Methods of forming materials over uneven surface topologies, and methods of forming insulative materials over and between conductive lines

A semiconductor processing method of forming a material over metal-comprising lines, comprising:

• providing a first insulative material substrate;
• forming a pair of spaced metal-comprising lines over the substrate;
• the spaced metal-comprising lines defining an uneven surface topology which comprises the lines and a valley between the lines;
• forming a layer of second insulative material over the uneven surface topology, the layer comprising outwardly projecting portions over the lines and having a gap over the valley;
• and
• subjecting the layer of second insulative material to an etch which forms a protective material at the bottom of the gap;
• the protective material substantially preventing the second insulative material from being etched from a bottom of the gap;
• wherein the etching comprises high density plasma etching utilizing an etching gas that includes at least one compound comprising both a halogen and carbon.

A semiconductor processing method of forming and etching a material, comprising:

• providing a substrate having spaced projections extending thereover;
• forming a first layer of a first insulative material over the projections, the first layer of first insulative material comprising outwardly extending portions over the projections of the substrate and having a gap over the space between the projections;
• depositing a first protective material within the gap to at least partially fill the gap;
• and
• after the depositing subjecting the first layer to a first plasma etch utilizing an etching gas, the first plasma etch forming a second protective material within the gap while removing an outermost surface of the first layer of first insulative material, the first and second protective materials preventing first insulative material of the first layer from being removed from a bottom of the gap;
• wherein the first plasma etch utilizes a high density plasma and occurs in a high density plasma reactor utilizing a source power of from about 800 watts to about 1500 watts a bias power of from about 500 watts to about 1600 watts, a pressure of from about 5 mTorr to about 100 mTorr, a roof temperature of from about 100° C. to about 250° C., a ring temperature of from about 150° C. to about 350° C., and an etching gas comprising at least one of a fluorocarbon or a hydrofluorocarbon.

A semiconductor processing method of forming an insulative material over and between conductive lines, comprising:

• providing a substrate having a pair of spaced conductive lines formed thereover;
• forming a first layer of insulative material over the substrate and the spaced conductive lines, the first layer comprising outwardly projecting portions over the lines and having a gap over the space between the lines;
• subjecting the first layer to a first high density plasma etch to remove at least some of the material of the first layer from over the conductive lines;
• the first plasma etch utilizing an etching gas that comprises at least one compound that includes both a halogen and carbon and substantially not etching the insulative material of the first layer from the bottom of the gap;
• and
• providing a second layer of insulative material over the etched first layer.