Method of forming expandable doped oxide films for advanced semiconductor applications
AssigneeLam Research Corporation
InventorReza Bayati
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Abstract
Films that can be useful in large area gap fill applications, such as in the formation of advanced 3D NAND devices, involve processing a semiconductor substrate by depositing on a patterned semiconductor substrate a doped silicon oxide film a doped silicon oxide film configured to expand upon annealing at a temperature above the films glass transition temperature, and annealing the doped silicon oxide film to a temperature above the film glass transition temperature. In some embodiments, reflow of the film may occur. The composition and processing conditions of the doped silicon oxide film may be tailored so that the film exhibits substantially zero as-deposited stress and substantially zero stress shift post-anneal.
Claims20
A method of processing a semiconductor substrate, the method comprising:
- providing a patterned semiconductor substrate;
- depositing on the patterned semiconductor substrate a doped silicon oxide film configured to expand upon annealing at a temperature above a glass transition temperature of the doped silicon oxide film, wherein the doped silicon oxide film has a dopant concentration of greater than 6 wt. % B and 0 to 3 wt. % P;
- and
- annealing the doped silicon oxide film to a temperature above the glass transition temperature of the doped silicon oxide film, whereby the doped silicon oxide film expands upon annealing.
A semiconductor device, comprising:
- a 3D NAND structure having alternating oxide and nitride or polysilicon layers in a staircase pattern;
- and
- a doped silicon oxide film disposed and annealed on the staircase pattern;
- wherein the doped silicon oxide film has a dopant concentration in a range of greater than at least 6 wt. % B and 0 to 3 wt. % P.
An apparatus for processing substrates, the apparatus comprising:
- a process chamber having a chuck;
- a gas source connected with the process chambers and associated flow-control hardware;
- and
- substrate handling hardware;
- a controller having a processor and a memory, wherein
- the processor and the memory are communicatively connected with one another,
- the processor is at least operatively connected with the flow-control and substrate handling hardware, and
- the memory stores computer-executable instructions for controlling the processor to at least control the flow-control hardware and substrate handling hardware by:
- providing a patterned semiconductor substrate;
- depositing on a patterned semiconductor substrate disposed in the chamber a doped silicon oxide film configured to expand upon annealing to a temperature above a glass transition temperature of the doped silicon oxide film, wherein the doped silicon oxide film has a dopant concentration of greater than 6 wt. % B and 0 to 3 wt. % P;
- and
- annealing the doped silicon oxide film to a temperature above the glass transition temperature of the doped silicon oxide film.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.