Post-deposition treatment to enhance properties of Si-O-C low K films
AssigneeApplied Materials, Inc.
InventorsLi-Qun Xia, Frederic Gaillard, Ellie Yieh, Tian H. Lim
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Abstract
A method for providing a dielectric film having enhanced adhesion and stability. The method includes a post deposition treatment that densifies the film in a reducing atmosphere to enhance stability if the film is to be cured ex-situ. The densification generally takes place in a reducing environment while heating the substrate. The densification treatment is particularly suitable for silicon-oxygen-carbon low dielectric constant films that have been deposited at low temperature.
Claims13
A method for forming an insulation layer over a substrate and treating the insulation layer after its formation, the method comprising:
- flowing a process gas into a substrate processing chamber in which the substrate is disposed;
- heating the substrate in the substrate processing chamber to form a carbon-doped silicon oxide insulation layer over the substrate with said process gas;
- densifying the insulation layer by exposing the substrate to a reducing environment;
- and
- thereafter, curing the insulation layer.
A method of forming a carbon-doped silicon oxide layer over a substrate, the method comprising:
- depositing the carbon-doped silicon oxide layer over the substrate from a process gas that includes an organosilane precursor having at least one silicon-carbon bond and ozone while heating the substrate to a temperature less than 250° C.;
- thereafter, heating the carbon-doped silicon oxide layer in a reducing environment;
- and
- thereafter, curing the carbon-doped silicon layer by heating the layer to a temperature between 300-500° C. for at least 15 minutes.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.