Plasma based film modification for semiconductor devices
AssigneeApplied Materials, Inc.
InventorsTimothy J. Miller, Vikram M. Bhosle
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Abstract
Disclosed herein are approaches for treating a film layer of a semiconductor device to modify an etch resistance of the film later. In one approach, a method may include forming a first film over a substrate base, depositing a second film over the first film, and introducing an inert species into the second film while the second film is deposited over the first film, wherein the inert species increases an etch-resistance of a first portion of the first film. The method may further include removing the second film by stopping deposition of the second film while continuing to introduce the inert species into the second film.
Claims11
A method for treating a dielectric film of a semiconductor device, the method comprising:
- forming the dielectric film over a substrate base;
- depositing a second film over the dielectric film to a desired thickness, wherein the dielectric film and the second film are different materials;
- after the second film is formed to the desired thickness, begin introducing an inert species into the second film while the second film continues being deposited over the dielectric film, wherein the inert species is further introduced into the dielectric film, through the second film, to increase an etch-resistance of an upper portion of the dielectric film at an interface between the dielectric film and the second film;
- and
- removing the second film by stopping deposition of the second film while continuing to introduce the inert species into the second film.
A method for modifying an etch resistance of a dielectric film of a semiconductor device, the method comprising:
- forming the dielectric film over a substrate base;
- depositing a second film directly atop the dielectric film to a desired thickness, wherein the dielectric film and the second film are different materials;
- after the second film is formed to the desired thickness, begin introducing an inert species into the second film while the second film continues being deposited over the dielectric film, wherein the inert species is further introduced into the dielectric film, through the second film, to increase an etch-resistance of an upper portion of the dielectric film at an interface between the dielectric film and the second film;
- and
- removing the second film by stopping deposition of the second film while continuing to introduce the inert species into the second film.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.