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US 10,950,431 B2Granted
Low-k feature formation processes and structures formed thereby
AssigneeTaiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
InventorsWan-Yi Kao, Chung-Chi Ko, Li Chun Te, Hsiang-Wei Lin, Te-En Cheng, Wei-Ken Lin, Guan-Yao Tu, Shu Ling Liao
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Abstract
Semiconductor device structures having low-k features and methods of forming low-k features are described herein. Some examples relate to a surface modification layer, which may protect a low-k feature during subsequent processing. Some examples relate to gate spacers that include a low-k feature. Some examples relate to a low-k contact etch stop layer. Example methods are described for forming such features.
Claims19
A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, the method comprising:
- flowing a first precursor into a deposition chamber, the first precursor comprising silicon, carbon, and an H functional group;
- purging the first precursor from the deposition chamber;
- flowing a second precursor into the deposition chamber, the second precursor comprising oxygen, wherein the flowing the first precursor and the flowing the second precursor are part of a first cycle and wherein each reagent within the first cycle is either the first precursor or the second precursor;
- repeating the first cycle one or more times, to form a low-k layer along a sidewall of a gate stack;
- forming a gate spacer along the sidewall of the gate stack comprising anisotropically etching the low-k layer;
- and
- forming a surface modification layer along the sidewall of the gate stack, the low-k layer being formed on the surface modification layer, the surface modification layer being disposed between the gate stack and the low-k layer, a concentration of nitrogen in the surface modification layer increasing in a direction from the gate stack to the low-k layer, wherein forming the gate spacer further comprises anisotropically etching the surface modification layer, the gate spacer comprising respective portions of the low-k layer and the surface modification layer.
4 more elements
A method comprising:
- forming a low-k layer using an Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD), process, wherein the low-k layer is formed along a sidewall of a gate stack, the ALD process comprising:
- for a cycle, flowing a silicon and carbon source precursor having an H functional group, wherein each reagent within the cycle is either the silicon and carbon source precursor or a second precursor;
- and
- repeating the cycle a number of times;
- and
- forming a gate spacer along the sidewall of the gate stack comprising anisotropically etching the low-k layer;
- and
- forming a surface modification layer along the sidewall of the gate stack, the low-k layer being formed on the surface modification layer, the surface modification layer being disposed between the gate stack and the low-k layer, a concentration of nitrogen in the surface modification layer increasing in a direction from the gate stack to the low-k layer, wherein forming the gate spacer further comprises anisotropically etching the surface modification layer, the gate spacer comprising respective portions of the low-k layer and the surface modification layer.
5 more elements
A method comprising:
- forming a low-k layer using an Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD) process along a sidewall of a gate stack, the ALD process comprising:
- for a cycle, flowing (SiCl3)2CH2 and then flowing H2O;
- and
- repeating the cycle a number of times;
- and
- forming a gate spacer along the sidewall of the gate stack comprising etching the low-k layer;
- and
- forming a surface modification layer along the sidewall of the gate stack, the forming the low-k layer forming the low-k layer on the surface modification layer, the surface modification layer being disposed between the gate stack and the low-k layer, a concentration of nitrogen in the surface modification layer increasing in a direction from the gate stack to the low-k layer, wherein forming the gate spacer further comprises anisotropically etching the surface modification layer, the gate spacer comprising respective portions of the low-k layer and the surface modification layer.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.