Integrated method and tool for high quality selective silicon nitride deposition
AssigneeApplied Materials, Inc.
InventorsTomohiko Kitajima, Ning Li, Chang Seok Kang, Naomi Yoshida
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Abstract
Methods of manufacturing memory devices are provided. The method comprises pre-cleaning a top surface of a film stack, the film stack comprising alternating layers of a first material layer and a second material layer and having one or more of a memory hole and a slit pattern opening extending through the film stack; exposing the top surface of the film stack to a growth inhibitor; selectively depositing a silicon-containing dielectric layer in a region of the film stack; and densifying the silicon-containing dielectric layer. The processing method is performed in a processing tool without breaking vacuum.
Claims20
A processing method to form a logic or memory device, the processing method comprising:
- pre-cleaning exposed surfaces of a memory hole or a slit pattern opening of a film stack, the film stack comprising alternating layers of a plurality of first material layers and a plurality of second material layers and having one or more of the memory hole and the slit pattern opening extending through the film stack;
- exposing the exposed surfaces of the memory hole or the slit pattern opening of the film stack to a growth inhibitor to form a blocking layer on each of the plurality of second material layers in the memory hole or the slit pattern opening of the of sex sun the memory film stack;
- selectively depositing a silicon-containing dielectric layer in a region of the film stack, the region adjacent to each of the plurality of first n the memory hole of the film stack;
- and
- densifying the silicon-containing dielectric layer,
- wherein the processing method is performed in a processing tool without breaking vacuum.
A processing tool comprising:
- a central transfer station comprising a robot configured to move a wafer;
- a plurality of process stations, each process station connected to the central transfer station and providing a processing region separated from processing regions of adjacent process stations, the plurality of process stations comprising one or more of a pre-cleaning chamber, an inhibitor soaking chamber, a selective deposition chamber, and a densification chamber;
- and
- a controller connected to the central transfer station and the plurality of process stations, the controller configured to activate the robot to move the wafer between process stations, and to control a process occurring in each of the process stations,
- wherein the controller causes the processing tool to perform operations of:
- pre-clean a film stack, the film stack comprising alternating layers of a plurality of first material layers and a plurality of second material layers and having one or more of a memory hole and a slit patten opening extending through the film stack;
- expose the film stack to a growth inhibitor to form a blocking layer on each of the plurality of second material layers in the memory hole or the slit patten opening of the film stack;
- selectively deposit a silicon-containing dielectric layer in a region of the film stack, the region adjacent to each of the plurality of first material layers in the memory hole or the slit pattern opening of the film stack;
- and
- densify the silicon-containing dielectric layer,
- wherein the processing tool is maintained under vacuum.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.