Gap-fill depositions in the formation of silicon containing dielectric materials

• US 7,456,116 B2
• Filed: 12/20/2004
• Issued: 11/25/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/19/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Applied Materials Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Applied Materials Incorporated
• Inventors: Ingle, Nitin K., Yuan, Zheng, Banthia, Vikash, Bang, Won B., Xia, Xinyun, Wong, Shan, Wang, Yen-Kun V.
• Primary Examiner(s): Richards; N Drew
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lee; Kyoung
• Application Number:
  US11/018,381
• Publication Number:
  US 20050142895A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,436 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 438/787
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/401 containing silicon
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/45512 Premixing before introduction in the reaction chamber
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/45523 Pulsed gas flow or change of composition over time
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/52 Controlling or regulating the coating process C23C16/45557, C23C16/279 take precedence

Abstract

A method to form a silicon oxide layer, where the method includes the step of providing a continuous flow of a silicon-containing precursor to a chamber housing a substrate, where the silicon-containing precursor is selected from TMOS, TEOS, OMTS, OMCTS, and TOMCATS. The method may also include the steps of providing a flow of an oxidizing precursor to the chamber, and causing a reaction between the silicon-containing precursor and the oxidizing precursor to form a silicon oxide layer. The method may further include varying over time a ratio of the silicon-containing precursor:oxidizing precursor flowed into the chamber to alter a rate of deposition of the silicon oxide on the substrate.

Claims

1. A method to form a silicon oxide layer, the method comprising:

providing a continuous flow of a silicon-containing precursor to a chamber housing a substrate, wherein the silicon-containing precursor is selected from the group consisting of OMTS;

providing a flow of an oxidizing precursor comprising ozone to the chamber;

causing a reaction between the silicon-containing precursor and the oxidizing precursor to form a silicon oxide layer; and

increasing over time a ratio of the silicon-containing precursor;

oxidizing precursor flowed into the chamber, by increasing a flow rate of the silicon-containing precursor relative to a flow rate of the oxidizing precursor to alter a rate of deposition of the silicon oxide on the substrate.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein varying the ratio of the silicon-containing precursor to the oxidizing precursor comprises increasing a flow rate of the silicon-containing precursor while the flow rate of the oxidizing gas remains constant.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the silicon oxide is deposited within a recess in the substrate such that a conformal silicon oxide is initially formed within the recess at a first time, followed by formation of a less conformal silicon oxide at a second time.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the recess comprises a shallow trench positioned between the expected location of adjacent semiconductor devices.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the recess comprises a space between raised features on the substrate.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein the recess comprises a space between lines of an interconnect metallization structure.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein varying the ratio of the silicon-containing precursor to the oxidizing precursor results in a linear change in concentration of the silicon-containing precursor over time.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein varying the ratio of the silicon-containing precursor to the oxidizing precursor results in a nonlinear change in concentration of the silicon-containing precursor over time.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the nonlinear change comprises a step-wise change in concentration of the silicon-containing precursor over time.

10. The method of claim 1 further comprising varying, during deposition of the oxide material, a spacing between the substrate and a precursor distribution plate introducing the precursors into the chamber.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the spacing is reduced to enhance a rate of deposition of the silicon oxide.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising diverting, prior to deposition, the flow of the silicon-containing precursor upstream of the chamber to an exhaust until a rate of the silicon-containing precursor flow has stabilized.

13. A method to form a silicon oxide layer, the method comprising:

providing a continuous flow of a silicon-containing precursor to a chamber housing a substrate, wherein the silicon-containing precursor is selected from the group consisting of TMOS, TEOS, OMTS, OMCTS, and TOMCATS;

providing a flow of an oxidizing precursor to the chamber;

causing a reaction between the silicon-containing precursor and the oxidizing precursor to form a silicon oxide layer; and

increasing over time a ratio of the silicon-containing precursor;

oxidizing precursor flowed into the chamber, by increasing a flow rate of the silicon-containing precursor relative to a flow rate of the oxidizing precursor to alter a rate of deposition of the silicon oxide on the substrate, wherein the silicon oxide is deposited within a recess in the substrate such that a conformal silicon oxide is initially formed within the recess at a first time, followed by formation of a less conformal silicon oxide at a second time.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the recess comprises a shallow trench positioned between the expected location of adjacent semiconductor devices.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the recess comprises a space between raised features on the substrate.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the recess comprises a space between lines of an interconnect metallization structure.