Plasma processing method and film forming method

• US 7,771,796 B2
• Filed: 11/04/2005
• Issued: 08/10/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/09/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
• Original Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
• Inventors: Kohno, Masayuki, Sasaki, Masaru
• Primary Examiner(s): Ahmed; Shamim
• Application Number:
  US11/266,308
• Publication Number:
  US 20060099799A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,740 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 427/535
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/401 containing silicon
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/56 After-treatment
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/3222 Antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/32935 Monitoring and controlling tubes by information coming from the object and/or discharge
• 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 21/02274 in the presence of a plasma [PECVD]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/0234 treatment by exposure to a plasma
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/31058 of organic layers
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/3122 layers comprising polysiloxane compounds
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/3124 layers comprising hydrogen silsesquioxane
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/31633 Deposition of carbon doped silicon oxide, e.g. SiOC
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/76826 by contacting the layer with gases, liquids or plasmas

Abstract

A plasma processing method of carrying out curing processing on a low dielectric constant film produced on a to-be-processed substrate by applying plasma thereto in a processing chamber of a plasma processing apparatus, includes the steps of: a) introducing, in the plasma processing chamber, a first gas having a function of stabilizing plasma and a second gas generating active hydrogen, and, after that; b) generating plasma, and carrying out curing processing on the low dielectric constant film.

Claims

1. A plasma processing method for carrying out curing processing on a low dielectric constant film produced on a to-be-processed substrate by applying plasma thereto in a processing chamber of a plasma processing apparatus, comprising the steps of:

a) introducing, in the plasma processing chamber, a first gas having a function of stabilizing plasma and a second gas generating active hydrogen, both the first gas and the second gas being introduced for a predetermined period of time with no generation of plasma; and

after the predetermined period of time has elapsed, b) generating plasma, and carrying out curing processing on the low dielectric constant film.

3. The plasma processing method as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

said first gas comprises an inert gas, and said second gas comprises an H₂ gas.

5. The plasma processing method as claimed in claim 3, wherein:

a processing pressure lies in a range of 13.3 to 1333 [Pa].

7. The plasma processing method as claimed in claim 3, wherein:

a flow rate ratio between the inert gas and the H₂ gas (inert gas ;

H₂ gas) lies in a range of 1;

2 to 1;

20.

9. The plasma processing method as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

said low dielectric constant film comprises any one of a SiOCH series film, a SiOC series film, an MSQ series film and an organic polymer series film.

12. The plasma processing method as claimed in claim 3, wherein:

the inert gas comprises any one of Ar, Kr, He and Xe.

2. A plasma processing method for carrying out curing processing on a low dielectric constant film produced on a to-be-processed substrate by applying plasma thereto in a processing chamber of a plasma processing apparatus, comprising the steps of:

a) introducing, in the plasma processing chamber, a first gas having a function of stabilizing plasma, and a second gas generating active hydrogen, both the first gas and the second gas being introduced for a predetermined period of time with no generation of plasma; and

after the predetermined period of time has elapsed, b) introducing microwave in the processing chamber with the use of a planar antenna having a plurality of slots, generating plasma of the first gas and the second gas, and carrying out curing processing on the low dielectric constant film.

4. The plasma processing method as claimed in claim 2, wherein:

said first gas comprises an inert gas, and said second gas comprises an H₂ gas.

6. The plasma processing method as claimed in claim 4, wherein:

a processing pressure lies in a range of 13.3 to 1333 [Pa].

8. The plasma processing method as claimed in claim 4, wherein:

a flow rate ratio between the inert gas and H₂ gas (inert gas ;

H₂ gas) lies in a range of 1;

2 to 1;

20.

10. The plasma processing method as claimed in claim 2, wherein:

said low dielectric constant film comprises any one of a SiOCH series film, a SiOC series film, an MSQ series film and an organic polymer series film.

13. The plasma processing method as claimed in claim 4, wherein:

the inert gas comprises any one of Ar, Kr, He and Xe.

11. A film forming method comprising the steps of:

a) forming a low dielectric constant film on a to-be-processed substrate in a manner of plasma CVD; and

b) carrying out curing processing on the low dielectric constant film by causing plasma to function thereto, wherein;

said step b) comprises the steps of;

b1) introducing, in a plasma processing chamber, a first gas having a function of stabilizing plasma, and a second gas generating active hydrogen, both the first gas and the second gas being introduced for a predetermined period of time with no generation of plasma, and,

after the predetermined period of time has elapsed b2) generating plasma in a processing chamber, and carrying out curing processing on the low dielectric constant film.