Removal of carbon from an insulative layer using ozone
AssigneeMicron Technology, Inc.
InventorsGurtej S. Sandhu, Li Li
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method of removing residual carbon deposits from a flowable, insulative material. The flowable, insulative material comprises silicon, carbon, and hydrogen and is a flowable oxide material or a spin-on, flowable oxide material. The residual carbon deposits are removed from the flowable, insulative material by exposing the material to ozone. The flowable, insulative material is used to form an insulative layer in a trench located on a semiconductor substrate.
Claims57
A method of removing residual carbon deposits, comprising:
- providing a flowable, insulative layer comprising silicon, carbon, and hydrogen;
- and
- exposing the flowable, insulative layer to a gas that consists essentially of ozone to remove residual carbon deposits from the flowable, insulative layer.
A method of treating an intermediate semiconductor device structure to remove carbon deposits, comprising:
- providing a semiconductor substrate comprising at least one trench;
- forming an insulative layer in the at least one trench;
- and
- exposing the insulative layer to a gas that consists essentially of ozone to remove residual carbon deposits from the insulative layer.
A method of treating an intermediate semiconductor device structure to remove carbon deposits, comprising:
- providing a semiconductor substrate comprising at least one trench;
- depositing a flowable oxide material in the at least one trench;
- and
- introducing a gas that consists essentially of ozone into the at least one trench to remove residual carbon deposits present in the flowable oxide material.
A method of removing residual carbon deposits, comprising:
- providing a flowable, insulative layer comprising silicon, carbon, and hydrogen;
- and
- exposing the flowable, insulative layer to a concentration of ozone greater than approximately 1% to remove residual carbon deposits from the flowable, insulative layer.
A method of removing residual carbon deposits, comprising:
- providing a flowable, insulative layer comprising silicon, carbon, and hydrogen;
- and
- exposing the flowable, insulative layer to ozone at a rate of between approximately 10 standard cubic centimeters per minute and approximately 20,000 standard cubic centimeters per minute to remove residual carbon deposits from the flowable, insulative layer.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.