Flowable dielectric equipment and processes

• US 8,357,435 B2
• Filed: 09/15/2008
• Issued: 01/22/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/09/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Applied Materials Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Applied Materials Incorporated
• Inventors: Lubomirsky, Dmitry, Liang, Qiwei, Yang, Jang Gyoo
• Primary Examiner(s): Meeks, Timothy
• Assistant Examiner(s): LOUIE, MANDY C
• Application Number:
  US12/210,982
• Publication Number:
  US 20090280650A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,590 Days
• Field of Search: 427/569
• US Class Current: 427/569
• CPC Class Codes: B08B 7/00 Cleaning by methods not provided for in a single other subclass or a single group in this subclass
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/4405 Cleaning of reactor or parts inside the reactor by using reactive gases
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/452 by activating reactive gas streams before their introduction into the reaction chamber, e.g. by ionisation or addition of reactive species
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/45514 Mixing in close vicinity to the substrate
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/509 using internal electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/32449 Gas control, e.g. control of the gas flow

Abstract

Methods of depositing and curing a dielectric material on a substrate are described. The methods may include the steps of providing a processing chamber partitioned into a first plasma region and a second plasma region, and delivering the substrate to the processing chamber, where the substrate occupies a portion of the second plasma region. The methods may further include forming a first plasma in the first plasma region, where the first plasma does not directly contact with the substrate, and depositing the dielectric material on the substrate to form a dielectric layer. One or more reactants excited by the first plasma are used in the deposition of the dielectric material. The methods may additional include curing the dielectric layer by forming a second plasma in the second plasma region, where one or more carbon-containing species is removed from the dielectric layer.

Claims

1. A method of depositing and curing a dielectric material on a substrate, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a processing chamber partitioned into a first plasma region and a second plasma region;

delivering the substrate to the processing chamber, wherein the substrate occupies a portion of the second plasma region;

forming a first plasma in the first plasma region while forming little or no plasma in the second plasma region, wherein the first plasma does not directly contact with the substrate;

depositing the dielectric material on the substrate to form a dielectric layer, wherein one or more reactants excited by the first plasma react with a silicon-containing precursor to deposit the dielectric material, wherein the silicon-containing precursor further comprises carbon and is supplied directly to the second plasma region; and

curing the dielectric layer by forming a second plasma in the second plasma region, wherein one or more carbon-containing species is removed from the dielectric layer.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first plasma is formed from a process gas comprising at least one gas selected from the group consisting of O₂, O₃, N₂O, NO, NO₂, NH₃, NH₄OH, silane, disilane, TSA, DSA, —

H₂, N₂, H₂O₂ and water vapor.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises etching the dielectric layer with a halogen-containing etchant.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the halogen-containing etchant comprise fluorine.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the second plasma is formed from a process gas comprising at least one gas selected from the group consisting of O₂, O₃, N₂O, NO, NO₂, NH₃, NH₄OH, N_xH_y, silane, disilane, TSA, DSA, H₂, N₂, H₂O₂ and water vapor.