Insulating layers in semiconductor devices having a multi-layer nanolaminate structure of SiNx thin film and BN thin film and methods for forming the same
First Claim
1. A semiconductor device having improved etching properties comprising a wafer having an insulating layer with bottom and top portions along at least a surface thereof, wherein said insulating layer is specially prepared with alternating thin film layers of silicon nitride and boron nitride, each being of a controlled thickness, so as to exhibit the properties of a relatively low dielectric constant and a relatively low etching rate during high temperature, wet chemical etch processing, said insulating layer consisting essentially of at least two silicon nitride thin film layers, each such silicon nitride thin film layer representing about 25-35 silicon nitride ALD deposition cycles, said silicon nitride thin film layers alternating with at least two boron nitride thin film layers, each such boron nitride thin film layer representing about 35-45 boron nitride ALD deposition cycles.
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Abstract
The present invention discloses a novel insulating layer for use in semiconductor devices, the insulating layer having a multi-layer nanolaminate structure consisting of alternating boron nitride thin films and silicon nitride thin films, each of a controlled, desired thickness, together with methods for forming the same.
The insulating layer of the present invention has a multi-layer nanolaminate structure consisting of alternating boron nitride thin films and silicon nitride thin filmsformed by the steps of: (a) depositing a silicon nitride thin film on a wafer, (b) depositing a boron nitride thin film on the silicon nitride thin film, and (c) forming the multi-layer nanolaminate thin film by alternately repeating steps (a) and (b).
209 Citations
34 Claims
- 1. A semiconductor device having improved etching properties comprising a wafer having an insulating layer with bottom and top portions along at least a surface thereof, wherein said insulating layer is specially prepared with alternating thin film layers of silicon nitride and boron nitride, each being of a controlled thickness, so as to exhibit the properties of a relatively low dielectric constant and a relatively low etching rate during high temperature, wet chemical etch processing, said insulating layer consisting essentially of at least two silicon nitride thin film layers, each such silicon nitride thin film layer representing about 25-35 silicon nitride ALD deposition cycles, said silicon nitride thin film layers alternating with at least two boron nitride thin film layers, each such boron nitride thin film layer representing about 35-45 boron nitride ALD deposition cycles.
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12. A method for forming an insulating layer specially prepared with alternating thin film layers of silicon nitride and boron nitride, each being of a controlled thickness, so as to exhibit the properties of a relatively low dielectric constant and a relatively low etching rate during high temperature, wet chemical etch processing on at least a surface of a semiconductor device, said method comprising the steps of:
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(a) forming a silicon nitride thin film representing about 25-35 silicon nitride ALD deposition cycles on a surface of a semiconductor wafer;
(b) forming a boron nitride thin film representing about 35-45 boron nitride ALD deposition cycles on the previously formed silicon nitride thin film; and
,(c) forming a multi-layer nanolaminate thin film on the surface of the wafer by alternately repeating steps (a) and (b). - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
introducing a first silicon nitride process gas containing silicon Si to a chamber containing the wafer such that at least a portion of said first silicon nitride process gas is adsorbed on a surface of the wafer;
introducing a substantially inert second silicon nitride process gas to the chamber to purge the chamber and to exhaust unadsorbed first silicon nitride process gas;
introducing a third silicon nitride process gas containing a reactive nitrogen entity to the chamber to react with the first silicon nitride process gas adsorbed on the wafer surface; and
,introducing a substantially inert fourth silicon nitride process gas to the chamber to purge the chamber and to exhaust unreacted third silicon nitride process gas and reaction by-products.
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16. A method according to claim 15, wherein the first silicon nitride process gas is selected from the group consisting of SiH2Cl2, SiCl4, Si2Cl6, and SiH4.
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17. A method according to claim 15, wherein the second silicon nitride process gas and the fourth silicon nitride process gas are each selected from the group consisting of argon, helium and nitrogen gas.
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18. A method according to claim 15, wherein the third silicon nitride process gas is selected from one of either NH3 or N2H4 in the form of a gas or as a radical type, or, alternatively, a mixture of N2 and H2 as a mixture of a radical type.
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19. A method according to claim 12, wherein a depositing cycle for forming each boron nitride thin film comprises the sequential steps of:
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introducing a first boron nitride process gas containing boron B to a chamber containing the wafer such that at least a portion of said first boron nitride process gas is adsorbed on a surface of a previously-deposited silicon nitride thin film;
introducing a substantially inert second boron nitride process gas to the chamber to purge the chamber and to exhaust unadsorbed first boron nitride process gas;
introducing a third boron nitride process gas containing a reactive nitrogen entity to the chamber to react with the first boron nitride process gas adsorbed on the silicon nitride thin film; and
,introducing a substantially inert fourth boron nitride process gas to the chamber to purge the chamber and to exhaust unreacted third boron nitride process gas and reaction by-products.
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20. A method according to claim 19, wherein the first boron nitride process gas is selected from the group consisting of BCl3, BBr3, B2H6, and BF3.
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21. A method according to claim 19, wherein the second boron nitride process gas and the fourth boron nitride process gas are each selected from the group consisting of argon, helium and nitrogen gas.
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22. A method according to claim 19, wherein the third boron nitride process gas is selected from one of either NH3 or N2H4 in the form of a gas or as a radical type, or, alternatively, a mixture of N2 and H2 as a mixture of a radical type.
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23. A semiconductor device having improved etching properties comprising a wafer having an insulating layer specially prepared to exhibit the properties of a relatively low dielectric constant below about 5 and a relatively low etching rate below about 10 Å
- /min, during high temperature, wet chemical etch processing formed along at least a surface thereof, said insulating layer being formed by the process of;
(a) forming a silicon nitride thin film representing about 25-35 silicon nitride ALD deposition cycles on a surface of a semiconductor wafer;
(b) forming a boron nitride thin film representing about 35-45 boron nitride ALD deposition cycles on the previously formed silicon nitride thin film; and
,(c) forming a multi-layer nanolaminate thin film on the surface of the wafer by alternately repeating steps (a) and (b). - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34)
introducing a first silicon nitride process gas containing silicon Si to a chamber containing the wafer such that at least a portion of said first silicon nitride process gas is adsorbed on a surface of the wafer;
introducing a substantially inert second silicon nitride process gas to the chamber to purge the chamber and to exhaust unadsorbed first silicon nitride process gas;
introducing a third silicon nitride process gas containing a reactive nitrogen entity to the chamber to react with the first silicon nitride process gas adsorbed on the wafer surface; and
,introducing a substantially inert fourth silicon nitride process gas to the chamber to purge the chamber and to exhaust unreacted third silicon nitride process gas and reaction by-products;
and, wherein a depositing cycle for forming each boron nitride thin film comprises the sequential steps of;
introducing a first boron nitride process gas containing boron B to a chamber containing the wafer such that at least a portion of said first boron nitride process gas is adsorbed on a surface of a previously-deposited silicon nitride thin film;
introducing a substantially inert second boron nitride process gas to the chamber to purge the chamber and to exhaust unadsorbed first boron nitride process gas;
introducing a third boron nitride process gas containing a reactive nitrogen entity to the chamber to react with the first boron nitride process gas adsorbed on the silicon nitride thin film; and
,introducing a substantially inert fourth boron nitride process gas to the chamber to purge the chamber and to exhaust unreacted third boron nitride process gas and reaction by-products.
- /min, during high temperature, wet chemical etch processing formed along at least a surface thereof, said insulating layer being formed by the process of;
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27. A semiconductor device according to claim 23 wherein each silicon nitride thin film layer is of substantially uniform thickness and wherein each boron nitride thin film layer is of substantially uniform thickness.
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28. A semiconductor device according to claim 23 wherein the number of depositing cycles used for forming each silicon nitride thin film is 30 times, and the number of depositing cycles used for forming each boron nitride thin film is 40 times.
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29. A semiconductor device according to claim 26, wherein the first silicon nitride process gas is selected from the group consisting of SiH2Cl2, SiCl4, Si2Cl6, and SiH4.
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30. A semiconductor device according to claim 26, wherein the second silicon nitride process gas and the fourth silicon nitride process gas are each selected from the group consisiting of argon, helium and nitrogen gas.
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31. A semiconductor device according to claim 26, wherein the third silicon nitride process gas is selected from one of either NH3 or N2H4 in the form of a gas or as a radical type, or, alternatively, a mixture of N2 and H2 as a mixture of a radical type.
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32. A semiconductor device according to claim 26, wherein the first boron nitride process gas is selected from the group consisting of BCl3, BBr3, B2H6, and BF3.
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33. A semiconductor device according to claim 26, wherein the second boron nitride process gas and the fourth boron nitride process gas are each selected from the group consisting of argon, helium and nitrogen gas.
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34. A semiconductor device according to claim 26, wherein the third boron nitride process gas is selected from one of either NH3 or N2H4 in the form of a gas or as a radical type, or, alternatively, a mixture of N2 and H2 as a mixture of a radical type.
Specification