A method and apparatus for forming a high quality low temperature silicon nitride layer

Abstract

A method of forming a silicon nitride layer is described. According to the present invention, a silicon nitride layer is deposited by thermally decomposing a silicon / nitrogen containing source gas or a silicon containing source gas and a nitrogen containing source gas at low deposition temperatures (e.g., less than 550 DEG C) to form a silicon nitride layer. The thermally deposited silicon nitride layer is then treated with hydrogen radicals to form a treated silicon nitride layer.

Description

Background of the invention [0001] The present invention relates to the field of thin layer formation, and more particularly, the present invention relates to methods and apparatuses for forming silicon nitride layers. [0002] Related Technical Discussions [0003] Modern integrated circuits consist of millions of transistors integrated into functional circuits. In order to further improve the computing power and storage capacity of integrated circuits, transistor feature dimensions, such as gate length and gate oxide film thickness, must be further scaled down. However, as transistor gate lengths are continuously scaled down, the electrical characteristics and performance of the transistors can vary greatly due to thermal redistribution of dopants in the device. Likewise, as devices are further scaled down, the thermal budget used to fabricate integrated circuits, ie, the individual process and cumulative heat inputs from deposition and process temperatures, must also be r...

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Problems solved by technology

Disilane and hexachlorodisilane have weak Si-Si bonds, which make it possible to obtain acceptable deposition rates, but when used with nitrogen sources such as ammonia, they either lead to poor film quality (low density and high hydrogen content , poor step coverage and microloading, for disilane), or lead to almost uncontrollable particle formation phenomena (for hexachlorodisilane)

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