Abstract:
A deposition system (100) and method of operating thereof is described for depositing a conformal metal or other similarly responsive coating material film in a high aspect ratio feature using a high density plasma is described. The deposition system includes a plasma source (120), and a distributed metal source (130) for forming plasma and introducing metal vapor to the deposition system (100), respectively. The deposition system is configured to form a plasma having a plasma density and generate metal vapor having a metal density, wherein the ratio of the metal density to the plasma density proximate the substrate is less than or equal to unity. This ratio should exist at least within a distance from the surface of the substrate (114) that is about twenty percent of the diameter of the substrate. A ratio that is uniform within plus or minus twenty-five percent substantially across the surface of said substrate is desirable. The ratio is particularly effective for plasma density exceeding 10 12 cm -3 , and for depositing film on substrates having nanoscale features with maximum film thickness less than half of the feature width, for example, at ten percent of the feature width.
Abstract:
An iPVD System (200) is programmed to deposit uniform material, such as barrier material (912), into high aspect ratio nano-size features (11) on semiconductor substrates (21) using a process which enhances the sidewall (16) coverage compared to the field (10) and bottom (15) coverage(s) while minimizing or eliminating overhang (14) within a vacuum chamber (30). The iPVD system (200) is operated at low target power and high pressure >50mT to sputter material from the target. RF energy is coupled into the chamber to form a high density plasma. A small RF bias (less than a few volts) can be applied to aid in enhancing the coverage, especially at the bottom.
Abstract:
An inductively coupled plasma source is provided with a compact inductive element (20) that is configured to produce a spatially distributed plasma (15) particularly suitable for processing large scale wafers (14). The element (20) in its preferred embodiment is formed of a sheet material for compactness and ease in configuring. The element (20) is located outside of a dielectric wall or window (16) of a processing chamber (12), generally congruent to the dielectric wall or window, formed of one or more layers or loops (40). The conductor provides a conductive path around each loop that has a serpentine or oscillating configuration that renders the path around each loop greater than the circumference of the element (20). The path is so shaped by cutouts (30) along the side edges of the element. The conductor is formed of alternating sections (31-35) of large and small aspect ratio, defined as the width across the path to the thickness of the sheet. The sections are also defined by cutouts in the sheet. Narrower sections concentrate currents have higher inductances, and couple greater amounts of energy into the chamber, thereby producing rings of discrete plasma concentrations. One or more rings can be produced by configuring one or more loops of the inductive element so the higher inductance, lower aspect ration sections lie at appropriate radii from the axis of the chamber.
Abstract:
A method of forming metal carbide barrier layers for fluorocarbon films in semiconductor devices is described. The method includes depositing a fluorocarbon film on a substrate and depositing a metal-containing layer on the fluorocarbon film at a first temperature, where the metal-containing layer reacts with the fluorocarbon film to form a metal fluoride layer at an interface between the metal-containing layer and the fluorocarbon film. The method further includes heat-treating the metal-containing layer at a second temperature that is greater than the first temperature, wherein the heat-treating the metal-containing layer removes fluorine from the metal fluoride layer by diffusion through the metal-containing layer and forms a metal carbide layer barrier layer at the interface between the metal-containing layer and the fluorocarbon film, and wherein the metal-containing layer survives the heat- treating at the second temperature without blistering or pealing.
Abstract:
A method for double patterning a substrate (110, 310) is described. The double patterning method may include a litho/freeze/litho/etch (LFLE) technique that includes a first (critical dimension) CD slimming process to reduce the first CD (124, 325) to a first reduced CD (126, 326) and a second CD slimming process to reduce the second CD (144, 326) to a second reduced CD (146, 335).
Abstract:
A method and system for patterning a substrate (101, 201, 301, 401 ) using a radiation-sensitive material (102, 202, 302, 402) is described. The method and system include forming a layer of radiation-sensitive material (102, 202, 302, 402) on a substrate (101, 201, 301, 401 ), exposing the layer of radiation-sensitive material (102, 202, 302, 402) to a pattern of radiation (107, 207, 307, 407), and then performing a post-exposure bake following the exposing. The imaged layer of radiation-sensitive material (101, 201, 301, 401 ) is then developed to remove either a region (105, 205,312, 412) having high radiation exposure or a region (106, 206, 313, 413) having low radiation exposure to form radiation-sensitive material lines. An exposure gradient within the radiation-sensitive material lines is then removed, followed by slimming the radiation-sensitive material lines.
Abstract:
Embodiments of the invention describe a method for forming fluorocarbon films for semiconductor devices. The method includes providing a substrate on a substrate holder in a plasma processing chamber, introducing in the plasma processing chamber a first process gas containing a C a F b gas, forming a first plasma from the first process gas by applying a first RF bias and a first positive DC bias to the substrate holder, and depositing a first fluorocarbon film on the substrate by the first plasma. The method further includes introducing in the plasma processing chamber a second process gas containing a C a F b gas, forming a second plasma from the second process gas by applying microwave power to the microwave antenna, and applying second RF bias and a second positive DC bias to the substrate holder, and depositing a second fluorocarbon film on the first fluorocarbon film by the second plasma.
Abstract:
A processing method is provided for plasma etching features in a silicon nitride (SiN) film covered by a mask pattern. The method includes preparing a film stack on a substrate, the film stack containing a SiN film on the substrate and a mask pattern on the SiN film, forming a plasma from a process gas containing HBr gas, O2 gas, and a carbon-fluorine-containing gas, applying pulsed RF bias power to the substrate, and transferring the mask pattern to the SiN film by exposing the film stack to the plasma.
Abstract:
A method for selectively etching a substrate (25, 140, 150, 300, 310, 510) is described. The method includes preparing a substrate (25, 140, 150, 300, 310, 510) comprising a silicon nitride layer (180, 320) overlying a silicon-containing contact region (172, 343), and patterning the silicon nitride layer (180, 320) to expose the silicon-containing contact region (172, 343) using a plasma etching process in a plasma etching system (1, 1 a, 1 b, 1 c, 1 c', 1 d, 1 e, 1f). The plasma etching process uses a process composition having as incipient ingredients a process gas containing C, H and F, and a non-oxygen-containing additive gas, wherein the non-oxygen- containing additive gas includes H, or C, or both H and C, and excludes a halogen atom.
Abstract:
A method is provided for reworking film structures containing silicon-containing anti- reflective coating (SiARC) layers in semiconductor device manufacturing. The method includes providing a substrate containing a film stack that includes SiARC layer thereon, and a resist pattern formed on the SiARC layer. The method further includes removing the resist pattern from the SiARC layer, exposing the SiARC layer to process gas containing ozone (O 3 ) gas to modify the SiARC layer, treating the modified SiARC layer with a dilute hydrofluoric acid (DHF) liquid, and centrifugally removing the modified SiARC layer from the substrate.