Air gap formation
AssigneeApplied Materials, Inc.
InventorsAbhijit Basu Mallick, Nitin Ingle
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method of forming air gaps between adjacent raised features on a substrate includes forming a carbon-containing material in a bottom region between the adjacent raised features using a flowable deposition process. The method also includes forming a silicon-containing film over the carbon-containing material using a flowable deposition process, where the silicon-containing film fills an upper region between the adjacent raised features and extends over the adjacent raised features. The method also includes curing the carbon-containing material and the silicon-containing material at an elevated temperature for a period of time to form the air gaps between the adjacent raised features.
Claims20
A method of forming air gaps between adjacent raised features on a substrate, the method comprising:
- forming a hydrocarbon material in a bottom region between the adjacent raised features using a flowable deposition process, the hydrocarbon material being substantially free of silicon;
- forming a silicon-containing film over the hydrocarbon material using a flowable chemical vapor deposition (CVD) process, the silicon-containing film filling an upper region between the adjacent raised features and extending over the adjacent raised features, the silicon-containing film being substantially free of carbon;
- and
- curing the hydrocarbon material and the silicon-containing material at an elevated temperature for a period of time to form the air gaps between the adjacent raised features, the elevated temperature being higher than a decomposition temperature of the hydrocarbon material, wherein the hydrocarbon material is substantially removed during the cure such that at least one of the air gaps extend from a first one of the adjacent raised features to a second one of the adjacent raised features.
A method of forming air gaps between adjacent raised features on a substrate, the method comprising:
- forming a carbon-doped silicon oxide material in a bottom region between the adjacent raised features using a flowable deposition process;
- forming a silicon-containing film over the carbon-doped silicon oxide material using a flowable chemical vapor deposition (CVD) process, the silicon-containing film filling an upper region between the adjacent raised features and extending over the adjacent raised features, the silicon-containing film being substantially free of carbon;
- and
- curing the carbon-doped silicon oxide material and the silicon-containing film at an elevated temperature for a period of time to form the air gaps between the adjacent raised features, wherein the cure removes carbon from the carbon-doped silicon oxide material to provide a porous oxide and the air gap comprises one or more pores of the porous oxide.
A method of forming air gaps between adjacent raised features on a substrate, the method comprising:
- forming a carbon-containing material in a bottom region between the adjacent raised features using a flowable deposition process;
- forming a silicon-containing film over the carbon-containing material using a flowable deposition process, the silicon-containing film filling an upper region between the adjacent raised features and extending over the adjacent raised features;
- and
- curing the carbon-containing material and the silicon-containing material at an elevated temperature for a period of time to form the air gaps between the adjacent raised features.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.