# US 6,294,459 B1 · Anti-reflective coatings and methods for forming and using same > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 6,294,459 B1 - Document ID: US6294459B1 - Status: Granted - Kind: B1 - Application number: 09/146,293 - Filed: 1998-09-03 - Granted: 2001-09-25 - Earliest claimed: 1998-09-03 - Assignees: Micron Technology, Inc. - Inventors: Zhiping Yin; Gurtej Sandhu - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US6294459B1 ## CPC - H10P 14/6682: {the compound being a silane, e.g. disilane, methylsilane or chlorosilane} - H10P 14/6334: {using decomposition or reaction of gaseous or vapour phase compounds, i.e. chemical vapour deposition (deposition by physical ablation of a target H10P14/6329)} - H10P 14/6927: {the material being a silicon oxynitride, e.g. SiON or SiON:H} - H10P 76/2043: {using an anti-reflective coating} - H10W 20/069: {by forming self-aligned vias or self-aligned contact plugs} - H10W 20/081: {by forming openings in the dielectric parts} - H10P 14/6336: {in the presence of a plasma [PECVD]} - H10P: GENERIC PROCESSES OR APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10 - H10W: GENERIC PACKAGES, INTERCONNECTIONS, CONNECTORS OR OTHER CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10 ## Abstract An anti-reflective coating material layer is provided that has a relatively high etch rate such that it can be removed simultaneously with the cleaning of a defined opening in a relatively short period of time without affecting the critical dimensions of the opening. A method of forming such a layer includes providing a substrate assembly surface and using a gas mixture of at least a silicon containing precursor, a nitrogen containing precursor, and an oxygen containing precursor. The layer is formed at a temperature in the range of about 50° C. to about 600° C. Generally, the anti-reflective coating material layer deposited is SixOyNz:H, where x is in the range of about 0.39 to about 0.65, y is in the range of about 0.02 to about 0.56, z is in the range of about 0.05 to about 0.33, and where the atomic percentage of hydrogen in the inorganic anti-reflective coating material layer is in the range of about 10 atomic percent to about 40 atomic percent. The total SiH4 flow is generally in the range of about 80 sccm to about 400 sccm. The gas mixture may include SiH4 and N2O, where the ratio of SiH4:N2O is in the range of about 0.25 to 0.60. The inorganic anti-reflective coating material layer may be used for defining contact openings, openings for forming capacitor structures, or any other openings in oxide layers. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of forming an anti-reflective coating material layer in the fabrication of integrated circuits, the method comprising: providing a substrate assembly having a surface in a reaction chamber; providing a gas mixture of at least a silicon containing precursor, a nitrogen containing precursor, and an oxygen containing precursor in the reaction chamber; and depositing an inorganic anti-reflective coating material layer on the substrate assembly surface using the gas mixture in the reaction chamber at a temperature in the range of about 50° C. to about 400° C., wherein depositing the inorganic anti-reflective coating material layer includes subjecting the gas mixture to a glow discharge created by applying an electromagnetic field across the gas mixture, and further wherein the inorganic anti-reflective coating material layer is SixOyNz:H, where x is in the range of about 0.39 to about 0.65, y is in the range of about 0.02 to about 0.56, z is in the range of about 0.05 to about 0.33, and where the atomic percentage of hydrogen in the inorganic anti-reflective coating material layer is in the range of about 10 atomic percent to about 40 atomic percent. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the silicon containing precursor is SiH4, and further wherein the nitrogen containing precursor and oxygen containing precursor is N2O. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method according to claim 2, wherein providing the gas mixture includes providing a total flow of SiH4 in a range of about 80 sccm to about 400 sccm. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The method according to claim 3, wherein providing the gas mixture includes providing a total flow of SiH4 in a range of about 150 sccm to about 400 sccm. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The method according to claim 3, wherein providing the gas mixture includes providing a total flow of SiH4 in a range of about 80 sccm to about 400 sccm. ### Claim 6 A method of forming an anti-reflective coating material layer in the fabrication of integrated circuits, the method comprising: providing a substrate assembly having a surface in a reaction chamber; providing a gas mixture of at least a silicon containing precursor, a nitrogen containing precursor, and an oxygen containing precursor in the reaction chamber, wherein the silicon containing precursor is SiH4, wherein the nitrogen containing precursor and oxygen containing precursor is N2O, wherein providing the gas mixture includes providing a total flow of SiH4 in a range of about 80 sccm to about 400 sccm, and further wherein providing the gas mixture further includes providing a flow of N2O in a range such that the ratio of the total flows of SiH4:N2O is in a range of about 0.60 ; and depositing an inorganic anti-reflective coating material layer on the substrate assembly surface using the gas mixture in the reaction chamber at a temperature in the range of about 50° C. to about 400° C., wherein depositing the inorganic anti-reflective coating material layer includes subjecting the gas mixture to a glow discharge created by applying an electromagnetic field across the gas mixture, wherein the inorganic anti-reflective coating material layer is SixOyNz:H, where x is in the range of about 0.39 to about 0.65, y is in the range of about 0.02 to about 0.56, z is in the range of about 0.05 to about 0.33, and where the atomic percentage of hydrogen in the inorganic anti-reflective coating material layer is in the range of about 10 atomic percent to about 40 atomic percent, and further wherein depositing the inorganic anti-reflective coating material layer includes depositing the inorganic anti-reflective coating material layer at a deposition pressure in a range of about 3.5 torr to about 6.5 torr, and further wherein the glow discharge is created by applying a radio frequency electromagnetic field of 13.56 megahertz at a power density of about 50 W/cm2 to about to about 500 W/cm2. ### Claim 7 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein providing the gas mixture further includes providing an additional nitrogen containing precursor. ### Claim 8 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein providing the gas mixture further includes providing an inert dilution gas in the reaction chamber. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the temperature is in the range of about 200° C. to about 400° C. ### Claim 10 A method of forming an anti-reflective coating material layer in the fabrication of integrated circuits, the method comprising: providing a substrate assembly having a surface in a reaction chamber; providing a gas mixture of at least a silicon containing precursor, a nitrogen containing precursor, and an oxygen containing precursor in the reaction chamber; and depositing an inorganic anti-reflective coating material layer on the substrate assembly surface using the gas mixture in the reaction chamber at a temperature in the range of about 50° C. to about 400° C., wherein depositing the inorganic anti-reflective coating material layer includes subjecting the gas mixture to a glow discharge created by applying an electromagnetic field across the gas mixture, wherein the inorganic anti-reflective coating material layer is SixOyNz:H, where x is in the range of about 0.39 to about 0.65, y is in the range of about 0.02 to about 0.56, z is in the range of about 0.05 to about 0.33, and where the atomic percentage of hydrogen in the inorganic anti-reflective coating material layer is in the range of about 10 atomic percent to about 40 atomic percent, and further wherein depositing the anti-reflective coating material layer comprises depositing an anti-reflective coating material layer having an index of refraction in a range of about 1.7 to about 2.7 and an absorptive coefficient in a range of about 0.01 to about 1.5 at a wavelength of 248 nanometers or 365 nanometers. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the silicon containing precursor is disilane. ### Claim 12 A method of forming an anti-reflective coating material layer in the fabrication of integrated circuits, the method comprising: providing a substrate assembly having a surface in a reaction chamber; providing a gas mixture of at least SiH4 and N2O in the reaction chamber, wherein providing the gas mixture includes providing a total flow of SiH4 in a range of about 150 sccm to about 400 sccm; and depositing the inorganic anti-reflective coating material layer on the substrate assembly surface in the reaction chamber, wherein the deposition includes subjecting the gas mixture to a glow discharge created by applying an electromagnetic field across the gas mixture. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein the total flow of SiH4 is in the range of about 200 sccm to about 350 sccm. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein the temperature of the surface is maintained in the range of about 50° C. to about 600° C. ### Claim 15 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein providing the gas mixture further includes providing a flow of N2O in a range such that the ratio of the total flows of SiH4:N2O is in a range of about 0.60 to about 0.25. ### Claim 16 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein depositing the inorganic anti-reflective layer includes depositing the inorganic anti-reflective layer at a deposition pressure in a range of about 3.5 torr to about 6.5 torr, and further wherein the glow discharge is created by applying a radio frequency electromagnetic field of 13.56 megahertz at a power density of about 50 W/cm2 to about 500 W/cm2. ### Claim 17 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein depositing the inorganic anti-reflective coating material layer comprises depositing an anti-reflective coating material layer having an index of refraction in a range of about 1.7 to about 2.7 and an absorptive coefficient in a range of about 0.01 to about 1.5 at a wavelength of 248 nanometers or 365 nanometers. ### Claim 18 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein the inorganic anti-reflective coating material layer is SixOyNz:H, where x is in the range of about 0.39 to about 0.65, y is in the range of about 0.02 to about 0.56, z is in the range of about 0.05 to about 0.33, and where the atomic percentage of hydrogen in the inorganic anti-reflective coating material layer is in a range of about 10 atomic percent to about 40 atomic percent. ### Claim 19 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein providing the gas mixture further includes providing an additional nitrogen containing precursor in the reaction chamber. ### Claim 20 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein providing the gas mixture further includes providing an inert dilution gas in the reaction chamber.