Surface treatment and deposition for reduced outgassing

Abstract

A method of forming a dielectric layer is described. The method first deposits a silicon-nitrogen-and-hydrogen-containing (polysilazane) layer by radical-component chemical vapor deposition (CVD). The silicon-nitrogen-and-hydrogen-containing layer is formed by combining a radical precursor (excited in a remote plasma) with an unexcited carbon-free silicon precursor. A silicon oxide capping layer may be formed from a portion of the carbon-free silicon-nitrogen-and-hydrogen-containing layer to avoid time-evolution of underlying layer properties prior to conversion into silicon oxide. Alternatively, the silicon oxide capping layer is formed over the silicon-nitrogen-and-hydrogen-containing layer. Either method of formation involves the formation of a local plasma within the substrate processing region.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Semiconductor device geometries have dramatically decreased in size since their introduction several decades ago. Modern semiconductor fabrication equipment routinely produce devices with 45 nm, 32 nm, and 28 nm feature sizes, and new equipment is being developed and implemented to make devices with even smaller geometries. The decreasing feature sizes result in structural features on the device having decreased spatial dimensions. The widths of gaps and trenches on the device narrow to a point where the aspect ratio of gap depth to its width becomes high enough to make it challenging to fill the gap with dielectric material. The depositing dielectric material is prone to clog at the top before the gap completely fills, producing a void or seam in the middle of the gap.

Over the years, many techniques have been developed to avoid having dielectric material clog the top of a gap, or to “heal” the void or seam that has been formed. One approach has been to start with highly flowable precursor materials that may be applied in a liquid phase to a spinning substrate surface (e.g., SOG deposition techniques). These flowable precursors can flow into and fill very small substrate gaps without forming voids or weak seams. However, once these highly flowable materials are deposited, they have to be hardened into a solid dielectric material.

In many instances, the hardening includes a heat treatment to remove carbon and hydroxyl groups from the deposited material to leave behind a solid dielectric such as silicon oxide. Unfortunately, the departing carbon and hydroxyl species often leave behind pores in the hardened dielectic that reduce the quality of the final material. In addition, the hardening dielectric also tends to shrink in volume, which can leave cracks and spaces at the interface of the dielectric and the surrounding substrate. In some instances, the volume of the hardened dielectric can decrease by 40% or more.

Spin-on dielectrics (SOD) have also been used to flow into features on a patterned substrate. The material is generally converted to silicon oxide from a silazane-type layer which contains silicon, nitrogen and hydrogen. Silicon, nitrogen and hydrogen containing layers are typically converted to silicon oxide at high temperature in an oxygen containing environment. Oxygen from the environment displaces nitrogen and hydrogen to create the silicon oxide layer. High temperature exposure to oxygen environments can ruin underlying layers for some circuit architectures. This consideration results in the need to stay within a “thermal budget” during a manufacturing process flow. Thermal budget considerations have largely limited SOD to process flows incorporating an underlying silicon nitride layer which can protect underlying features from oxidation (e.g. DRAM applications).

Alternative methods have been developed which deposit silazane containing layers by radical-component CVD. Radical-component CVD can create a flowable layer by exciting one precursor and combining it with an unexcited silicon-containing precursor in the plasma-free substrate processing region. Layer properties, including density, may change slightly in time until the silazane containing layer is converted to silicon oxide. Controlling the evolution of the layer properties improves the manufacturability of devices using these layers. Thus, there is a need for new deposition processes and materials to form dielectric materials which do not evolve over time. This and other needs are addressed in the present application.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A method of forming a dielectric layer is described. The method first deposits a silicon-nitrogen-and-hydrogen-containing (polysilazane) layer by radical-component chemical vapor deposition (CVD). The silicon-nitrogen-and-hydrogen-containing layer is formed by combining a radical precursor (excited in a remote plasma) with an unexcited carbon-free silicon precursor. A silicon oxide capping layer may be formed from a portion of the carbon-free silicon-nitrogen-and-hydrogen-containing layer to avoid time-evolution of underlying layer properties prior to conversion into silicon oxide. Alternatively, the silicon oxide capping layer is formed over the silicon-nitrogen-and-hydrogen-containing layer.

Either method of formation involves the formation of a local plasma within the substrate processing region.

Embodiments of the invention include methods of forming a dielectric layer on a substrate. The methods include the sequential steps of: (1) forming a carbon-free silicon-nitrogen-and-hydrogen-containing layer on the substrate in a first substrate processing region containing the substrate and (2) forming a silicon oxide capping layer on the carbon-free silicon-nitrogen-and-hydrogen-containing layer. Forming the carbon-free silicon-nitrogen-and-hydrogen-containing layer includes flowing an unexcited precursor into a remote plasma region to produce a radical-precursor, combining a carbon-free silicon-containing precursor with the radical-precursor in the first substrate processing region, and depositing a carbon-free silicon-nitrogen-and-hydrogen-containing layer over the substrate. The first substrate processing region is plasma-free during the operation of forming the carbon-free silicon-nitrogen-and-hydrogen-containing layer. The carbon-free silicon-nitrogen-and-hydrogen-containing layer is flowable during deposition. Forming the silicon oxide capping layer includes flowing an oxygen-containing precursor into a second substrate processing region containing the substrate, flowing a silicon-containing precursor into the second substrate processing region, forming a plasma from the oxygen-containing precursor and the silicon-containing precursor in the second substrate processing region, and depositing the silicon oxide capping layer over the carbon-free silicon-nitrogen-and-hydrogen-containing layer.

Embodiments of the invention include methods of forming a dielectric layer on a substrate. The method include the sequential steps of: (1) forming a carbon-free silicon-nitrogen-and-hydrogen-containing layer on the substrate in a first substrate processing region containing the substrate, and (2) treating the carbon-free silicon-nitrogen-and-hydrogen-containing layer to convert a portion of the carbon-free silicon-nitrogen-and-hydrogen-containing layer to a silicon oxide capping layer. Forming the carbon-free silicon-nitrogen-and-hydrogen-containing layer includes flowing an unexcited precursor into a remote plasma region to produce a radical-precursor, combining a carbon-free silicon-containing precursor with the radical-precursor in the first substrate processing region, and depositing a carbon-free silicon-nitrogen-and-hydrogen-containing layer over the substrate. The first substrate processing region is plasma-free during the operation of forming the carbon-free silicon-nitrogen-and-hydrogen-containing layer. The carbon-free silicon-nitrogen-and-hydrogen-containing layer is flowable during deposition. Treating the carbon-free silicon-nitrogen-and-hydrogen-containing layer includes flowing an oxygen-containing precursor into a second substrate processing region containing the substrate, forming a plasma from the oxygen-containing precursor in the second substrate processing region, and converting a portion of the carbon-free silicon-nitrogen-and-hydrogen-containing layer into the silicon oxide capping layer.

Additional embodiments and features are set forth in part in the description that follows, and in part will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon examination of the specification or may be learned by the practice of the invention. The features and advantages of the invention may be realized and attained by means of the instrumentalities, combinations, and methods described in the specification.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

A further understanding of the nature and advantages of the present invention may be realized by reference to the remaining portions of the specification and the drawings wherein like reference numerals are used throughout the several drawings to refer to similar components. In some instances, a sublabel is associated with a reference numeral and follows a hyphen to denote one of multiple similar components. When reference is made to a reference numeral without specification to an existing sublabel, it is intended to refer to all such multiple similar components.

FIG. 1 is a flowchart illustrating selected steps for making a dielectric layer according to embodiments of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating selected steps for making a dielectric layer according to embodiments of the invention.

FIG. 3 shows a substrate processing system according to embodiments of the invention.

FIG. 4A shows a substrate processing chamber according to embodiments of the invention.

FIG. 4B shows a gas distribution showerhead according to embodiments of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

A method of forming a dielectric layer is described. The method first deposits a silicon-nitrogen-and-hydrogen-containing (polysilazane) layer by radical-component chemical vapor deposition (CVD). The silicon-nitrogen-and-hydrogen-containing layer is formed by combining a radical precursor (excited in a remote plasma) with an unexcited carbon-free silicon precursor. A silicon oxide capping layer may be formed from a portion of the carbon-free silicon-nitrogen-and-hydrogen-containing layer to avoid time-evolution of underlying layer properties prior to conversion into silicon oxide. Alternatively, the silicon oxide capping layer is formed over the silicon-nitrogen-and-hydrogen-containing layer. Either method of formation involves the formation of a local plasma within the substrate processing region.

Positioning a radical-component CVD silicon-nitrogen-and-hydrogen-containing layer beneath a silicon oxide capping layer has been found to reduce and/or eliminate outgassing and concomitant evolution of layer properties over time. Without the silicon oxide capping layer, the properties and stoichiometry of the layer may change over time. The layers evolve in time due to the outgassing of silicon-containing species, ammonia and the like. Properties may also evolve due to the absorption of water or other components present in the surrounding atmosphere within a typical fabrication facility. Changing layer properties can complicate the manufacturing process by requiring rigid control over the delay between layer formation and processing within another substrate processing system or chamber.

These complications and requirements are undesirable. The silicon-oxygen-and-carbon-containing capping layers described herein have been found to suppress outgassing but still allow conversion of the underlying silicon-nitrogen-and-hydrogen-containing layer to a silicon-and-oxygen-containing layer and to silicon oxide.

Radical-component CVD layers capped with silicon oxide capping layers according to the methods contained herein have been found to exhibit properties which do not evolve when the substrate is exposed to typical cleanroom atmospheres. Additional details about the methods and systems of forming the silicon oxide capping layer will now be described.

A First Exemplary Dielectric Stack Process

FIG. 1 is a flowchart showing selected steps in a method 100 of making a dielectric stack of layers according to embodiments of the invention. The method 100 includes providing a carbon-free silicon-containing precursor to a substrate processing region 102. The carbon-free silicon-containing precursor does not pass through a plasma excitation, in embodiments, so the precursor travels into the substrate processing region intact. Excitation is then provided only by the radical precursor to be described, shortly. The carbon-free silicon-containing precursor may be, for example, a silicon-and-nitrogen-containing precursor, a silicon-and-hydrogen-containing precursor, or a silicon-nitrogen-and-hydrogen-containing precursor, among other classes of silicon precursors. The absence of carbon reduces the shrinkage of the deposited layer. The silicon-containing precursor may be oxygen-free in addition to carbon-free. The lack of oxygen results in a lower concentration of silanol (Si—OH) groups in the silicon-and-nitrogen-containing layer formed from the precursors. Excess silanol moieties in the deposited layer can cause increased porosity and shrinkage during post deposition steps that remove the hydroxyl (—OH) moieties from the deposited layer.

Specific examples of carbon-free silicon precursors may include silyl-amines such as H₂N(SiH₃), HN(SiH₃)₂, and N(SiH₃)₃, among other silyl-amines. The flow rates of a silyl-amine may be greater than or about 200 sccm, greater than or about 300 sccm or greater than or about 500 sccm in different embodiments. All flow rates given herein refer to a dual chamber substrate processing system. Single wafer systems would require half these flow rates and other wafer shapes/sizes would require flow rates scaled by the processed area. These silyl-amines may be mixed with additional gases that may act as carrier gases, reactive gases, or both. Additional gases may include H₂, N₂, NH₃, He, Ne and/or Ar, among other gases. Examples of carbon-free silicon-containing precursors may also include silane (SiH₄) either alone or mixed with other silicon (e.g., N(SiH₃)₃), hydrogen (e.g., H₂), and/or nitrogen (e.g., N₂, NH₃) containing gases. Carbon-free silicon-containing precursors may also include disilane, trisilane, even higher-order silanes, and chlorinated silanes, alone or in combination with one another or the previously mentioned carbon-free silicon-containing precursors.

A radical precursor is also provided to the substrate processing region 104. A radical precursor describes plasma effluents produced in the plasma excitation outside the substrate processing region from any stable species (inert or reactive). The radical precursor may be a nitrogen-containing radical precursor which will be referred to herein as a radical-nitrogen precursor. The radical-nitrogen precursor is a nitrogen-radical-containing precursor that was generated outside the substrate processing region from a more stable nitrogen precursor. A stable precursor may be referred to herein as an unexcited precursor to indicate that the precursor has not yet passed through a plasma. A stable nitrogen precursor compound containing NH₃, hydrazine (N₂H₄) and/or N₂ may be activated in a chamber plasma region or another remote plasma system (RPS) outside the processing chamber to form the radical-nitrogen precursor, which is then transported into the substrate processing region to excite the silicon-containing precursor. The activation of the stable nitrogen precursor into the radical-nitrogen precursor involves dissociation which may be accomplished by means of thermal dissociation, ultraviolet light dissociation, and/or plasma dissociation, among other methods. Plasma dissociation may involve striking a plasma from helium, argon, hydrogen (H₂), xenon, ammonia (NH₃), etc., in a remote plasma generating chamber and introducing the stable nitrogen precursor to the plasma region to generate the radical-nitrogen precursor.

The stable nitrogen precursor may also be a mixture comprising NH₃ & N₂, NH₃ & H₂, NH₃ & N₂ & H₂ and N₂ & H₂, in different embodiments. Hydrazine may also be used in place of or in combination with NH₃ and in the mixtures involving N₂ and H₂. The flow rate of the stable nitrogen precursor may be greater than or about 300 sccm, greater than or about 500 sccm or greater than or about 700 sccm in different embodiments. The radical-nitrogen precursor produced in the chamber plasma region may be one or more of N, —NH, —NH₂, etc., and may also be accompanied by ionized species formed in the plasma. Sources of oxygen may also be combined with the more stable nitrogen precursor in the remote plasma in embodiments of the invention. The addition of a source of oxygen pre-loads the layer with oxygen while decreasing flowability. Sources of oxygen may include one or more of O₂, H₂O, O₃, H₂O₂, N₂O, NO or NO₂.

In embodiments employing a chamber plasma region, the radical-nitrogen precursor is generated in a section of the substrate processing region partitioned from a deposition region where the precursors mix and react to deposit the silicon-and-nitrogen-containing layer on a deposition substrate (e.g., a semiconductor wafer). The radical-nitrogen precursor may also be accompanied by a carrier gas such as hydrogen (H₂), nitrogen (N₂), helium, neon, argon etc. The substrate processing region may be described herein as “plasma-free” during the growth of the carbon-free silicon-nitrogen-and-hydrogen-containing layer and during subsequent processes. “Plasma-free” does not necessarily mean the region is devoid of plasma. The borders of the plasma in the chamber plasma region are hard to define and may encroach upon the substrate processing region through the apertures in the showerhead. In the case of an inductively-coupled plasma, e.g., a small amount of ionization may be initiated within the substrate processing region. Generally, a low intensity plasma may be created in the substrate processing region without compromising the flowable nature of the forming layer. All causes for a plasma having much lower ion density than the remote/chamber plasma region during the creation of the radical nitrogen precursor do not deviate from the scope of “plasma-free” as used herein.

In the substrate processing region, the carbon-free silicon precursor and the radical-nitrogen precursor mix and react to deposit a silicon-nitrogen-and-hydrogen-containing layer on the deposition substrate 106. In embodiments, the deposited silicon-nitrogen-and-hydrogen-containing layer has flowable characteristics unlike conventional silicon nitride (Si₃N₄) layer deposition techniques. The flowable nature during formation allows the layer to flow into narrow features before solidifying.

Nitrogen in the silicon-nitrogen-and-hydrogen-containing layer may originate from either (or both) of the radical precursor or the unexcited precursor. The carbon-free silicon-containing precursor may be essentially nitrogen-free, in some embodiments. However, in other embodiments, both the carbon-free silicon-containing precursor and the radical-nitrogen precursor contain nitrogen. In a third suite of embodiments, the radical precursor may be essentially nitrogen-free and the nitrogen for the carbon-free silicon-nitrogen-and-hydrogen-containing layer may be supplied by the carbon-free silicon-containing precursor. As a result, the radical precursor may be referred to herein as a “radical-nitrogen-and/or-hydrogen precursor,” which means that the precursor contains nitrogen and/or hydrogen. Analogously, the precursor flowed into the plasma region to form the radical-nitrogen-and/or-hydrogen precursor may be referred to as a nitrogen-and/or-hydrogen-containing precursor. This nomenclature may be applied to each of the embodiments disclosed herein. In embodiments, the nitrogen-and/or-hydrogen-containing precursor comprises hydrogen (H₂) while the radical-nitrogen-and/or-hydrogen precursor comprises H, etc.

Returning to the specific example shown in FIG. 1, the flowability of a silicon-nitrogen-and-hydrogen-containing layer may be due to a variety of properties which result from mixing a radical-nitrogen precursors with a carbon-free silicon-containing precursor. These properties may include a significant hydrogen component in the deposited layer and/or the presence of short chained polysilazane polymers. These short chains grow and network to form more dense dielectric material during and after the formation of the layer. For example the deposited layer may have a silazane-type, Si—NH—Si backbone (i.e., a carbon-free Si—N—H layer). When both the silicon-containing precursor and the radical precursor are carbon-free, the deposited silicon-nitrogen-and-hydrogen-containing layer is also substantially carbon-free. Of course, “carbon-free” does not necessarily mean the layer lacks even trace amounts of carbon. Carbon contaminants may be present in the precursor materials that find their way into the deposited silicon-and-nitrogen-containing precursor. The amount of these carbon impurities however are much less than would be found in a silicon precursor having a carbon moiety (e.g., TEOS, TMDSO, etc.).

At this point in the process, the process effluents may be removed from the substrate processing region in embodiments of the invention. Process effluents may include any unreacted silicon-containing precursor, unreacted radical-nitrogen precursor, inert carrier gases and reaction products from the layer growth. The process effluents may be displaced by flowing inert species into the substrate processing region and/or by exhaustion through an exhaust port in disclosed embodiments.

The method 100 also includes an additional deposition of silicon oxide over the silicon-nitrogen-and-hydrogen-containing layer to avoid outgassing from the underlying layer. The layer of silicon oxide is referred to herein as a silicon oxide capping layer. The formation of the silicon oxide capping layer may occur in the same substrate processing region or the substrate may be transferred into a separate processing region. The substrate may be exposed to atmosphere during the transfer or may be kept under vacuum in embodiments of the invention. A benefit of forming the silicon oxide capping layer is to avoid the time-evolution of film properties of the silicon-nitrogen-and-hydrogen-containing layer before subsequent processing is carried out. As such, a controllable and reproducible amount of exposure of the substrate to atmosphere is desirable prior to deposition of the silicon oxide capping layer. The deposition of the silicon oxide capping layer is initiated by providing an oxygen-containing precursor to the substrate processing region 108. A silicon-containing precursor is also flowed into the substrate processing region 109 and combined with the oxygen-containing precursor in the vicinity of the substrate. A plasma is concurrently formed in the substrate processing region 110 to form the silicon oxide capping layer 112. A remote plasma (outside the substrate processing region) had been used to deposit the silicon-nitrogen-and-hydrogen-containing layer whereas a local plasma (within the substrate processing region) is used to deposit the silicon oxide capping layer.

The oxygen-containing precursor may include molecular oxygen (O₂) and/or ozone (O₃). The silicon-containing precursor may include tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS) in a preferred embodiment. Generally speaking, the silicon-containing precursor can include tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS), octamethyltrisiloxane (OMTS), octamethylcyclotetrasiloxane (OMCTS), methyldiethoxysilane (MDEOS), bis(tertiary-butylamino)silane (BTBAS), tridimethylaminosilane (TriDMAS), trisdimethylaminosilane (TrisDMAS), silane, disilane, dichlorosilane, trichlorosilane, dibromosilane, silicon tetrachloride, silicon tetrabromide, dimethylsilane, trimethylsilane, tetramethylsilane, diethylsilane,. tetramethylorthosilicate (TMOS), or combinations thereof. The plasma power applied to the substrate processing region may be below or about 1000 W, below or about 500 W, or below or about 300 W.

The plasma power applied to the substrate processing region may be above or about 50 W, above or about 100 W, or above or about 200 W in embodiments of the invention. The upper limits on the plasma power may be combined with the lower limits to form additional embodiments. The plasma power is lower than many plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PE-CVD) processes in order to essentially maintain the structure of the underlying silicon-nitrogen-and-hydrogen-containing layer. The plasma frequency may be 13.56 MHz and/or 350 KHz. Gases that are optionally introduced into the chamber at the same time as the silicon-containing precursor include helium and/or argon. Helium or other inert gases may be used as a carrier gas to deliver ordinarily liquid precursors td the substrate processing region.

The oxygen-containing precursor may be introduced into the chamber at a flow rate of between about 10 sccm and about 1000 seem. The silicon-containing precursor may be introduced into the chamber at a flow rate of between about 5 sccm and about 1000 sccm. The optional carrier gas, e.g., helium, may be introduced into the chamber at a flow rate of between about 100 sccm and about 20000 sccm. The ratio of the flow rate of the silicon-containing precursor, e.g., tetraethyl orthosilicate, to the flow rate of the carrier gas, e.g., helium, into the chamber is about 1:1 or greater, such as between about 1:1 and about 1:100. The pressure inside the substrate processing region may be greater than about 500 mTorr, such as between about 2 Torr and about 10 Torr, and the temperature of a substrate support in the chamber may be between about 100° C. and about 250° C. while the silicon-containing precursor and the oxygen-containing precursor are flowed into the chamber to deposit the silicon oxide capping layer. Preferably, the temperature is below about 250° C. or below about 200° C. in disclosed embodiments. The low substrate temperatures are also desirable in order to preserve the structure of the silicon-nitrogen-and-hydrogen-containing layer. The silicon-containing precursor and the oxygen-containing precursor may each be flowed into the chamber for a period of time sufficient to deposit a silicon oxide capping layer having a thickness of greater than or about 5 nm, greater than or about 10 nm, greater than or about 20 nm, or greater than or about 50 nm.

A Second Exemplary Dielectric Stack Process

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing selected steps in a second method 200 of making a dielectric stack of layers according to embodiments of the invention. The method 200 includes forming a silicon-nitrogen-and-hydrogen-containing layer as described with reference to FIG. 2. Therefore, the method includes providing a carbon-free silicon-containing precursor to a substrate processing region 202 without plasma excitation and with all the embodiments described previously. The method further includes providing a radical precursor to the substrate processing region 204 as before. The radical precursor provides the dominant excitation needed to “crack” the carbon-free silicon-containing precursor in the plasma-free substrate processing region and produce a reaction which deposits the silicon-nitrogen-and-hydrogen-containing layer on the deposition substrate 206. Once again, the deposited silicon-nitrogen-and-hydrogen-containing layer may have flowable characteristics unlike conventional silicon nitride (Si₃N₄) layer deposition techniques. The process effluents may be removed from the substrate processing region after formation of the silicon-nitrogen-and-hydrogen-containing layer. Process effluents may include any unreacted silicon-containing precursor, unreacted radical-nitrogen precursor, inert carrier gases and reaction products from the layer growth. The process effluents may be displaced by flowing inert species into the substrate processing region and/or by exhaustion through an exhaust port in disclosed embodiments.

The method 200 further includes an additional treatment of the silicon-nitrogen-and-hydrogen-containing layer to form a silicon oxide from a portion of the silicon-nitrogen-and-hydrogen-containing layer. This silicon oxide capping layer is formed using some of the material of the silicon-nitrogen-and-hydrogen-containing layer in contrast to the method of FIG. 1. However, the purpose of the formed silicon oxide capping layer is the same as FIG. 1: to avoid outgassing from the underlying layer. The formation of the silicon oxide capping layer may occur in the same substrate processing region or the substrate may be transferred into a separate processing region. The substrate may be exposed to atmosphere during the transfer or may be kept under vacuum in embodiments of the invention. A benefit of forming the silicon oxide capping layer is to avoid the time-evolution of film properties of the silicon-nitrogen-and-hydrogen-containing layer before subsequent processing is carried out. As such, a controllable and reproducible amount of exposure of the substrate to atmosphere is desirable prior to formation of the silicon oxide capping layer. The formation of the silicon oxide capping layer is initiated by providing an oxygen-containing precursor to the substrate processing region 208. A plasma is concurrently formed in the substrate processing region 210 to form the silicon oxide capping layer 112 using material from the silicon-nitrogen-and-hydrogen-containing film and oxygen from the oxygen-containing precursor. A remote plasma (outside the substrate processing region) had been used to deposit the silicon-nitrogen-and-hydrogen-containing layer whereas a local plasma (within the substrate processing region) is used to form the silicon oxide capping layer.

The oxygen-containing precursor may include molecular oxygen (O₂) and/or ozone (O₃). The plasma power applied to the substrate processing region may be below or about 1000 W, below or about 500 W, or below or about 300 W. The plasma power applied to the substrate processing region may be above or about 50 W, above or about 100 W, or above or about 200 W in embodiments of the invention. The upper limits on the plasma power may be combined with the lower limits to form additional embodiments. The plasma power is lower than many plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PE-CVD) processes in order to essentially maintain the structure of the underlying silicon-nitrogen-and-hydrogen-containing layer. The plasma frequency may be 13.56 MHz and/or 350 KHz. Gases that are optionally introduced into the chamber at the same time as the silicon-containing precursor include helium and/or argon. Helium or other inert gases may be used as a carrier gas to deliver ordinarly liquid precursors to the substrate processing region.

The oxygen-containing precursor may be introduced into the chamber at a flow rate of between about 10 sccm and about 1000 sccm. The pressure inside the substrate processing region may be greater than about 500 mTorr, such as between about 2 Torr and about 10 Torr, and the temperature of a substrate support in the chamber may be between about 100° C. and about 250° C. while the oxygen-containing precursor is flowed into the chamber to form the silicon oxide capping layer. Preferably, the temperature is below about 250° C. or below about 200° C. in disclosed embodiments. The low substrate temperatures are desirable (like the low plasma powers) in order to preserve the structure of the silicon-nitrogen-and-hydrogen-containing layer so layer properties are predictable at the time further processing begins. The silicon-containing precursor and the oxygen-containing precursor may each be flowed into the chamber for a period of time sufficient to deposit a layer having a thickness of greater than or about 10 nm, greater than or about 20 nm, greater than or about 50 nm, or greater than or about 100 nm.

The layer stack is ready to be cured or annealed after either of exemplary methods 100 or 200 is complete. A curing stage may involve exposing the silicon oxide capping layer and the carbon-free silicon-nitrogen-and-hydrogen-containing layer to an oxygen-containing atmosphere. The oxygen-containing atmosphere may include ozone in embodiments of the invention. The deposition substrate may remain in the substrate processing region for curing, or the substrate may be transferred to a different chamber where the oxygen-containing atmosphere is introduced. The curing temperature of the substrate may be less than or about 300° C., less than or about 250° C., less than or about 225° C., or less than or about 200° C. in different embodiments. The temperature of the substrate may be greater than or about room temperature (25° C.), greater than or about 50° C., greater than or about 100° C., greater than or about 125° C. or greater than or about 150° C. in different embodiments. Any of the upper bounds may be combined with any of the lower bounds to form additional ranges for the substrate temperature according to additional disclosed embodiments.

The curing operation modified the carbon-free silicon-nitrogen-and-hydrogen-containing layer into a silicon-and-oxygen-containing layer. The silicon-and-oxygen-containing layer may be converted into a silicon oxide layer by annealing the substrate at relatively high temperature in an oxygen-containing environment. The deposition substrate may remain in the same substrate processing region used for curing when the oxygen-containing atmosphere is introduced, or the substrate may be transferred to a different chamber where the oxygen-containing atmosphere is introduced. The oxygen-containing atmosphere may include one or more oxygen-containing gases such as molecular oxygen (O₂), ozone (O₃), water vapor (H₂O), hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) and nitrogen-oxides (NO, NO₂, etc.), among other oxygen-containing gases. The oxygen-containing atmosphere may also include radical oxygen and hydroxyl species such as atomic oxygen (O), hydroxides (OH), etc., that may be generated remotely and transported into the substrate chamber. Ions of oxygen-containing species may also be present. The oxygen-containing atmospheres of the curing and annealing operations provide oxygen to convert the silicon-nitrogen-and-hydrogen-containing layer into a silicon oxide (SiO₂) layer. The oxygen anneal temperature of the substrate may be less than or about 1100° C., less than or about 1000° C., less than or about 900° C. or less than or about 800° C. in different embodiments. The temperature of the substrate may be greater than or about 500° C., greater than or about 600° C., greater than or about 700° C. or greater than or about 800° C. in different embodiments. Once again, any of the upper bounds may be combined with any of the lower bounds to form additional ranges for the substrate temperature according to additional disclosed embodiments.

The substrate used for depositing the carbon-free silicon-nitrogen-and-hydrogen-containing layer and the capping layer may be a patterned substrate and may have a plurality of gaps for the spacing and structure of device components (e.g., transistors) formed on the substrate. The gaps may have a height and width that define an aspect ratio (AR) of the height to the width (i.e., H/W) that is significantly greater than 1:1 (e.g., 5:1 or more, 6:1 or more, 7:1 or more, 8:1 or more, 9:1 or more, 10:1 or more, 11:1 or more, 12:1 or more, etc.). In many instances the high AR is due to small gap widths of that range from about 90 nm to about 22 nm or less (e.g., less than 90 nm, 65 nm, 50 nm, 45 nm, 32 nm, 22 run, 16 nm, etc.). Because the carbon-free silicon-nitrogen-and-hydrogen-containing layer is flowable, it can fill gaps with high aspect ratios without creating voids or weak seams around the center of the filling material. For example, a depositing flowable material is less likely to prematurely clog the top of a gap before it is completely filled to leave a void in the middle of the gap.

Additional process parameters may be introduced during the description of an exemplary silicon oxide deposition system.

Exemplary Silicon Oxide Deposition System

Deposition chambers that may implement embodiments of the present invention may include high-density plasma chemical vapor deposition (HDP-CVD) chambers, plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) chambers, sub-atmospheric chemical vapor deposition (SACVD) chambers, and thermal chemical vapor deposition chambers, among other types of chambers. Specific examples of CVD systems that may implement embodiments of the invention include the CENTURA ULTIMA® HDP-CVD chambers/systems, and PRODUCER® PECVD chambers/systems, available from Applied Materials, Inc. of Santa Clara, Calif.

Examples of substrate processing chambers that can be used with exemplary methods of the invention may include those shown and described in co-assigned U.S. Provisional Patent App. No. 60/803,499 to Lubomirsky et al, filed May 30, 2006, and titled “PROCESS CI-IAMBER FOR DIELECTRIC GAPFILL,” the entire contents of which is herein incorporated by reference for all purposes. Additional exemplary systems may include those shown and described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,387,207 and 6,830,624, which are also incorporated herein by reference for all purposes.

Embodiments of the deposition systems may be incorporated into larger fabrication systems for producing integrated circuit chips. FIG. 3 shows one such system 300 of deposition, baking and curing chambers according to disclosed embodiments. In the figure, a pair of FOUPs (front opening unified pods) 302 supply substrate substrates (e.g., 300 mm diameter wafers) that are received by robotic arms 304 and placed into a low pressure holding area 306 before being placed into one of the substrate processing chambers 308a-f. A second robotic arm 310 may be used to transport the substrate wafers from the low pressure holding area 306 to the substrate processing chambers 308a-f and back.

Substrate processing chambers 308a-f may include one or more system components for depositing, annealing, curing and/or etching a flowable dielectric layer on the substrate wafer. In one configuration, two pairs of the processing chamber (e.g., 308c-d and 308e-f) may be used to deposit the flowable dielectric material on the substrate, and the third pair of processing chambers (e.g., 308a-b) may be used to anneal the deposited dielectric. In another configuration, the same two pairs of processing chambers (e.g., 308c-d and 308e-f) may be configured to both deposit and anneal a flowable dielectric layer on the substrate, while the third pair of chambers (e.g., 308a-b) may be used for UV or E-beam curing of the deposited layer. In still another configuration, all three pairs of chambers (e.g., 308a-f) may be configured to deposit and cure a flowable dielectric layer on the substrate. In yet another configuration, two pairs of processing chambers (e.g., 308c-d and 308e-f) may be used for both deposition and UV or E-beam curing of the flowable dielectric, while a third pair of processing chambers (e.g. 308a-b) may be used for annealing the dielectric layer. Any one or more of the processes described may be carried out on chamber(s) separated from the fabrication system shown in different embodiments.

In addition, one or more of the substrate processing chambers 308a-f may be configured as a wet treatment chamber. These process chambers include heating the flowable dielectric layer in an atmosphere that includes moisture. Thus, embodiments of system 300 may include wet treatment chambers and anneal processing chambers to perform both wet and dry anneals on the deposited dielectric layer.

FIG. 4A is a substrate processing chamber 400 according to disclosed embodiments. A remote plasma system (RPS) 410 may process a gas which then travels through a gas inlet assembly 411. Two distinct gas supply channels are visible within the gas inlet assembly 411. A first channel 412 carries a gas that passes through the remote plasma system (RPS) 410, while a second channel 413 bypasses the RPS 410. The first channel 412 may be used for the process gas and the second channel 413 may be used for a treatment gas in disclosed embodiments. The lid (or conductive top portion) 421 and a perforated partition or showerhead 453 are shown with an insulating ring 424 in between, which allows an AC potential to be applied to the lid 421 relative to showerhead 453: The process gas travels through first channel 412 into chamber plasma region 420 and may be excited by a plasma in chamber plasma region 420 alone or in combination with RPS 410. The combination of chamber plasma region 420 and/or RPS 410 may be referred to as a remote plasma system herein. The perforated partition (also referred to as a showerhead) 453 separates chamber plasma region 420 from a substrate processing region 470 beneath showerhead 453. Showerhead 453 allows a plasma present in chamber plasma region 420 to avoid directly exciting gases in substrate processing region 470, while still allowing excited species to travel from chamber plasma region 420 into substrate processing region 470.

Showerhead 453 is positioned between chamber plasma region 420 and substrate processing region 470 and allows plasma effluents (excited derivatives of precursors or other gases) created within chamber plasma region 420 to pass through a plurality of through-holes 456 that traverse the thickness of the plate. The showerhead 453 also has one or more hollow volumes 451 which can be filled with a precursor in the form of a vapor or gas (such as a silicon-containing precursor) and pass through small holes 455 into substrate processing region 470 but not directly into chamber plasma region 420. Showerhead 453 is thicker than the length of the smallest diameter 450 of the through-holes 456 in this disclosed embodiment. In order to maintain a significant concentration of excited species penetrating from chamber plasma region 420 to substrate processing region 470, the length 426 of the smallest diameter 450 of the through-holes may be restricted by forming larger diameter portions of through-holes 456 part way through the showerhead 453. The length of the smallest diameter 450 of the through-holes 456 may be the same order of magnitude as the smallest diameter of the through-holes 456 or less in disclosed embodiments.

In the embodiment shown, showerhead 453 may distribute (via through-holes 456) process gases which contain oxygen, hydrogen and/or nitrogen and/or plasma effluents of such process gases upon excitation by a plasma in chamber plasma region 420. In embodiments, the process gas introduced into the RPS 410 and/or chamber plasma region 420 through first channel 412 may contain one or more of oxygen (O₂), ozone (O₃), N₂O, NO, NO₂, NH₃, N_xH_y including N₂H₄, silane, disilane, TSA and DSA. The process gas may also include a carrier gas such as helium, argon, nitrogen (N₂), etc. The second channel 413 may also deliver a process gas and/or a carrier gas, and/or a layer-curing gas (e.g. O₃) used to remove an unwanted component from the growing or as-deposited layer. Plasma effluents may include ionized or neutral derivatives of the process gas and may also be referred to herein as a radical-oxygen precursor and/or a radical-nitrogen precursor referring to the atomic constituents of the process gas introduced.

In embodiments, the number of through-holes 456 may be between about 60 and about 2000. Through-holes 456 may have a variety of shapes but are most easily made round. The smallest diameter 450 of through-holes 456 may be between about 0.5 mm and about 20 mm or between about 1 mm and about 6 mm in disclosed embodiments. There is also latitude in choosing the cross-sectional shape of through-holes, which may be made conical, cylindrical or a combination of the two shapes. The number of small holes 455 used to introduce a gas into substrate processing region 470 may be between about 100 and about 5000 or between about 500 and about 2000 in different embodiments. The diameter of the small holes 455 may be between about 0.1 mm and about 2 mm.

FIG. 4B is a bottom view of a showerhead 453 for use with a processing chamber according to disclosed embodiments. Showerhead 453 corresponds with the showerhead shown in FIG. 3A. Through-holes 456 are depicted with a larger inner-diameter (ID) on the bottom of showerhead 453 and a smaller ID at the top. Small holes 455 are distributed substantially evenly over the surface of the showerhead, even amongst the through-holes 456 which helps to provide more even mixing than other embodiments described herein.

An exemplary layer is created on a substrate supported by a pedestal (not shown) within substrate processing region 470 when plasma effluents arriving through through-holes 456 in showerhead 453 combine with a silicon-containing precursor arriving through the small holes 455 originating from hollow volumes 451. Though substrate processing region 470 may be equipped to support a plasma for other processes such as curing, no plasma is present during the growth of the exemplary layer.

A plasma may be ignited either in chamber plasma region 420 above showerhead 453 or substrate processing region 470 below showerhead 453. A plasma is present in chamber plasma region 420 to produce the radical nitrogen precursor from an inflow of a nitrogen-and-hydrogen-containing gas. An AC voltage typically in the radio frequency (RF) range is applied between the conductive top portion formed in lid 421 of the processing chamber and showerhead 453 to ignite a plasma in chamber plasma region 420 during deposition. An RF power supply generates a high RF frequency of 13.56 MHz but may also generate other frequencies alone or in combination with the 13.56 MHz frequency.

The top plasma may be left at low or no power when the bottom plasma in the substrate processing region 470 is turned on during the second curing stage or clean the interior surfaces bordering substrate processing region 470. A plasma in substrate processing region 470 is ignited by applying an AC voltage between showerhead 453 and the pedestal or bottom of the chamber. A cleaning gas may be introduced into substrate processing region 470 while the plasma is present.

The pedestal may have a heat exchange channel through which a heat exchange fluid flows to control the temperature of the substrate. This configuration allows the substrate temperature to be cooled or heated to maintain relatively low temperatures (from room temperature through about 120° C.). The heat exchange fluid may comprise ethylene glycol and water. The wafer support platter of the pedestal (preferably aluminum, ceramic, or a combination thereof) may also be resistively heated in order to achieve relatively high temperatures (from about 120° C. through about 1100° C.) using an embedded single-loop embedded heater element configured to make two full turns in the form of parallel concentric circles. An outer portion of the heater element may run adjacent to a perimeter of the support platter, while an inner portion runs on the path of a concentric circle having a smaller radius. The wiring to the heater element passes through the stem of the pedestal.

The substrate processing system is controlled by a system controller. In an exemplary embodiment, the system controller includes a hard disk drive, a floppy disk drive and a processor. The processor contains a single-board computer (SBC), analog and digital input/output boards, interface boards and stepper motor controller boards. Various parts of CVD system conform to the Versa Modular European (VME) standard which defines board, card cage, and connector dimensions and types. The VME standard also defines the bus structure as having a 16-bit data bus and a 24-bit address bus.

The system controller controls all of the activities of the deposition system. The system controller executes system control software, which is a computer program stored in a computer-readable medium. Preferably, the medium is a hard disk drive, but the medium may also be other kinds of memory. The computer program includes sets of instructions that dictate the timing, mixture of gases, chamber pressure, chamber temperature, RF power levels, susceptor position, and other parameters of a particular process. Other computer programs stored on other memory devices including, for example, a floppy disk or other another appropriate drive, may also be used to instruct the system controller.

A process for depositing a layer stack (e.g. sequential deposition of a carbon-free silicon-nitrogen-and-hydrogen-containing layer and then a silicon oxide capping layer) on a substrate, converting a layer to silicon oxide or a process for cleaning a chamber can be implemented using a computer program product that is executed by the system controller. The computer program code can be written in any conventional computer readable programming language: for example, 68000 assembly language, C, C++, Pascal, Fortran or others. Suitable program code is entered into a single file, or multiple files, using a conventional text editor, and stored or embodied in a computer usable medium, such as a memory system of the computer. If the entered code text is in a high level language, the code is compiled, and the resultant compiler code is then linked with an object code of precompiled Microsoft Windows® library routines. To execute the linked, compiled object code the system user invokes the object code, causing the computer system to load the code in memory. The CPU then reads and executes the code to perform the tasks identified in the program.

The interface between a user and the controller is via a flat-panel touch-sensitive monitor. In the preferred embodiment two monitors are used, one mounted in the clean room wall for the operators and the other behind the wall for the service technicians. The two monitors may simultaneously display the same information, in which case only one accepts input at a time. To select a particular screen or function, the operator touches a designated area of the touch-sensitive monitor. The touched area changes its highlighted color, or a new menu or screen is displayed, confirming communication between the operator and the touch-sensitive monitor. Other devices, such as a keyboard, mouse, or other pointing or communication device, may be used instead of or in addition to the touch-sensitive monitor to allow the user to communicate with the system controller.

As used herein “substrate” may be a support substrate with or without layers formed thereon. The support substrate may be an insulator or a semiconductor of a variety of doping concentrations and profiles and may, for example, be a semiconductor substrate of the type used in the manufacture of integrated circuits. A layer of “silicon oxide” may include minority concentrations of other elemental constituents such as nitrogen, hydrogen, carbon and the like. In some embodiments, silicon oxide consists essentially of silicon and oxygen. The term “precursor” is used to refer to any process gas which takes part in a reaction to either remove material from or deposit material onto a surface. A gas in an “excited state” describes a gas wherein at least some of the gas molecules are in vibrationally-excited, dissociated and/or ionized states. A gas (or precursor) may be a combination of two or more gases (or precursors). A “radical precursor” is used to describe plasma effluents (a gas in an excited state which is exiting a plasma) which participate in a reaction to either remove material from or deposit material on a surface. A “radical-nitrogen precursor” is a radical precursor which contains nitrogen and a “radical-hydrogen precursor” is a radical precursor which contains hydrogen. The phrase “inert gas” refers to any gas which does not form chemical bonds when etching or being incorporated into a layer. Exemplary inert gases include noble gases but may include other gases so long as no chemical bonds are formed when (typically) trace amounts are trapped in a layer.

The term “trench” is used throughout with no implication that the etched geometry has a large horizontal aspect ratio. Viewed from above the surface, trenches may appear circular, oval, polygonal, rectangular, or a variety of other shapes. The term “via” is used to refer to a low aspect ratio trench which may or may not be filled with metal to form a vertical electrical connection. As used herein, a conformal layer refers to a generally uniform layer of material on a surface in the same shape as the surface, i.e., the surface of the layer and the surface being covered are generally parallel. A person having ordinary skill in the art will recognize that the deposited material likely cannot be 100% conformal and thus the term “generally” allows for acceptable tolerances.

Having described several embodiments, it will be recognized by those of skill in the art that various modifications, alternative constructions, and equivalents may be used without departing from the spirit of the invention. Additionally, a number of well-known processes and elements have not been described in order to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the present invention. Accordingly, the above description should not be taken as limiting the scope of the invention.

Where a range of values is provided, it is understood that each intervening value, to the tenth of the unit of the lower limit unless the context clearly dictates otherwise, between the upper and lower limits of that range is also specifically disclosed. Each smaller range between any stated value or intervening value in a stated range and any other stated or intervening value in that stated range is encompassed. The upper and lower limits of these smaller ranges may independently be included or excluded in the range, and each range where either, neither or both limits are included in the smaller ranges is also encompassed within the invention, subject to any specifically excluded limit in the stated range. Where the stated range includes one or both of the limits, ranges excluding either or both of those included limits are also included.

As used herein and in the appended claims, the singular forms “a”, “an”, and “the” include plural referents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. Thus, for example, reference to “a process” includes a plurality of such processes and reference to “the precursor” includes reference to one or more precursor and equivalents thereof known to those skilled in the art, and so forth.

Also, the words “comprise,” “comprising,” “include,” “including,” and “includes” when used in this specification and in the following claims are-intended to specify the presence of stated features, integers, components, or steps, but they do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, components, steps, acts, or groups.

Claims

1. A method of forming a dielectric layer on a substrate, the method comprising the sequential steps of: forming a carbon-free silicon-nitrogen-and-hydrogen-containing layer on the substrate in a first substrate processing region containing the substrate by: flowing an unexcited precursor into a remote plasma region to produce a radical-precursor,combining a carbon-free silicon-containing precursor with the radical-precursor in the first substrate processing region, wherein the first substrate processing region is devoid of plasma during the forming the carbon-free silicon-nitrogen-and-hydrogen-containing layer, anddepositing a carbon-free silicon-nitrogen-and-hydrogen-containing layer over the substrate, wherein the carbon-free silicon-nitrogen-and-hydrogen-containing layer is flowable during deposition and flows into a trench on a deposition surface of the substrate as the carbon-free silicon-nitrogen-and hydrogen-containing layer deposits; andforming a silicon oxide capping layer on the carbon-free silicon-nitrogen-and-hydrogen-containing layer by: flowing an oxygen-containing precursor into a second substrate processing region containing the substrate,flowing a silicon-containing precursor into the second substrate processing region,forming a plasma from the oxygen-containing precursor and the silicon-containing precursor in the second substrate processing region, anddepositing the silicon oxide capping layer over the carbon-free silicon-nitrogen-and-hydrogen-containing layerwherein the dielectric layer comprises the carbon-free silicon-nitrogen-and-hydrogen-containing layer and the silicon oxide capping layer; andconverting the underlying carbon-free silicon-nitrogen-and-hydrogen-containing layer to silicon oxide despite an intervening presence of the silicon oxide capping layer.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein a temperature of the substrate is greater than or about 25° C. and less than or about 125° C. during formation of the carbon-free silicon-nitrogen-and-hydrogen-containing layer.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the substrate temperature is less than or about 200° C. during formation of the silicon oxide capping layer.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein a thickness of the silicon oxide capping layer is about 10 nm or more.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the unexcited precursor comprises nitrogen and the radical precursor is a radical-nitrogen precursor.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the unexcited precursor comprises at least one of N2H2, NH3, N2 and H2 and the carbon-free silicon-containing precursor comprises one of H2N(SiH3), HN(SiH3)2 or N(SiH3)3.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the first substrate processing region is the second substrate processing region.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein forming a plasma from the oxygen-containing precursor and the silicon-containing precursor in the second substrate processing region comprises applying a plasma power of below or about 1000 W.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein a thickness of the silicon oxide capping layer is greater than or about 50 nm.