Methods for depositing gap-filling fluids and related systems and devices

A method of filling a gap comprising:

• introducing a substrate provided with a gap into a process system;
• executing one or more cycles, a cycle comprising a deposition step and a curing step, the deposition step comprising:
• providing a precursor, the precursor comprising silicon, nitrogen, and hydrogen;
• providing a reactant, wherein the reactant comprises one or more of nitrogen, hydrogen, and a noble gas;
• and,
• generating a plasma;
• whereby the plasma causes the precursor and the reactant to react to form a gap filling fluid that at least partially fills the gap, the gap filling fluid comprising a Si—N bond;
• the curing step comprising:
• simultaneously exposing the substrate to vacuum ultraviolet radiation and to an ambient gas, thereby curing the gap filling fluid and forming silicon nitride in the gap, wherein the ambient gas is a nitrogen and hydrogen-containing gas or an argon-containing gas.

A processing system comprising a first process chamber, a precursor source, a precursor line, an ammonia source, an ammonia line, and a vacuum ultraviolet light source;

• wherein
• the precursor source comprises a precursor, the precursor comprising a Si—N bond;
• the precursor line being arranged for providing the precursor from the precursor source to the first process chamber;
• the ammonia line being arranged for providing ammonia from the ammonia source to the first process chamber;
• and,
• the vacuum ultraviolet light source being arranged for generating vacuum ultraviolet light.