Claims
- 1. A method for processing a substrate, comprising:
depositing a low dielectric constant layer on the substrate in a processing chamber; introducing a processing gas into the processing chamber; generating a plasma of the processing gas in the processing chamber; and exposing the low dielectric constant layer to the plasma of the processing gas.
- 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the low dielectric constant layer has an oxygen content of about 6% or less by atomic concentration.
- 3. The method of claim 1, wherein the low dielectric constant layer comprises silicon carbide.
- 4. The method of claim 1, wherein the processing gas is an inert gas selected from the group consisting of helium, argon, and combinations thereof.
- 5. The method of claim 1, wherein exposing the low dielectric constant layer to the plasma increases the density of a surface of the low k dielectric constant layer.
- 6. The method of claim 1, wherein the processing gas is a nitrating gas selected from the group consisting of ammonia, nitrogen, nitrous oxide, and combinations thereof.
- 7. The method of claim 6, wherein the nitrating gas forms a nitrided surface on the low dielectric constant layer.
- 8. The method of claim 1, wherein exposing the low dielectric constant layer to the plasma comprises supplying a power density between about 0.08 watts/cm2 and about 6.4 watts/cm2 to the processing chamber to generate the plasma.
- 9. The method of claim 8, wherein the low dielectric constant layer is exposed to the plasma for between about 10 and about 120 seconds.
- 10. The method of claim 1, wherein the chamber pressure is between about 100 milliTorr and about 25 Torr.
- 11. The method of claim 1, wherein processing the substrate comprises introducing a processing gas of an inert gas, a nitrating gas, or combinations thereof, into the processing chamber at a flow rate of about 3000 sccm or less, maintaining the processing chamber at a pressure of between about 1 Torr and about 12 Torr, generating the plasma by supplying a power density between about 0.3 watts/cm2 and about 3.3 watts/cm2 to the processing chamber, and maintaining the plasma between about 20 and about 60 seconds.
- 12. The method of claim 11, wherein the low dielectric constant layer has an oxygen content of about 6% or less by atomic concentration.
- 13. A method for processing a substrate, comprising:
depositing a silicon carbide layer on the substrate in a processing chamber; introducing a processing gas selected from the group of an inert gas, a nitrating gas, or combinations thereof, into the processing chamber; generating a plasma of the processing gas in the processing chamber; and modifying a surface of the silicon carbide layer by exposing the silicon carbide layer to the plasma of the processing gas to form a passivating surface on the silicon carbide layer.
- 14. The method of claim 13, wherein the inert gas is selected from the group consisting of helium, argon, and combinations thereof.
- 15. The method of claim 13, wherein the processing gas is an inert gas and the density of the surface of the silicon carbide layer is increased.
- 16. The method of claim 13, wherein the nitrating gas is selected from the group consisting of ammonia, nitrogen, nitrous oxide, and combinations thereof.
- 17. The method of claim 13, wherein the processing gas comprises a nitrating gas and a nitrided surface is formed on the low dielectric constant layer.
- 18. The method of claim 13, wherein exposing the low dielectric constant layer to the plasma comprises supplying a power density between about 0.3 watts/cm2 and about 3.2 watts/cm2 to the processing chamber to generate the plasma.
- 19. The method of claim 18, wherein the low dielectric constant layer is exposed to the plasma for between about 20 and about 60 seconds.
- 20. The method of claim 13, wherein the chamber pressure is between about 1 Torr and about 12 Torr.
- 21. The method of claim 13, wherein processing the substrate comprises introducing a processing gas of an inert gas, a nitrating gas, or combinations thereof, into the processing chamber at a flow rate of about 3000 sccm or less, maintaining the processing chamber at a pressure of between about 5 Torr and about 10 Torr, generating the plasma by supplying a power density between about 1.2 watts/cm2 and about 1.6 watts/cm2 to the processing chamber, and maintaining the plasma between about 20 and about 60 seconds.
- 22. The method of claim 13, wherein the silicon carbide layer is a barrier layer, an etch stop, a passivation layer, or an anti-reflective coating.
- 23. The method of claim 13, wherein the silicon carbide layer has an oxygen content of about 6% or less by atomic concentration.
- 24. A method for forming a low dielectric constant barrier layer on a substrate, comprising:
depositing a silicon carbide layer on the substrate; and depositing a passivating layer comprising silicon and nitrogen on the silicon carbide layer.
- 25. The method of claim 24, wherein the passivating layer comprises silicon nitride or silicon oxynitride.
- 26. The method of claim 24, wherein depositing the passivating layer comprises:
introducing a silicon containing gas and a nitrogen containing gas into a process chamber containing the substrate; initiating a plasma in the process chamber; reacting the silicon containing gas and the nitrogen containing gas in the presence of the plasma to deposit the passivating layer comprising silicon and nitrogen.
- 27. The method of claim 26, wherein the silicon containing gas is selected from the group of silane, methylsilane, trimethylsilance, substituted derivatives thereof, and combinations thereof.
- 28. The method of claim 26, wherein the nitrogen containing gas is selected from the group consisting of ammonia, nitrogen, nitrous oxide, and combinations thereof.
- 29. The method of claim 26, wherein the plasma is generated by supplying a power density between about 0.3 watts/cm2 and about 3.2 watts/cm2 to the chamber.
- 30. The method of claim 26, wherein the chamber pressure is between about 1 Torr and about 25 Torr.
- 31. The method of claim 24, wherein the passivating layer comprising silicon and nitrogen is deposited at a thickness between about 25 Å and about 500 Å.
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims priority to U.S. provisional patent application Ser. No. 60/218,407, filed Jul. 14, 2000, which is herein incorporated by reference.
Provisional Applications (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
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60218407 |
Jul 2000 |
US |