Claims
- 1. A method for facet etching a semiconductor device to a target depth, the method comprising the steps of:
forming a first layer comprising an insulating material on a substrate comprising a plurality of conductive structures, at least some of the conductive structures being placed apart to form spaces between the conductive structures, such that the first layer is in direct contact with the substrate and forms in at least some of the spaces between the conductive structures and the first layer is formed to a thickness at least equal to the target depth; etching the first layer, in a first etch, by directing a plasma beam at the first layer formed in at least some of the spaces between the conductive structures, wherein the plasma is of sufficient energy to sputter material from the first layer and the plasma is an ion of an inert gas thereby forming a facet etch in the first layer formed in the spaces between the conductive structures; terminating the first etch when the first layer has been etched to a predetermined depth which is less than the target depth; etching the first layer, in a second etch, by contacting the first layer with a reactive chemical gas/plasma; and terminating the second etch when the first layer has been etched to the target depth.
- 2. The method of claim 1 wherein the first layer is formed by means of chemical vapor deposition.
- 3. The method of claim 1 wherein the first etch is conducted at a pressure no more than about 30 mtorr.
- 4. The method of claim 1 wherein the first etch is conducted at a pressure between about 10 mtorr and about 30 mtorr.
- 5. The method of claim 4 wherein the inert gas has a flow rate between about 30 to about 70 sccm.
- 6. The method of claim 1 wherein the inert gas is at least one of helium, argon, xenon, krypton.
- 7. The method of claim 1 wherein the plasma has an energy of about 300 to about 700 W.
- 8. The method of claim 1, wherein the first etch is terminated at a depth no more than about 150 Å less than the target depth.
- 9. The method of claim 1, wherein the first etch is terminated at a depth no more than about 100 Å less than the target depth.
- 10. The method of claim 1 wherein the first etch is terminated at a depth about 50 Å less than the target depth.
- 11. The method of claim 1 wherein the first etch is terminated at a depth at least one-half the target depth.
- 12. A method for improving dielectric step coverage, the method comprising the following steps:
forming a first layer comprising an insulating material on a substrate comprising a plurality of conductive structures, at least some of the conductive structures being placed apart to form spaces between the conductive structures, such that the first layer is in direct contact with the substrate and forms in at least some of the spaces between the conductive structures and the first layer is formed to a thickness at least equal to the target depth; etching the first layer, in a first etch, by directing a plasma at the first layer formed in at least some of the spaces between the conductive structures, wherein the plasma is of sufficient energy to sputter material from the first layer and the plasma is an ion of an inert gas thereby forming a facet etch in the first layer formed in the spaces between the conductive structures; terminating the first etch when the first layer has been etched to a predetermined depth which is less than the target depth; etching the first layer, in a second etch, by contacting the first layer with a reactive chemical gas/plasma; terminating the second etch when the first layer has been etched to the target depth, and forming a second layer comprising an insulating material directly in contact with the first layer.
- 13. The method of claim 12 wherein the second layer uniformly covers the first layer.
- 14. The method of claim 12 wherein the first layer is formed by means of chemical vapor deposition.
- 15. The method of claim 12 wherein the first etch is conducted at a pressure no more than about 30 mtorr.
- 16. The method of claim 12 wherein the first etch is conducted at a pressure between about 10 mtorr and about 30 mtorr.
- 17. The method of claim 12 wherein the inert gas has a flow rate between about 30 to about 70 sccm.
- 18. The method of claim 12 wherein the inert gas is at least one of helium, argon, xenon, krypton.
- 19. The method of claim 12 wherein the plasma has an energy of about 300 to about 700 W.
- 20. The method of claim 12 wherein the first etch is terminated at a depth no more than about 150 Å less than the target depth.
- 21. The method of claim 12, wherein the first etch is terminated at a depth no more than about 100 Å less than the target depth.
- 22. The method of claim 12 wherein the first etch is terminated at a depth about 50 Å less than the target depth.
- 23. The method of claim 12 wherein the first etch is terminated at a depth at least one-half the target depth.
- 24. A method for facet etching a semiconductor device to a target depth, the method comprising the steps of:
directing a plasma beam at an exposed layer of insulating material to form a facet etch, wherein the plasma is of sufficient energy to sputter material from the exposed layer and the plasma is an ion of an inert gas; terminating the plasma beam etch when the exposed layer has been etched to a predetermined depth which is less than the target depth; contacting the exposed layer with a reactive chemical gas/plasma to etch the exposed layer; and, terminating the chemical gas/plasma etch when the exposed layer has been etched to the target depth.
- 25. The method of claim 24 wherein the first etch is conducted at a pressure no more than about 30 mtorr.
- 26. The method of claim 24 wherein the first etch is conducted at a pressure between about 10 mtorr and about 30 mtorr.
- 27. The method of claim 24 wherein the inert gas has a flow rate between about 30 to about 70 sccm.
- 28. The method of claim 24 wherein the inert gas is at least one of helium, argon, xenon, krypton.
- 29. The method of claim 24 wherein the plasma has an energy of about 300 to about 700 W.
- 30. The method of claim 24, wherein the first etch is terminated at a depth no more than about 150 Å less than the target depth.
- 31. The method of claim 24, wherein the first etch is terminated at a depth no more than about 100 Å less than the target depth.
- 32. The method of claim 24 wherein the first etch is terminated at a depth about 50 Å less than the target depth.
- 33. The method of claim 24 wherein the first etch is terminated at a depth at least one-half the target depth.
- 34. An intermediate for a semiconductor device, the intermediate comprising:
a substrate comprising a plurality of conductive structures, at least some of the conductive structures being placed apart to form spaces between the conductive structures; an exposed layer of insulating material which is in direct contact with the substrate and in at least some of the spaces between the conductive structures, wherein the semiconductor device requires a facet etch to a target depth in the exposed layer; and, a facet etch in the exposed layer having a predetermined depth which is less than the target depth.
- 35. The method of claim 34 wherein the exposed layer comprises silicon dioxide or boron phosphosilicate glass.
- 36. The method of claim 34 wherein the conductive structures form at least one of metal lines, interconnects and leads.
- 37. The method of claim 34 wherein the conductive structures comprise at least one of titanium, tungsten, tantalum, molybdenum, aluminum, copper, gold, silver, nitrides thereof and suicides thereof.
- 38. The method of claim 34 wherein the predetermined depth is no more than about 150 Å less than the target depth.
- 39. The method of claim 34 wherein the predetermined depth is no more than about 100 Å less than the target depth.
- 40. The method of claim 34 wherein the predetermined depth is about 50 Å less than the target depth.
- 41. A self-cleaning facet etch process, the process comprising the steps of:
providing an etching chamber having means to produce a plasma beam and an inside wall surface; introducing a substrate into the etching chamber; applying a plasma beam to the substrate, wherein the plasma is of sufficient energy to sputter material from the substrate thereby forming a plasma-etched substrate having a facet etch having a first depth and wherein some of the material sputtered from the substrate deposits on the inside wall surface of the etching chamber; introducing a reactive chemical gas/plasma into the etching chamber such that the gas/plasma contacts the plasma-etched substrate and the deposits on the inside wall surface; allowing the gas/plasma to etch the plasma-etched substrate such that the facet etch is etched to a second depth which is greater than the first depth; and, allowing the gas/plasma to react with the deposits on the wall surface to at least partially remove the deposits.
- 42. The method of claim 41 wherein the first etch is conducted at a pressure no more than about 30 mtorr.
- 43. The method of claim 41 wherein the first etch is conducted at a pressure between about 10 mtorr and about 30 mtorr.
- 44. The method of claim 41 wherein the inert gas has a flow rate between about 30 to about 70 sccm.
- 45. The method of claim 41 wherein the inert gas is at least one of helium, argon, xenon, krypton.
- 46. The method of claim 41 wherein the plasma has an energy of about 300 to about 700 W.
- 47. The method of claim 41 wherein the first depth is no more than about 150 Å less than the second depth.
- 48. The method of claim 41 wherein the first depth is no more than about 100 Å less than the second depth.
- 49. The method of claim 41 wherein the first depth is about 50 Å less than the second depth.
- 50. The method of claim 41 wherein the first depth is at least one-half the second depth.
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED U.S. PATENT APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a Continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 09/854,975 filed May 14, 2001, hereby incorporated herein by reference.
Continuations (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
09854975 |
May 2001 |
US |
Child |
10887049 |
Jul 2004 |
US |