# US 10,319,636 B2 · Deposition and treatment of films for patterning > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,319,636 B2 - Document ID: US10319636B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/801,949 - Filed: 2017-11-02 - Published: 2018-05-24 - Granted: 2019-06-11 - Earliest claimed: 2016-11-03 - Assignees: Applied Materials, Inc. - Applicants: Applied Materials, Inc. - Inventors: Atashi Basu; Abhijit Basu Mallick; Ziqing Duan; Srinivas Gandikota - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10319636B2 ## CPC - H10W 20/069: {by forming self-aligned vias or self-aligned contact plugs} - H10P 14/6314: {of a metallic layer} - H10P 14/6316: {Formation by nitridation, e.g. nitridation of the substrate} - H10P 50/264: {by chemical means} - H10P 76/405: {characterised by their composition, e.g. multilayer masks} - H10P 76/4083: {characterised by their behaviours during the lithography processes, e.g. soluble masks or redeposited masks} - H10P 95/00: Generic processes or apparatus for manufacture or treatments not covered by the other groups of this subclass - H10W 10/0142: {the dielectric materials being chemical transformed from non-dielectric materials} - H10W 10/17: formed using trench refilling with dielectric materials, e.g. shallow trench isolations - H10W 20/057: {by selectively depositing, e.g. by using selective CVD or plating} - H10W 20/0693: {by forming self-aligned vias} - H10P 30/22: using masks - H10W: GENERIC PACKAGES, INTERCONNECTIONS, CONNECTORS OR OTHER CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10 - H10P: GENERIC PROCESSES OR APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10 ## Abstract Methods comprising depositing a film material to form an initial film in a trench in a substrate surface are described. The film is treated to expand the film to grow beyond the substrate surface. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A processing method comprising: providing a substrate surface having at least one trench, the at least one trench extending a depth from the substrate surface to a bottom surface, the at least one trench having a width defined by a first sidewall and a second sidewall; selectively depositing a film material to form an initial film having a film material volume in the trench and not on the substrate surface, the film material having a Pilling-Bedworth ratio of greater than 2 and comprising a material selected from the group consisting of Cr, Mo and Os; and treating the initial film to expand the film material volume to provide an expanded film which extends beyond the substrate surface comprises exposing the initial film to a nitridating environment. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the film material is selected from the group consisting of Co, Fe, Mn, Nb, Os, Ta, U, and V. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein treating the initial film comprises exposing the initial film to an oxidizing environment. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The method of claim 3, wherein the expanded film comprises a material selected from the group consisting of CoO, Fe2O3, Fe3O4, MnO2, Mn2O3, Mn3O4, MoO3, Nb2O5, Ta2O5, OsO2, UO2, and V2O5. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4, wherein treating the initial film comprises exposing the initial film to an oxidizing environment. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the film material has a Pilling-Bedworth ratio of greater than 2.5 and is selected from the group consisting of Mo, Os, and V. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6, wherein the expanded film comprises a material selected from the group consisting of MoO3, OsO2 and V2O5. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the expanded film comprises a material selected from the group consisting of CrN2, MoN2 and OsN2. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein treating the initial film comprises exposing the initial film to an oxidizing agent comprising one or more of O2, O3, N2O, H2O, H2O2, CO, CO2, NH3, N2/Ar, N2/He or N2/Ar/He and/or a nitridation agent comprising one or more of ammonia, hydrazine, NO2 or nitrogen plasma. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein treating the initial film occurs at a temperature greater than about 300° C. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the film material comprises a metal selected from the group consisting of Co, Fe, Mn, Nb, Os, Ta, U, and V. ### Claim 12 A processing method comprising: providing a substrate surface having at least one trench, the at least one trench extending a depth from the substrate surface to a bottom surface, the at least one trench having a width defined by a first sidewall and a second sidewall; selectively depositing a film material to form an initial film having a film material volume in the trench and not on the substrate surface, the film material having a Pilling-Bedworth ratio of greater than 2 and comprising a material selected from the group consisting of Cr, Mo and Os; and treating the initial film to form a nitride of a metal selected from the group consisting of Cr, Mo and Os to expand the film material volume to provide an expanded film which extends beyond the substrate surface. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein the expanded film comprises a material selected from the group consisting of CrN2, MoN2 and OsN2. ### Claim 14 A processing method comprising: providing a substrate surface having at least one trench, the at least one trench extending a depth from the substrate surface to a bottom surface, the at least one trench having a width defined by a first sidewall and a second sidewall; selectively depositing a film material to form an initial film having a film material volume in the trench and not on the substrate surface, the film material having a Pilling-Bedworth ratio of greater than 2 and comprising a material selected from the group consisting of Co, Cr, Fe, Mn, Nb, Os, Ta, U, and V; and treating the initial film at a temperature less than about 400° C. to form a oxide of a metal selected from the group consisting of Co, Cr, Fe, Mn, Nb, Os, Ta, U, or V to expand the film material volume to provide an expanded film which extends beyond the substrate surface. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, wherein the expanded film comprises a material selected from the group consisting of MoO3, OsO2 and V2O5. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, wherein treating the initial film occurs at a temperature less than about 350° C.