Methods of forming hardmasks
AssigneeApplied Materials, Inc.
InventorsJui-Yuan Hsu, Pramit Manna, Bhaskar Kumar, Karthik Janakiraman
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Abstract
Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to methods of forming hardmasks. Embodiments described herein enable, e.g., formation of carbon-containing hardmasks having reduced film stress. In an embodiment, a method of processing a substrate is provided. The method includes positioning a substrate in a processing volume of a processing chamber and depositing a diamond-like carbon (DLC) layer on the substrate. After depositing the DLC layer, the film stress is reduced by performing a plasma treatment, wherein the plasma treatment comprises applying a radio frequency (RF) bias power of about 100 W to about 10,000 W.
Claims20
A method of processing a substrate, comprising:
- positioning a substrate in a processing volume of a processing chamber;
- depositing a diamond-like carbon (DLC) layer on the substrate;
- and
- after depositing the DLC layer, reducing a film stress of the DLC layer by performing a plasma treatment, the plasma treatment comprising:
- flowing a non-reactive gas into the processing volume at a flow rate of about 500 sccm to about 5,000 sccm for a 300 mm-sized substrate, the non-reactive gas comprising argon;
- and
- generating a plasma from the non-reactive gas in the processing volume to treat the DLC layer by applying a radio frequency (RF) bias power of about 100 W to about 10,000 W.
A method of processing a substrate, comprising:
- positioning a substrate in a processing volume of a processing chamber;
- depositing a diamond-like carbon (DLC) layer on the substrate;
- and
- after depositing the DLC layer, reducing a film stress of the DLC layer by performing a plasma treatment, the plasma treatment comprising:
- flowing a non-reactive gas into the processing volume at a flow rate of about 500 sccm to about 5,000 sccm for a 300 mm-sized substrate, the non-reactive gas comprising argon;
- and
- generating a plasma from the non-reactive gas in the processing volume to treat the DLC layer by applying a radio frequency (RF) bias power of about 100 W to about 1,000 W.
A method of processing a substrate, comprising:
- positioning a substrate in a processing volume of a processing chamber;
- depositing a diamond-like carbon (DLC) layer on the substrate;
- and
- after depositing the DLC layer, reducing a film stress of the DLC layer by performing a plasma treatment, the plasma treatment comprising:
- flowing a non-reactive gas into the processing volume at a flow rate of about 500 sccm to about 5,000 sccm for a 300 mm-sized substrate, the non-reactive gas comprising argon and one or more of N2 or helium;
- generating a plasma from the non-reactive gas in the processing volume to treat the DLC layer by applying a radio frequency (RF) bias power of about 1,000 W or less;
- and
- maintaining the substrate at a temperature from about −40° C. to about 40° C. during the plasma treatment.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.