US 2013/0171834 A1 · IN-SITU DEPOSITION OF FILM STACKS

Abstract

Disclosed herein are methods of forming a film stack which may include the plasma accelerated deposition of a silicon nitride film formed from the reaction of nitrogen containing precursor with silicon containing precursor, the plasma accelerated substantial elimination of silicon containing precursor from the processing chamber, the plasma accelerated deposition of a silicon oxide film atop the silicon nitride film formed from the reaction of silicon containing precursor with oxidant, and the plasma accelerated substantial elimination of oxidant from the processing chamber. Also disclosed herein are process station apparatuses for forming a film stack of silicon nitride and silicon oxide films which may include a processing chamber, one or more gas delivery lines, one or more RF generators, and a system controller having machine-readable media with instructions for operating the one or more gas delivery lines, and the one or more RF generators.

Claims28

Dependent claims

A method of forming a film stack comprising layers of silicon nitride film and silicon oxide film on a patterned semiconductor substrate in a processing chamber, the method comprising:

depositing a first silicon nitride film, the first silicon nitride film formed from the reaction of a nitrogen containing precursor with a first silicon containing precursor, the deposition accelerated by a plasma having a first plasma composition;
substantially eliminating the first silicon containing precursor from the processing chamber, the elimination accelerated by a plasma having a second plasma composition;
depositing a first silicon oxide film atop the first silicon nitride film, the first silicon oxide film formed from the reaction of a second silicon containing precursor with an oxidant, the deposition accelerated by a plasma having a third plasma composition;
and
substantially eliminating the oxidant from the processing chamber, the elimination accelerated by a plasma having a fourth plasma composition.

2 more elements

A process station apparatus for forming a film stack comprising layers of silicon nitride film and silicon oxide film on a patterned semiconductor substrate, the apparatus comprising:

a processing chamber including a substrate holder within the processing chamber;
one or more gas delivery lines configured to deliver a nitrogen containing precursor, a first silicon containing precursor, a second silicon containing precursor, an oxidant, and an inert gas species to the processing chamber;
one or more RF generators configured to excite plasmas within the processing chamber;
and
a system controller comprising machine-readable media, the media comprising:
instructions for operating the one or more gas delivery lines to deliver the nitrogen containing precursor and the first silicon containing precursor to the processing chamber;
instructions for operating the one or more RF generators to generate a plasma having a first plasma composition which accelerates the deposition of a silicon nitride film formed from the reaction of the nitrogen containing precursor with the first silicon containing precursor;
instructions for operating the one or more gas delivery lines to deliver a first volume of an inert gas species to the processing chamber;
instructions for operating the one or more RF generators to excite and/or ionize the inert gas species, thereby generating a plasma having a second plasma composition which accelerates the substantial elimination of the first silicon containing precursor from the processing chamber;
instructions for operating the one or more gas delivery lines to deliver the second silicon containing precursor and the oxidant to the processing chamber;
instructions for operating the one or more RF generators to generate a plasma having a third plasma composition which accelerates the deposition of a silicon oxide film formed from the reaction of the second silicon containing precursor with the oxidant;
instructions for operating the one or more gas delivery lines to deliver a second volume of the inert gas species to the processing chamber;
and
instructions for operating the one or more RF generators to excite and/or ionize the inert gas species thereby generating a plasma having a fourth plasma composition which accelerates the substantial elimination of the oxidant from the processing chamber.

11 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

In-situ deposition of film stacks

Life of this patent

In-situ deposition of film stacks

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims28