# US 2022/0037154 A1 · In-situ high power implant to relieve stress of a thin film

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- Number: US 2022/0037154 A1
- Document ID: US20220037154A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 17/501,970
- Filed: 2021-10-14
- Published: 2022-02-03
- Earliest claimed: 2018-06-22
- Assignees: Applied Materials, Inc.
- Applicants: Applied Materials, Inc.
- Inventors: Eswaranand VENKATASUBRAMANIAN; Pramit MANNA; Abhijit B. MALLICK; Srinivas GANDIKOTA
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20220037154A1

## CPC

- H01J 37/32091: {the radio frequency energy being capacitively coupled to the plasma}
- H10P 76/408: {characterised by their sizes, orientations, dispositions, behaviours or shapes}
- H01J 37/3171: {for ion implantation}
- H01J 37/32146: {Amplitude modulation, includes pulsing}
- H01J 37/32412: {Plasma immersion ion implantation}
- H10P 14/6336: {in the presence of a plasma [PECVD]}
- H10P 14/6518: {by introduction of substances into an already-existing insulating layer}
- H10P 14/6532: {by exposure to a plasma}
- H10P 14/6902: {composed of carbon, e.g. alpha-C, diamond or hydrogen doped carbon}
- H10P 30/40: into insulating materials
- H10P 50/73: {using masks for insulating materials}
- H10P 72/0604: {Process monitoring, e.g. flow or thickness monitoring}
- H10P 76/40: of masks comprising inorganic materials
- H10P 76/405: {characterised by their composition, e.g. multilayer masks}
- H10P 95/00: Generic processes or apparatus for manufacture or treatments not covered by the other groups of this subclass
- H10P 72/0432: {mainly by conduction}
- H10P 72/0434: {mainly by convection}
- H10P 72/72: using electrostatic chucks
- H01J: ELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS (spark-gaps H01T; electric arc lamps H05B31/00; particle accelerators H05H)
- H10P: GENERIC PROCESSES OR APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10

## Abstract

Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to techniques for deposition of high-density films for patterning applications. In one embodiment, a method of processing a substrate is provided. The method includes depositing a carbon hardmask over a film stack formed on a substrate, wherein the substrate is positioned on an electrostatic chuck disposed in a process chamber, implanting ions into the carbon hardmask, wherein depositing the carbon hardmask and implanting ions into the carbon hardmask are performed in the same process chamber, and repeating depositing the carbon hardmask and implanting ions into the carbon hardmask in a cyclic fashion until a pre-determined thickness of the carbon hardmask is reached.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method of processing a substrate, comprising:
depositing a carbon hardmask over a substrate, wherein the carbon hardmask is deposited by applying a radio frequency (RF) bias to an electrostatic chuck upon which the substrate is positioned to generate a plasma; and
while deposing the carbon hardmask over the substrate, implanting ions from the plasma into the carbon hardmask using the RF bias, wherein depositing the carbon hardmask and implanting ions into the carbon hardmask are simultaneously performed in the same process chamber.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein depositing the carbon hardmask is performed by applying a first RF bias having a first power level to the electrostatic chuck via a first electrode disposed in the electrostatic chuck.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The method of claim 2, wherein the first RF bias is in a range from about 1 Kilowatts to about 15 Kilowatts at a frequency of about 0.4 MHz to about 300 MHz.

### Claim 4 (depends on 2)

The method of claim 2, wherein implanting ions from the plasma into the carbon hardmask includes:
depositing the carbon hardmask over a film stack;
discontinuing a flow of a hydrocarbon-containing gas for forming the carbon hardmask; and
reducing the first power level to a second power level that is sufficient to sustain plasma in the process chamber.

### Claim 5 (depends on 2)

The method of claim 2, wherein the first RF bias provides an implant energy of about 6 keV to about 45 keV.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising:
while depositing the carbon hardmask over the substrate, applying a DC bias voltage to the electrostatic chuck.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The method of claim 6, wherein the DC bias voltage is in a range of about 2 Kilovolts to about 15 Kilovolts.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further including repeating depositing the carbon hardmask and implanting ions into the carbon hardmask in a cyclic fashion until a pre-determined thickness of the carbon hardmask is reached.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein implanting ions into the carbon hardmask is performed by applying a DC bias voltage to the electrostatic chuck via a second electrode disposed in the electrostatic chuck.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9, wherein the DC bias voltage is provided at a pulse frequency of 10 Hz to about 10 kHz with a pulse width of about 5 microseconds to about 30 milliseconds.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein implanting ions into the carbon hardmask is performed by applying a second RF power to the electrostatic chuck via a third electrode disposed in the electrostatic chuck.

### Claim 12

A method of processing a substrate, comprising:
depositing a diamond-like carbon hardmask over a film stack formed on a substrate by applying a first RF power having a first power level to an electrostatic chuck via a first electrode, wherein the substrate is positioned on the electrostatic chuck in which the first electrode is disposed;
implanting ions into the diamond-like carbon hardmask, wherein depositing the diamond-like carbon hardmask and implanting ions into the diamond-like carbon hardmask are performed simultaneously in the same process chamber;
repeating depositing the diamond-like carbon hardmask and implanting ions into the diamond-like carbon hardmask in a cyclic fashion until a pre-determined thickness of the diamond-like carbon hardmask is reached;
patterning the diamond-like carbon hardmask to form a patterned diamond-like carbon hardmask;
etching the film stack using the patterned diamond-like carbon hardmask; and
removing the diamond-like carbon hardmask.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12, wherein implanting ions into the diamond-like carbon hardmask further comprises:
after depositing the diamond-like carbon hardmask over the film stack, discontinuing a flow of a hydrocarbon-containing gas for forming the diamond-like carbon hardmask; and
reducing the first RF power from the first power level to a second power level that is sufficient to sustain plasma in the process chamber.

### Claim 14 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12, wherein implanting ions into the diamond-like carbon hardmask is performed by applying a second RF power to the electrostatic chuck via a third electrode disposed in the electrostatic chuck.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The method of claim 14, wherein the second RF power is pulsed with a duty cycle in a range from about 10% to about 80%.

### Claim 16 (depends on 14)

The method of claim 14, wherein the second RF power is in a range of about 1 Kilowatts to about 10 Kilowatts at a frequency of about 0.4 MHz to about 300 MHz.

### Claim 17 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12, wherein the first RF power provides an implant energy of about 6 keV to about 45 keV.

### Claim 18 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12, wherein implanting ions into the diamond-like carbon hardmask is performed by applying a pulsed DC bias voltage to the electrostatic chuck via a second electrode disposed in the electrostatic chuck.

### Claim 19 (depends on 18)

The method of claim 18, wherein the pulsed DC bias voltage is in a range of about 2 Kilovolts to about 15 Kilovolts.

### Claim 20 (depends on 18)

The method of claim 18, wherein the pulsed DC bias voltage is provided at a pulse frequency of 10 Hz to about 10 kHz with a pulse width of about 5 microseconds to about 30 milliseconds.