Method for forming a low-k spacer
AssigneeTaiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
InventorsHsiu-Yu KANG, Hong-Wei CHEN
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present disclosure is directed to formation of a low-k spacer. For example, the present disclosure includes an exemplary method of forming the low-k spacer. The method includes depositing the low-k spacer and subsequently treating the low-k spacer with a plasma and/or a thermal anneal. The low-k spacer can he deposited on a structure protruding from the substrate. The plasma and/or thermal anneal treatment on the low-k spacer can reduce the etch rates of the spacer so that the spacer is etched less in subsequent etching or cleaning processes.
Claims20
A method comprising:
- forming a gate stack on a substrate, wherein the gate stack comprises an upper surface and a sidewall surface;
- forming a first spacer on the upper surface and the sidewall surface of the gate stack;
- forming a second spacer over the first spacer;
- treating the second spacer with a plasma at a first temperature for a first period of time;
- treating the second spacer with a gas at a second temperature for a second period of time;
- and
- removing a portion of the first spacer and a portion of the second spacer formed over the upper surface of the gate stack.
A method comprising:
- forming a gate stack on a substrate, wherein the gate stack has an upper surface and a sidewall surface;
- forming a native oxide on the sidewall surface of the gate stack;
- depositing a first spacer with a first atomic layer deposition (ALD) process at a first temperature for a first period of time, wherein the first spacer covers the upper surface and the sidewall surface of the gate stack;
- forming a second spacer over the first spacer, wherein the forming the second spacer comprises:
- depositing the second spacer with a second ALD process at a second temperature for a second period of time;
- treating the second spacer with a helium (He) plasma at a third temperature for a third period of time;
- and
- annealing the second spacer with a nitrogen (N2) gas at a fourth temperature for a fourth period of time;
- and
- removing a portion of the first spacer and a portion of the second spacer over the upper surface of the gate stack.
A method comprising:
- forming a protruding structure on a substrate, wherein the protruding structure has an upper surface and a sidewall surface;
- depositing a first spacer, wherein the first spacer covers the upper surface and the sidewall surface of the protruding structure;
- depositing a second spacer over the first spacer;
- treating the second spacer with a helium (He) plasma at a first temperature;
- annealing the second spacer with a nitrogen (N2) gas at a second temperature;
- and
- removing a portion of the first spacer and a portion of the second spacer formed over the upper surface of the protruding structure.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.