In-situ silicon nitride and silicon based oxide deposition with graded interface for damascene application

A process comprising:

• forming a silicon nitride film over a substrate using a silicon-containing gas and a nitrogen-containing gas within a plasma process chamber;
• forming a silicon oxynitride interface film upon the silicon nitride film within the plasma process chamber by introducing an oxygen-containing gas into the silicon-containing gas and the nitrogen-containing gas into the plasma process chamber;
• forming a silicon oxide film on the interface film;
• forming an opening extending through the silicon oxide film, the interface film, and the silicon nitride film over the substrate;
• and
• forming an electrically conductive film within the opening.

A process for forming a semiconductor device, comprising:

• providing a semiconductor substrate;
• forming a silicon nitride etch stop film on the semiconductor substrate;
• forming a graded silicon oxynitride film on the silicon nitride etch stop film;
• forming a silicon oxide film on the graded silicon oxynitride film;
• forming an opening extending through the silicon oxide film, the silicon oxynitride film and the silicon nitride etch stop film;
• forming an electrically conductive film within the opening;
• planarizing the electrically conductive film by chemical mechanical polishing.

A process comprising:

• providing a semiconductor substrate within a plasma process chamber;
• forming a silicon nitride film on the semiconductor substrate within the plasma process chamber;
• forming a graded silicon oxynitride film on the silicon nitride film within the same plasma process chamber by introducing an oxygen-containing gas into the plasma process chamber;
• forming a silicon oxide film on the graded silicon oxynitride film within the same plasma process chamber;
• forming an opening within the silicon oxide film at the first dimension;
• forming an opening within the silicon oxide film at a second dimension that extends the opening at the first dimension to the substrate.