Film forming method by radiating a plasma on a surface of a low dielectric constant film

• US 6,800,546 B2
• Filed: 03/12/2002
• Issued: 10/05/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/13/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
• Original Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
• Inventors: Kawamura, Shigeru, Iwashita, Mitsuaki, Ohno, Hiroki, Sugiura, Masahito, Konishi, Nobuo
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, THANH T
• Application Number:
  US10/095,025
• Publication Number:
  US 20020177298A1
• Time in Patent Office: 938 Days
• Field of Search: 438/622-624, 438/633, 438/788-790
• US Class Current: 438/623
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/76825 by exposing the layer to particle radiation, e.g. ion implantation, irradiation with UV light or electrons etc. plasma treatment H01L21/76826
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/76826 by contacting the layer with gases, liquids or plasmas
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/76828 thermal treatment
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/76829 characterised by the formation of thin functional dielectric layers, e.g. dielectric etch-stop, barrier, capping or liner layers
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/76837 Filling up the space between adjacent conductive structures; Gap-filling properties of dielectrics

Abstract

The present invention comprises the steps of performing a reforming process on a surface of a low dielectric constant insulation film formed on a substrate which includes one of a porous low dielectric constant insulation film and a non-porous low dielectric constant insulation film and forming an insulation film as at least one of an etching mask and a Chemical Mechanical Polishing stopper (CMP stopper) on the reformed surface of the low dielectric constant insulation film. For example, plasma is radiated as a reforming process mentioned above, the surface roughness of a low dielectric insulation film is increased and, as a result, adhesion between the films and also between the inter-layer insulation film and other neighboring films can be improved with so-called “anchor effect”.

Claims

1. A film forming method, comprising the steps of:

performing a reforming process by radiating a plasma on a surface of a low dielectric constant insulation film formed on a substrate including one of a porous low dielectric constant insulation film and a non-porous low dielectric constant insulation film so that a density of a fluorine on the surface of the low dielectric constant film decreases;

the low dielectric constant insulation film being an inorganic film on which a hydrophobic process is performed; and

forming an insulation film as at least one of an etching mask and a Chemical Mechanical Polishing stopper on the reformed surface of the low dielectric constant insulation film.

2. The film forming method, as set forth in claim 1,

wherein the plasma is radiated in a parallel plate type plasma generating apparatus.

3. The film forming method, as set forth in claim 1,

wherein the plasma is radiated in an Inductively Coupled Plasma.

4. The film forming method, as set forth in claim 1,

wherein the plasma is radiated while the substrate is rotated.

5. The film forming method, as set forth in claim 1,

wherein the plasma is radiated under a normal pressure.

6. The film forming method, as set forth in claim 1,

wherein the reforming process is performed with applying an ultrasonic vibration to the substrate.

7. The film forming method, as set forth in claim 1,

wherein the plasma processing is performed for at least 20 seconds.

8. A film forming method comprising the steps of:

(a) performing a reforming process on a surface of an organic insulation film formed on a substrate by radiating a plasma generated from N₂H₂ gas;

(b) oxidizing the surface of the organic insulation film by radiating an ultraviolet ray; and

(c) forming a film which includes an inorganic film and a Methyl-silsesquioxane film as at least one of an etching mask and a Chemical Mechanical Polishing stopper on the surface of the reformed organic insulation film.

9. A film forming method comprising the steps of:

performing a reforming process by radiating a plasma on a surface of a low dielectric constant insulation film formed on a substrate including one of a porous low dielectric constant insulation film and a non-porous low dielectric constant insulation film so that a surface roughness of the low dielectric constant insulation film is increased;

the low dielectric constant insulation film being an inorganic film on which a hydrophobic process is performed; and

forming an insulation film as at least one of an etching mask and a Chemical Mechanical Polishing stopper on the reformed surface of the low dielectric constant insulation film.