# US 8,569,183 B2 · Low temperature dielectric flow using microwaves

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- Number: US 8,569,183 B2
- Document ID: US8569183B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 13/035,653
- Filed: 2011-02-25
- Published: 2011-09-01
- Granted: 2013-10-29
- Earliest claimed: 2010-03-01
- Assignees: Fairchild Semiconductor Corporation
- Applicants: Robert J. Purtell
- Inventors: Robert J. Purtell
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8569183B2

## CPC

- H10P 14/6338: {the reactions being activated by other means than plasma or thermal, e.g. photo-CVD}
- H10P 14/6336: {in the presence of a plasma [PECVD]}
- H10P 14/6536: {by exposure to radiation, e.g. visible light}
- H10P 14/6922: {the material containing Si, O and at least one of H, N, C, F or other non-metal elements, e.g. SiOC, SiOC:H or SiONC}
- H10P 14/6923: {the material being boron or phosphorus doped silicon oxides, e.g. BPSG, BSG or PSG}
- H10P 95/00: Generic processes or apparatus for manufacture or treatments not covered by the other groups of this subclass
- H10P: GENERIC PROCESSES OR APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10

## Abstract

Semiconductor devices and methods for making such devices are described. The semiconductor devices contain dielectric layers that have been deposited and/or flowed by the application of microwave energy (“MW dielectric layers”). The dielectric layers can be made by providing a substrate in a reaction chamber, flowing a precursor gas mixture (containing atoms that react to form a dielectric material) in the reaction chamber, and then subjecting the gas mixture to microwave energy at a frequency and power density sufficient to cause the atoms of the precursor gas mixture to react and deposit to form a dielectric layer on the substrate. As well, the devices can be made by applying microwave energy to an already-deposited dielectric film at a frequency and power density sufficient to cause the atoms of the deposited dielectric material to flow. Using microwave energy permits the dielectric layer to be formed using low temperature processing, providing several benefits to the semiconductor device along with process flow efficiency and low cost. Other embodiments are described.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method for making a dielectric layer, comprising:
providing a substrate in a deposition chamber, wherein the upper surface of the substrate comprises a silicide-containing conductive material, a semiconductor material, or an insulating material;
providing a precursor gas mixture in the deposition chamber, the precursor gas mixture containing atoms that react to form a dielectric material; and
providing microwave energy at a frequency sufficient to cause the atoms of the precursor gas mixture to react and deposit a BPTEOS or BPSG dielectric layer on a portion of the substrate.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the time for the reaction ranges up to about 120 minutes.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the dielectric layer comprises a low-k gate dielectric material.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the temperature in the deposition chamber when the microwave energy is provided ranges up to about 800° C.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the dielectric layer comprises a GTT agent, an adsorption agent, or both.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The method of claim 5, wherein the GTT agent comprises B and the adsorption agent comprises P.

### Claim 7

A method for making a dielectric layer, comprising:
providing a substrate in a deposition chamber;
forming a dielectric layer on a portion of the substrate in the deposition chamber;
moving the substrate with the dielectric layer into a reaction chamber; and
providing microwave energy at a frequency sufficient to cause the dielectric layer to flow.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The method of claim 7, wherein the upper surface of the substrate comprises a conductive material, a semiconductor material, or an insulating material.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, wherein the conductive material comprises a silicide.

### Claim 10 (depends on 7)

The method of claim 7, wherein the time for the reaction ranges up to about 120 minutes.

### Claim 11 (depends on 7)

The method of claim 7, wherein the dielectric layer is BPTEOS or BPSG.

### Claim 12 (depends on 7)

The method of claim 7, wherein the dielectric layer comprises a low-k gate dielectric material.

### Claim 13 (depends on 7)

The method of claim 7, wherein the dielectric layer comprises a GTT agent, an adsorption agent, or both.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13, wherein the GTT agent comprises B and the adsorption agent comprises P.

### Claim 15

A method for making a dielectric layer, comprising:
providing a substrate in a chamber;
providing a precursor gas mixture in the chamber, the precursor gas mixture containing atoms that react to form a dielectric material;
providing microwave energy at a frequency sufficient to cause the atoms of the precursor gas mixture to react and deposit a dielectric layer on a portion of the substrate; and
while in the same chamber, providing microwave energy at a frequency sufficient to cause the dielectric layer to flow.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The method of claim 15, wherein the time for the reaction ranges up to about 120 minutes.

### Claim 17 (depends on 15)

The method of claim 15, wherein the temperature in the reaction chamber when the microwave energy is provided ranges up to about 800° C.

### Claim 18 (depends on 15)

The method of claim 15, wherein the dielectric layer comprises BPTEOS or BPSG.

### Claim 19 (depends on 15)

The method of claim 15, wherein the dielectric layer comprises a low-k gate dielectric material.

### Claim 20 (depends on 15)

The method of claim 15, wherein the dielectric layer comprises a GTT agent, an adsorption agent, or both.

### Claim 21

A method for making a dielectric layer, comprising:
providing a substrate in a deposition chamber wherein the upper surface of the substrate comprises a silicide-containing conductive material, a semiconductor material, or an insulating material;
providing a precursor gas mixture in the deposition chamber, the precursor gas mixture containing atoms that react to form a dielectric material comprising silicon oxides, silicon nitrides, aluminum oxides, polyimides, spin-on-glass (SOG) materials, fluorinated polyimides, polyarylene ethers, polyarylenes, cyclotenes, parylene N, polynorbornes, polyimide-SSQ hybrids, alkyl-silanes/N2O, amorphous fluoroplastics, polytetrafluoroethylene microemulsion, polyimide nanofoams, silica aerogels, silica xerogels, mesoporous silica, or low-k gate dielectric materials; and
providing microwave energy at a frequency sufficient to cause the atoms of the precursor gas mixture to react and deposit a dielectric layer comprising a GTT agent, an adsorption agent, or both on a portion of the substrate.

### Claim 22 (depends on 21)

The method of claim 21, wherein the time for the reaction ranges up to about 120 minutes.

### Claim 23 (depends on 21)

The method of claim 21, wherein the temperature in the deposition chamber when the microwave energy is provided ranges up to about 800° C.

### Claim 24 (depends on 21)

The method of claim 21, wherein the GTT agent comprises B and the adsorption agent comprises P.

### Claim 25

A method for making a dielectric layer, comprising:
providing a substrate in a deposition chamber, wherein the upper surface of the substrate comprises a silicide-containing conductive material, a semiconductor material, or an insulating material;
providing a precursor gas mixture in the deposition chamber, the precursor gas mixture containing atoms that react to form a dielectric material; and
providing microwave energy at a frequency sufficient to cause the atoms of the precursor gas mixture to react and deposit a dielectric layer comprising a GTT agent, an adsorption agent, or both on a portion of the substrate.

### Claim 26 (depends on 25)

The method of claim 25, wherein the dielectric layer comprises a low-k gate dielectric material.

### Claim 27 (depends on 25)

The method of claim 25, wherein the temperature in the deposition chamber when the microwave energy is provided ranges up to about 800° C.

### Claim 28 (depends on 25)

The method of claim 25, wherein the GTT agent comprises B and the adsorption agent comprises P.

### Claim 29

A method for making a dielectric layer in a semiconductor device, comprising:
providing a MOS semiconductor device containing a substrate in a deposition chamber, wherein the upper surface of the substrate comprises a silicide-containing conductive material, a semiconductor material, or an insulating material;
providing a precursor gas mixture in the deposition chamber, the precursor gas mixture containing atoms that react to form a dielectric material; and
providing microwave energy at a frequency sufficient to cause the atoms of the precursor gas mixture to react and deposit a BPTEOS or BPSG dielectric layer on a portion of the substrate.

### Claim 30 (depends on 29)

The method of claim 29, wherein the dielectric layer comprises a low-k gate dielectric material.

### Claim 31 (depends on 29)

The method of claim 29, wherein the temperature in the deposition chamber when the microwave energy is provided ranges up to about 800° C.

### Claim 32 (depends on 29)

The method of claim 29, wherein the dielectric layer comprised a GTT agent, an adsorption agent, or both.

### Claim 33 (depends on 32)

The method of claim 32, wherein the GTT agent comprises B and the adsorption agent comprises P.

### Claim 34 (depends on 29)

The method of claim 29, wherein the MOS semiconductor device is a CMOS, UMOS, LDMOS, bipolar, or BiCMOS device.