# US 12,191,200 B2 · Methods for minimizing feature-to-feature gap fill height variations > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,191,200 B2 - Document ID: US12191200B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/489,089 - Filed: 2021-09-29 - Published: 2023-03-30 - Granted: 2025-01-07 - Earliest claimed: 2021-09-29 - Assignees: Applied Materials, Inc. - Applicants: Applied Materials, Inc. - Inventors: Jiajie Cen; Da He; Yi Xu; Yu Lei - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12191200B2 ## CPC - H10W 20/057: {by selectively depositing, e.g. by using selective CVD or plating} - H10P 14/432: {using selective deposition} - H10P 70/234: {the processing being the formation of vias or contact holes} - H10W 20/045: {for deposition from the gaseous phase, e.g. for chemical vapour deposition [CVD]} - H10W 20/056: {by filling conductive material into holes, grooves or trenches} - H10W 20/076: {in via holes or trenches} - H10W 20/081: {by forming openings in the dielectric parts} - H10W 20/4441: {the principal metal being a refractory metal} - 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 A method of gap filling a feature on a substrate decreases the feature-to-feature gap fill height variation by using a tungsten halide soak treatment. In some embodiments, the method may include heating a substrate to a temperature of approximately 350 degrees Celsius to approximately 450 degrees Celsius, exposing the substrate to a tungsten halide gas at a process pressure of approximately 5 Torr to approximately 25 Torr, soaking the substrate for a soak time of approximately 5 seconds to approximately 60 seconds with the tungsten halide gas, and performing a metal preclean process and a gap fill deposition on a plurality of features on the substrate after soaking of the substrate has completed. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of gap filling a feature on a substrate, comprising: heating a substrate to a temperature of approximately 350 degrees Celsius to approximately 450 degrees Celsius; exposing the substrate to a tungsten halide gas at a process pressure of approximately 5 Torr to approximately 25 Torr; soaking the substrate for a soak time of approximately 5 seconds to approximately 60 seconds with the tungsten halide gas; and performing a metal preclean process and a gap fill deposition on a plurality of features on the substrate after soak time has elapsed. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the tungsten halide gas is tungsten hexafluoride gas (WF6), tungsten pentachloride gas (WCl5), or tungsten hexachloride gas (WCl6). ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: flowing the tungsten halide gas at a flow rate of approximately 400 sccm. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: exposing the substrate to a gas mixture of the tungsten halide gas and a hydrogen gas during soaking of the substrate. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4, wherein the hydrogen gas has a flow rate of greater than zero to approximately 6000 sccm. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The method of claim 5, wherein the tungsten halide gas has a flow rate of 400 sccm, the hydrogen gas has a flow rate of approximately 400 sccm to approximately 3000 sccm, the soak time is approximately 10 seconds, the process pressure is 10 Torr, and the temperature is approximately 350 degrees Celsius. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6, wherein the hydrogen gas has a flow rate of approximately 3000 sccm. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the tungsten halide gas has a flow rate of 400 sccm, the soak time is approximately 10 seconds, the process pressure is 10 Torr, and the temperature is approximately 400 degrees Celsius. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein a feature-to-feature gap fill height of the plurality of features on the substrate has a variation of less than 9 nm. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: performing an oxygen treatment to convert tungsten material into tungsten oxides on the substrate prior to soaking the substrate. ### Claim 11 A method of gap filling a feature on a substrate, comprising: heating a substrate to a temperature of approximately 350 degrees Celsius to approximately 450 degrees Celsius; exposing the substrate to a tungsten hexafluoride gas (WF6) at a process pressure of approximately 10 Torr; soaking the substrate for a soak time of approximately 10 seconds with the tungsten hexafluoride gas; and performing a metal preclean process and a gap fill deposition on a plurality of features on the substrate after soak time has elapsed. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, further comprising: flowing the tungsten hexafluoride gas (WF6) at a flow rate of approximately 400 sccm. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, further comprising: exposing the substrate to a gas mixture of the tungsten hexafluoride gas (WF6) and a hydrogen gas during soaking of the substrate. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein the hydrogen gas has a flow rate of greater than zero to approximately 6000 sccm. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, wherein the tungsten hexafluoride gas (WF6) has a flow rate of 400 sccm, the hydrogen gas has a flow rate of approximately 400 sccm to approximately 3000 sccm, and the temperature is approximately 350 degrees Celsius. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein the hydrogen gas has a flow rate of approximately 3000 sccm. ### Claim 17 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein the tungsten hexafluoride gas (WF6) has a flow rate of 400 sccm, and the temperature is approximately 400 degrees Celsius. ### Claim 18 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein a feature-to-feature gap fill height of the plurality of features on the substrate has a variation of less than 9 nm. ### Claim 19 A non-transitory, computer readable medium having instructions stored thereon that, when executed, cause a method of gap filling a feature to be performed, the method comprising: heating a substrate to a temperature of approximately 350 degrees Celsius to approximately 450 degrees Celsius; exposing the substrate to a tungsten halide gas at a process pressure of approximately 5 Torr to approximately 25 Torr; soaking the substrate for a soak time of approximately 5 seconds to approximately 60 seconds with the tungsten halide gas; and performing a metal preclean process and a gap fill deposition on a plurality of features on the substrate after soak time has elapsed, wherein a feature-to-feature gap fill height variation of the plurality of features on the substrate is less than 9 nm. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The non-transitory, computer readable medium of claim 19, the method further comprising: exposing the substrate to a gas mixture of the tungsten halide gas and a hydrogen gas, wherein the tungsten halide gas has a flow rate of 400 sccm and the hydrogen gas has a flow rate of greater than zero to approximately 6000 sccm; exposing the substrate to a gas mixture of the tungsten halide gas and a hydrogen gas, the hydrogen gas has a flow rate of approximately 400 sccm to approximately 3000 sccm, the soak time is approximately 10 seconds, the process pressure is 10 Torr, and the temperature is approximately 350 degrees Celsius; or exposing the substrate to a gas mixture of the tungsten halide gas and a hydrogen gas, wherein the tungsten halide gas has a flow rate of 400 sccm, the soak time is approximately 10 seconds, the process pressure is 10 Torr, and the temperature is approximately 400 degrees Celsius.