Process for forming highly conformal dielectric coatings in the manufacture of integrated circuits and product produced thereby

A process for depositing silicon dioxide or silicon nitride insulating layers on semiconductor substrates which comprises the steps of:

• a. inserting a semiconductor substrate between reaction electrodes within a plasma reaction chamber,
• b. introducing diethylsilane, C.sub.4 H.sub.12 Si, and either a selected oxygen-containing or nitrogen-containing compound into said plasma reaction chamber while maintaining said diethylsilane at a source temperature between room temperature of about 25.degree. C. and a temperature of about 35.degree. C., and
• c. creating a plasma reaction between said diethylsilane and said oxygen-containing or nitrogen-containing compound to thereby deposit either an oxide coating or a nitride coating on a surface of said semiconductor substrate which is exposed to said plasma reaction.

An integrated circuit having highly conformal layers of either silicon dioxide, SiO.sub.2, or silicon nitride, Si.sub.3 N.sub.4, formed on the surface of a silicon substrate, said conformal layers being formed to a conformality in the range of 85%-98% by the process of:

• a. inserting a silicon substrate between reaction electrodes within a plasma reaction chamber,
• b. introducing diethylsilane and either a selected oxygen-containing or nitrogen-containing compound into said plasma reaction chamber, said nitrogen containing compound being ammonia, NH.sub.3, and said oxygen containing compound being selected from the group consisting of oxygen, O.sub.2, and nitrous oxide, N.sub.2 O, and
• c. creating a plasma reaction between said diethylsilane and said selected oxygen-containing or nitrogen-containing compound at a predetermined temperature to thereby deposit either an oxide coating or a nitride coating on a surface of said silicon substrate which is exposed to said plasma reaction.