Deposition of film layers by alternately pulsing a precursor and high frequency power in a continuous gas flow
First Claim
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1. A method for forming a film layer on a substrate in a process chamber, comprising:
- (a) exposing said substrate to a substantially continuous flow of a process gas composition at a constant flow rate under process conditions for a first period of time;
(b) after the first period of time, pulsing a precursor into the chamber, wherein the substantially continuous flow of the process gas composition at the constant flow rate is maintained during the pulsing, and wherein said precursor does not react with said process gas under said process conditions;
then (c) continuing the substantially continuous flow of the process gas composition at the constant flow rate for second period of time;
(d) after the second period of time, pulsing high frequency power in the chamber to produce plasma conditions, wherein the substantially continuous flow of the process gas composition at the constant flow rate is maintained during the pulsing high frequency power, and wherein under said plasma conditions said precursor reacts with said process gas; and
(e) repeating (a), (b), (c), and (d) until a desired thickness of said film layer has been achieved, wherein said film layer is silicon nitride (Si3N4), silicon oxide (SiO) or silicon dioxide (SiO2).
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Abstract
A method of film layer deposition is described. A film layer is deposited using a cyclical deposition process. The cyclical deposition process consists essentially of a continuous flow of one or more process gases and the alternate pulsing of a precursor and energy to form a film on a substrate structure.
535 Citations
33 Claims
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1. A method for forming a film layer on a substrate in a process chamber, comprising:
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(a) exposing said substrate to a substantially continuous flow of a process gas composition at a constant flow rate under process conditions for a first period of time;
(b) after the first period of time, pulsing a precursor into the chamber, wherein the substantially continuous flow of the process gas composition at the constant flow rate is maintained during the pulsing, and wherein said precursor does not react with said process gas under said process conditions;
then(c) continuing the substantially continuous flow of the process gas composition at the constant flow rate for second period of time;
(d) after the second period of time, pulsing high frequency power in the chamber to produce plasma conditions, wherein the substantially continuous flow of the process gas composition at the constant flow rate is maintained during the pulsing high frequency power, and wherein under said plasma conditions said precursor reacts with said process gas; and
(e) repeating (a), (b), (c), and (d) until a desired thickness of said film layer has been achieved, wherein said film layer is silicon nitride (Si3N4), silicon oxide (SiO) or silicon dioxide (SiO2). - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A method for forming a film layer on a substrate in a process chamber, comprising:
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(a) exposing said substrate to a substantially continuous flow of a process gas composition at a constant flow rate under process conditions for a first period of time, wherein said process gas composition is a combination of H2 and O2 gases;
(b) after the first period of time, pulsing a precursor into the chamber, wherein the substantialy continuous flow of the process gas compososition at the constant flow rate is maintained during the pulsing, and wherein said precursor does not react with said process gas under said process conditions;
then(c) continuing the substantially continuous flow of the process gas composition at the constant flow rate for second period of time;
(d) after the second period of time, pulsing high frequency power in the chamber to produce plasma conditions, wherein the substantially continuous flow of the process gas composition at the constant flow rate is maintained during the pulsing high frequency power, and wherein under said plasma conditions said precursor reacts with said process gas; and
(e) repeating (a), (b), (c), and (d) until a desired thickness of said film layer has been achieved.
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21. A method for forming a film layer on a substrate in a process chamber, comprising:
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(a) exposing said substrate to a substantially continuous flow of a process gas composition at a constant flow rate under process conditions for a first period of time;
(b) after the first period of time, pulsing a precursor into the chamber, wherein the substantially continuous flow of the process gas composition at the constant flow rate is maintained during the pulsing, wherein said precursor does not react with said process gas under said process conditions, and wherein said precursor is a halogenated silicon compound;
then(c) continuing the substantially continuous flow of the process gas composition at the constant flow rate for second period of time;
(d) after the second period of time, pulsing high frequency power in the chamber to produce plasma conditions, wherein the substantially continuous flow of the process gas composition at the constant flow rate is maintained during the pulsing high frequency power, and wherein under said plasma conditions said precursor reacts with said process gas; and
(e) repeating (a), (b), (c), and (d) until a desired thickness of said film layer has been achieved. - View Dependent Claims (22)
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23. A method for forming a film layer on a substrate in a process chamber, comprising:
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(a) exposing said substrate to a substantially continuous flow of a process gas composition at a constant flow rate under process conditions for a first period of time;
(b) after the first period of time, pulsing a precursor into the chamber, wherein the substantially continuous flow of the process gas composition at the constant flow rate is maintained during the pulsing, wherein said precursor does not react with said process gas under said process conditions, and wherein said precursor is a siloxane compound;
then(c) continuing the substantially continuous flow of the process gas composition at the constant flow rate for second period of time;
(d) after the second period of time, pulsing high frequency power in the chamber to produce plasma conditions, wherein the substantially continuous flow of the process gas composition at the constant flow rate is maintained during the pulsing high frequency power, and wherein under said plasma conditions said precursor reacts with said process gas; and
(e) repeating (a), (b), (c), and (d) until a desired thickness of said film layer has been achieved.
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24. A method for forming a film layer on a substrate in a process chamber, comprising:
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(a) exposing said substrate to a substantially continuous flow of a process gas composition at a constant flow rate under process conditions for a first period of time;
(b) after the first period of time, pulsing a precursor into the chamber, wherein the substantially continuous flow of the process gas composition at the constant flow rate is maintained during the pulsing, wherein said precursor does not react with said process gas under said process conditions, and wherein said precursor is silane (SiH4) or disilane (Si2H6);
then(c) continuing the substantially continuous flow of the process gas composition at the constant flow rate for second period of time;
(d) after the second period of time, pulsing high frequency power in the chamber to produce plasma conditions, wherein the substantially continuous flow of the process gas composition at the constant flow rate is maintained during the pulsing high frequency power, and wherein under said plasma conditions said precursor reacts with said process gas; and
(e) repeating (a), (b), (c), and (d) until a desired thickness of said film layer has been achieved.
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25. A method for forming a film layer on a substrate in a process chamber, comprising;
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(a) exposing said substrate to substantially continuous flow of a process gas composition at a constant flow rate under process conditions for a first period of time;
(b) after the first period of time, pulsing a precursor into the chamber, wherein the substantially continuous flow of the process gas composition at the constant flow rate is maintained during the pulsing, wherein said precursor does not react with said process gas under said process conditions, and wherein said pulsing a precursor into the chamber comprises more than one injection of a precursor;
then(c) continuing the substantially continuous flow of the process as composition at the constant flow rate for second period of time;
(d) after the second period of time, pulsing high frequency power in the chamber to produce plasma conditions, wherein the substantially continuous flow of the process gas composition at the constant flow rate is maintained during the pulsing high frequency power, and wherein under said plasma conditions said precursor reacts with said process gas; and
(e) repeating (a), (b), (c), and (d) until a desired thickness of said film layer has been achieved.
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26. A method for forming a film layer on a substrate in a process chamber, comprising:
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(a) exposing said substrate to a substantially continuous flow of a process gas composition at a constant flow rate under process conditions for a first period of time;
(b) after the first period of time, pulsing a precursor into the chamber, wherein the substantially continuous flow of the process gas composition at the constant flow rate is maintained during the pulsing, and wherein said precursor does not react with said process gas under said process conditions;
then(c) continuing the substantially continuous flow of the process gas composition at the constant flow rate for second period of time;
(d) after the second period of time, pulsing high frequency power in the chamber to produce plasma conditions, wherein the substantially continuous flow of the process gas composition at the constant flow rate is maintained during the pulsing high frequency power, wherein under said plasma conditions said precursor reacts with said process gas, and wherein said pulsing high frequency power comprises more than one pulse of a high frequency power; and
(e) repeating (a), (b), (c), and (d) until a desired thickness of said film layer has been achieved.
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27. A method for forming a film on a substrate in a process chamber using a cyclical deposition process using a precursor, comprising:
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(a) exposing said substrate to a substantially continuous flow of a combination of H2 and O2 at a rate of about 500-2000 sccm for a first period of time of about 0.5 seconds to about 1 second;
(b) after the first period of time, pulsing SiCl4 into the chamber at a rate of about 200 to about 500 sccm for about 0.5 seconds to about 1 second, wherein the substantially continuous flow of the combination of H2 and O2 is maintained during the pulsing;
then(c) continuing the substantially continuous flow of the combination of H2 and O2 for a second period of about 1 second to about 4 seconds;
(d) after the second period of time, pulsing RF power at about 500 W to about 2000 W for about 2 seconds to about 6 seconds, wherein the substantially continuous flow of the combination of H2 and O2 is maintained during the pulsing RF power; and
(e) repeating (a), (b), (c), and (d) until a desired thickness of said film layer has been achieved.
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28. A method for forming a film layer on a substrate in a process chamber, comprising:
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(a) exposing the substrate to a continuous flow of a first gas composition at a constant flow rate for a first period of time;
(b) exposing the substrate to a second gas composition and the continuous flow of a first gas at the constant flow rate for a second period of time, wherein the second gas composition is a silicon-containing precursor;
(c) exposing the substrate to the continuous flow of a first gas composition at the constant flow rate for a third period of time;
(d) electrically coupling high frequency power into the process chamber during a fourth period of time, thereby exciting the first gas composition into a plasma state, wherein the second gas composition reacts with the first gas composition to form a film layer on the substrate, and wherein the continuous flow of a first gas composition at the constant flow rate is maintained during the fourth period of time; and
(e) repeating (a), (b), (c), and (d) until a desired thickness of said film layer has been achieved. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31, 32)
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33. A method for forming a film layer on a substrate in a process chamber, comprising:
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(a) exposing the substrate to a continuous flow of a first gas composition at a constant flow rate for a first period of time, wherein the first gas composition is a combination of H2 and O2 gases;
(b) exposing the substrate to a second gas composition and the continuous flow of a first gas at the constant flow rate for a second period of time;
(c) exposing the substrate to the continuous flow of a first gas composition at the constant flow rate for a third period of time;
(d) electrically coupling high frequency power into the process chamber during a fourth period of time, thereby exciting the first gas composition into a plasma state, wherein the second gas composition reacts with the first gas composition to form a film layer on the substrate, and wherein the continuous flow of a first gas composition at the constant flow rate is maintained during the fourth period of time; and
(e) repeating (a), (b), (c), and (d) until a desired thickness of said film layer has been achieved.
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Specification