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US 7,071,129 B2Granted
Enhancing adhesion of silicon nitride films to carbon-containing oxide films
AssigneeIntel Corporation
InventorsChia-Hong Jan, Tracey Scherban, Ying Zhou, Adam Schafer, Brett Robert Schroeder
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Abstract
Adhesion between silicon nitride etch-stop layers and carbon doped oxide films may be improved by using plasma argon densification treatments of the carbon doped oxide films. The resulting surface layer of the carbon doped oxide films may be carbon-depleted and may include a relatively rough interface to improve the adhesion of deposited silicon nitride films.
Claims9
A method comprising:
- forming a carbon depleted surface layer with protrusions that extend into carbon doped oxide film.
An integrated circuit comprising:
- a substrate;
- a carbon doped oxide film over said substrate, said film having a carbon depleted, densified upper surface, wherein said carbon doped oxide film has protrusions that extend downwardly into said film from said densified upper surface;
- and
- a silicon nitride layer adhered to said carbon doped oxide film on said surface.
1 more element
A method comprising:
- densifying a carbon doped oxide film and forming a carbon depleted surface layer on said carbon doped oxide film;
- forming a silicon nitride layer over said densified carbon doped oxide film;
- and
- forming protrusions that extend into said carbon doped oxide film from said carbon depleted surface layer.
1 more element
A method comprising:
- forming a carbon depleted surface layer on a carbon doped oxide film;
- forming a silicon nitride layer over said surface layer of said carbon doped oxide film;
- and
- forming protrusions that extend into said carbon doped oxide film from said surface layer.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.