized compound to the reaction chamber of the plasma CVD apparatus. The residence time of the material gas is lengthened by, for example, reducing the total flow of the reaction gas, in such a way as to form a silicone polymer film having a micropore porous structure with a low dielectric constant.

Claims

1. A method for forming a silicone polymer insulation film on a semiconductor substrate by plasma treatment, comprising the steps of:

providing a reaction gas consisting of a source gas and an additive gas to a reaction chamber for plasma CVD processing wherein a semiconductor substrate is placed, said source gas comprising a silicon-containing hydrocarbon compound having formula Si_α

O<sub>α

−

1</sub>R<sub>2α

−

β

+2</sub>(OC_nH_2n+1)_β

wherein α

is an integer of 1-3, β

is 1 or 2, n is an integer of 1-3, and R is C_1-6 hydrocarbon attached to Si, said additive gas being composed of an inert or inactive gas and optionally a reducing gas;

heating the substrate to a point near or higher than the heat resistance temperature required for the film; and

activating plasma polymerization reaction in the reaction chamber where the reaction gas is present, to form a silicone polymer film on the semiconductor substrate, while controlling the flow of the reaction gas to lengthen a residence time, Rt, of the reaction gas in the reaction chamber, wherein 100 msec≦

Rt,

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the residence time is determined by correlating the dielectric constant with the residence time.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the alkoxy present in the silicon-containing hydrocarbon compound has 1 to 3 carbon atoms.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the hydrocarbon present in the silicon-containing hydrocarbon compound has 1 to 6 carbon atoms.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the silicon-containing hydrocarbon compound has 1 to 3 silicon atoms.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein R in the formula is CH₃.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the additive gas comprises at least either argon (Ar) or Helium (He).

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the flow of the reaction gas is controlled to render the dielectric constant of the silicone polymer film lower than 3.30.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the flow of the reaction gas is controlled to render the dielectric constant of the silicone polymer film no more than 3.1.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein the flow of the reaction gas is controlled to render the dielectric constant of the silicone polymer film no more than 2.8.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein the substrate is heated to a temperature of θ

±

50°

C. wherein θ

is the heat resistance temperature required for the film.

12. The method according to claim 1, wherein Rt is no less than 165 msec.

13. The method according to claim 1, wherein the reducing gas is at least one of H₂ or CH₄.