Flowable film formation and treatments

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11615966-B2
Application number	US-202016932801-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 19, 2020
Priority date	Jul 19, 2020
Publication date	Mar 28, 2023
Grant date	Mar 28, 2023

Abstract

Exemplary processing methods may include forming a plasma of a silicon-containing precursor. The methods may include depositing a flowable film on a semiconductor substrate with plasma effluents of the silicon-containing precursor. The semiconductor substrate may define a feature within the semiconductor substrate. The methods may include forming a plasma of a hydrogen-containing precursor within the processing region of the semiconductor processing chamber. A bias power may be applied to the substrate support from a bias power source. The methods may include etching the flowable film from a sidewall of the feature within the semiconductor substrate with plasma effluents of the hydrogen-containing precursor. The methods may include densifying remaining flowable film within the feature defined within the semiconductor substrate with plasma effluents of the hydrogen-containing precursor.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A processing method comprising:
forming a plasma of a silicon-containing precursor;
depositing a flowable film on a semiconductor substrate with plasma effluents of the silicon-containing precursor, wherein the semiconductor substrate is housed in a processing region of a semiconductor processing chamber, wherein the semiconductor substrate defines a feature within the semiconductor substrate, and wherein the processing region is at least partially defined between a faceplate and a substrate support on which the semiconductor substrate is seated;
forming a plasma of a hydrogen-containing precursor within the processing region of the semiconductor processing chamber, wherein the plasma of the hydrogen-containing precursor is formed at a first power level from a plasma power source, and wherein a bias power is applied to the substrate support from a bias power source at a second power level less than the first power level;
etching the flowable film from a sidewall of the feature within the semiconductor substrate and from overhang regions of the semiconductor substrate with plasma effluents of the hydrogen-containing precursor, wherein the etching fully removes the flowable film from the sidewall of the feature above a base fill of the feature; and
densifying remaining flowable film within the feature defined within the semiconductor substrate with plasma effluents of the hydrogen-containing precursor.

2. The processing method of claim 1 , wherein the feature within the semiconductor substrate is characterized by an aspect ratio of greater than or about 5:1, and wherein the feature is characterized by a width across the feature of less than or about 10 nm.

3. The processing method of claim 1 , wherein the bias power source is operated in a pulsing mode at a pulsing frequency of less than or about 1 kHz.

4. The processing method of claim 3 , wherein the plasma power source is operated in a continuous wave mode while the bias power source is operated in the pulsing mode.

5. The processing method of claim 3 , wherein the bias power source is operated at a duty cycle of less than or about 75%.

6. The processing method of claim 1 , wherein the bias power source is engaged subsequent engagement of the plasma power source.

7. The processing method of claim 1 , wherein the densifying comprises reducing a hydrogen content of the flowable film to less than or about 30 at. %.

8. The processing method of claim 1 , further comprising:
subsequent the densifying, forming a plasma of a conversion precursor; and
converting the flowable film to a modified film.

9. The processing method of claim 8 , wherein the conversion precursor comprises a nitrogen-containing precursor, an oxygen-containing precursor, or a carbon-containing precursor.

10. The processing method of claim 8 , wherein the method is repeated in a second cycle.

11. The processing method of claim 8 , wherein a temperature of the semiconductor substrate is maintained at a temperature of less than or about 0° C. during the method.

12. A processing method comprising:
forming a plasma of a silicon-containing precursor;
depositing a flowable film on a semiconductor substrate with plasma effluents of the silicon-containing precursor, wherein the semiconductor substrate is housed in a processing region of a semiconductor processing chamber, wherein the semiconductor substrate defines a feature within the semiconductor substrate;
forming a plasma of a hydrogen-containing precursor within the processing region of the semiconductor processing chamber, wherein the plasma of the hydrogen-containing precursor is formed at a first power level for a plasma power source, and wherein a bias power is applied from a bias power source to the plasma of the hydrogen-containing precursor at a second power level;
etching the flowable film from a sidewall of the feature defined within the semiconductor substrate with plasma effluents of the hydrogen-containing precursor, wherein the etching fully removes the flowable film from the sidewall of the feature above a base fill of the feature; and
densifying remaining flowable film within the feature defined within the semiconductor substrate with plasma effluents of the hydrogen-containing precursor.

13. The processing method of claim 12 , wherein a plasma power source providing the first power level is operated continuously while the bias power source is operated in a pulsing mode at a frequency of less than or about 1 kHz.

14. The processing method of claim 13 , wherein the bias power source is operated at a duty cycle of less than or about 50%.

15. The processing method of claim 12 , further comprising:
subsequent the densifying, forming a plasma of a conversion precursor; and
converting the flowable film to a modified film.

16. The processing method of claim 15 , wherein the conversion precursor comprises a nitrogen-containing precursor, an oxygen-containing precursor, or a carbon-containing precursor.

17. The processing method of claim 16 , wherein the modified film comprises silicon nitride, silicon oxide, or silicon carbide.

18. A processing method comprising:
forming a plasma of a silicon-containing precursor;
depositing a flowable film on a semiconductor substrate with plasma effluents of the silicon-containing precursor, wherein the semiconductor substrate is housed in a processing region of a semiconductor processing chamber, wherein the semiconductor substrate defines a feature within the semiconductor substrate;
forming a plasma of a hydrogen-containing precursor within the processing region of the semiconductor processing chamber;
etching the flowable film from a sidewall of the feature defined within the semiconductor substrate with plasma effluents of the hydrogen-containing precursor, wherein the etching fully removes the flowable film from the sidewall of the feature above a base fill of the feature;
densifying remaining flowable film within the feature defined within the semiconductor substrate with plasma effluents of the hydrogen-containing precursor;
forming a plasma of a conversion precursor; and
converting the flowable film to a modified film.

19. The processing method of claim 18 , wherein the modified film comprises silicon and one or more of nitrogen, oxygen, or carbon.

Assignees

• Applied Materials Inc

Inventors

• Jiang Shishi
• Jha Praket Prakash
• Mallick Abhijit Basu

Classifications

• H10P50/282

  of inorganic materials · CPC title

• H10P50/268

  of silicon-containing layers · CPC title

• H10P50/267

  using plasmas · CPC title

• H10P50/263

  of silicon-containing layers · CPC title

• H10P50/242

  of Group IV materials · CPC title