Systems and methods for depositing low-K dielectric films

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12500080-B2
Application number	US-202217896734-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 26, 2022
Priority date	Aug 26, 2022
Publication date	Dec 16, 2025
Grant date	Dec 16, 2025

Abstract

Embodiments include semiconductor processing methods to form low-κ films on semiconductor substrates are described. The processing methods may include flowing one or more deposition precursors to a semiconductor processing system. The one or more deposition precursors may include a silicon-containing precursor that may be a cyclic compound. The methods may include generating a deposition plasma from the one or more deposition precursors. The methods may include depositing a silicon-and-carbon-containing material on the substrate from plasma effluents of the deposition plasma. The silicon-and-carbon-containing material as-deposited may be characterized by a dielectric constant less than or about 3.0.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1 . A semiconductor processing method comprising:
flowing one or more deposition precursors to a semiconductor processing system, wherein the one or more deposition precursors include a silicon-containing precursor, wherein the silicon-containing precursor is a cyclic compound; generating a deposition plasma from the one or more deposition precursors; and depositing a silicon-and-carbon-containing material on a substrate from plasma effluents of the deposition plasma, wherein the silicon-and-carbon-containing material as-deposited is characterized by a dielectric constant less than or equal to 3.0.

2 . The semiconductor processing method of claim 1 , wherein the silicon-containing precursor is characterized by Formula 1:

wherein R′ is a C 1 -C 6 alkyl group, a C 1 -C 6 allyl group, or hydrogen, wherein x is between 0 and 3;
wherein R″ is a C 1 -C 6 alkyl group, wherein y is between 0 and 3; and
wherein X is a C 1 -C 6 alkyl group, a C 1 -C 6 allyl group, NO 2 , NH 2 , OR′, or hydrogen, wherein n is between 0 and 4.

3 . The semiconductor processing method of claim 1 , wherein the silicon-containing precursor comprises a benzene ring, a cyclopentane ring, or a cyclohexane ring.

4 . The semiconductor processing method of claim 1 , wherein the deposition precursors further include molecular oxygen (O 2 ), diatomic hydrogen (H 2 ), or a combination of both.

5 . The semiconductor processing method of claim 4 , wherein generating the deposition plasma from the one or more deposition precursors comprises forming the deposition plasma in a remote plasma unit.

6 . The semiconductor processing method of claim 1 , wherein the silicon-and-carbon-containing material is characterized by a methyl incorporation greater than or equal to 2.0 at. %.

7 . The semiconductor processing method of claim 1 , wherein the silicon-and-carbon-containing material is characterized by a Young's modulus of greater than or equal to 3 GPa.

8 . The semiconductor processing method of claim 1 , wherein the silicon-and-carbon-containing material is characterized by a hardness of greater than or equal to 0.5 GPa.

9 . A semiconductor processing method comprising:
flowing deposition precursors to a semiconductor processing system, wherein the deposition precursors include a silicon-containing precursor and a carbon-containing precursor, and wherein the carbon-containing precursor is a cyclic compound; generating a deposition plasma from the one or more deposition precursors; and depositing a silicon-and-carbon-containing material on a substrate from plasma effluents of the deposition plasma, wherein the silicon-and-carbon-containing material as-deposited is characterized by a dielectric constant less than or equal to 3.0.

10 . The semiconductor processing method of claim 9 , wherein a temperature is maintained at less than or equal to 420° C. during the generation of the deposition plasma.

11 . The semiconductor processing method of claim 9 , wherein the deposition precursors further include molecular oxygen (O 2 ).

12 . The semiconductor processing method of claim 9 , wherein the deposition precursors further include diatomic hydrogen (H 2 ).

13 . The semiconductor processing method of claim 9 , generating the deposition plasma from the one or more deposition precursors comprises forming the deposition plasma in a remote plasma unit.

14 . The semiconductor processing method of claim 9 , wherein the silicon-and-carbon-containing material as-deposited is characterized by a Young's modulus of greater than or equal to 5 GPa.

15 . A semiconductor processing method comprising:
flowing deposition precursors into a substrate processing region of a semiconductor processing chamber, wherein the deposition precursors include a silicon-containing precursor, and wherein the deposition precursors comprise a cyclic compound; generating a deposition plasma from the deposition precursors within the substrate processing region; and depositing a silicon-and-carbon-containing material on the substrate from plasma effluents of the deposition plasma, wherein the silicon-and-carbon-containing material as-deposited is characterized by a dielectric constant less than or equal to 3.0, and wherein the silicon-and-carbon-containing material as-deposited is characterized by a Young's modulus of greater than or equal to 4.0 GPa.

16 . The semiconductor processing method of claim 15 , wherein the silicon-containing precursor comprises the cyclic compound of the deposition precursors.

17 . The semiconductor processing method of claim 15 , wherein the deposition precursors further include at least one carrier gas comprising helium or nitrogen (N 2 ).

18 . The semiconductor processing method of claim 15 , wherein generating the deposition plasma comprises applying a RF power of less than or equal to 500 W.

19 . The semiconductor processing method of claim 15 , wherein a flow rate of the deposition precursors is characterized by less than or equal to 500 mg/min.

20 . The semiconductor processing method of claim 15 , further comprising performing a post-deposition treatment to the silicon-and-carbon-containing material, wherein the post-deposition treatment comprises a UV cure or a thermal anneal.

Assignees

• Applied Materials Inc

Inventors

• Gangopadhyay Shruba
• Bhuyan Bhaskar Jyoti
• Haverty Michael
• Xie Bo
• Xia Li-Qun
• Lu Rui
• Liu Yijun
• Xiong Ruitong
• Li Xiaobo
• Kalutarage Lakmal C
• Bagby Lauren

Classifications

• H10P14/6681

  the precursor containing a compound comprising Si · CPC title

• H10P14/6336

  in the presence of a plasma [PECVD] · CPC title

• H10P14/6922 Primary

  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 · CPC title

• H10P14/6538

  by exposure to UV light · CPC title

• H10P14/6686

  the compound being a molecule comprising at least one silicon-oxygen bond and the compound having hydrogen or an organic group attached to the silicon or oxygen, e.g. a siloxane · CPC title