Thin film deposition method and semiconductor process equipment

Abstract

The invention provides a thin film deposition method and semiconductor process equipment, and relates to the technical field of semiconductors. The thin film deposition method comprises the following steps: a deposition step: after executing a preset plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition process on a substrate, turning off high-frequency radio-frequency power, keeping turning on low-frequency radio-frequency power, and stopping introducing silicon source gas; and a repairing step: after increasing the low-frequency radio frequency power to run for a preset time length, closing the low-frequency radio frequency power. According to the repairing step of the thin film deposition method, on the basis of the current low-frequency radio-frequency power, the current low-frequency radio-frequency power is improved to the target power, particulate matter on the current thin film can be effectively decomposed, particulate matter suspended in a process cavity can be effectively decomposed, and therefore the number of particulate matter in the thin film is reduced, thin film particle defects are reduced, and the film deposition efficiency is improved. The surface appearance of the thin film is accurately regulated and controlled, the surface roughness of the thin film is remarkably reduced, the surface flatness and uniformity of the thin film are improved, and then the electrical property and the yield of a finished product obtained through subsequent machining are guaranteed.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of semiconductor technology, and in particular to a thin film deposition method and semiconductor process equipment. Background Art

[0002] As semiconductor device feature sizes continue to shrink, higher requirements are placed on the stability and controllability of each process in the semiconductor device manufacturing process. Thin film deposition is an important foundational process for semiconductor device manufacturing. The quality of the thin film formed directly affects the yield of semiconductor devices. For example, thin film particle defects can lead to gate leakage, dielectric layer breakdown, and other reliability issues.

[0003] Plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) boasts low-temperature compatibility, high deposition rate and uniformity, the ability to cover complex structures, and a diverse range of materials and properties. It is primarily used for depositing interlayer dielectrics (ILDs) and passivation layers. PECVD thin film deposition typically involves a repair step after the deposition step (Dep) to correct particle defects. However, this repair effect is limited, leaving product electrical performance and yield to be improved. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The purpose of the present invention is to provide a thin film deposition method and semiconductor process equipment to solve the technical problem that the repair and improvement effect of particle defects in the related art is weak, resulting in the electrical properties and yield of the product still need to be improved.

[0005] To solve the above problems, the present invention provides a thin film deposition method, comprising:

[0006] In the deposition step, after performing a preset plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition process on the substrate, the high-frequency radio frequency power is turned off, the low-frequency radio frequency power is kept on, and the introduction of the silicon source gas is stopped;

[0007] Repair step: After increasing the low-frequency RF power for a preset period of time, turn off the low-frequency RF power.

[0008] Optionally, in the deposition step, the low-frequency RF power is 100-1000W; in the repair step, the low-frequency RF power is 200-1100W, and the low-frequency RF power in the repair step is greater than the low-frequency RF power in the deposition step.

[0009] Optionally, in the deposition step, the low-frequency radio frequency power is 700-740W; in the repair step, the low-frequency radio frequency power is 750-800W.

[0010] Optionally, in the repair step, the chamber pressure is reduced to the target pressure while or before increasing the low-frequency RF power.

[0011] Optionally, the step of reducing the chamber pressure to a target pressure includes:

[0012] The chamber pressure is controlled to drop stepwise to the target pressure.

[0013] Optionally, the repair step includes:

[0014] In the first repair step, the chamber pressure is reduced to a preset pressure;

[0015] The second repair step is to increase the low-frequency RF power and reduce the chamber pressure to the target pressure. After running for a preset time, the low-frequency RF power is turned off; wherein the target pressure is lower than the preset pressure.

[0016] Optionally, in the deposition step, the chamber pressure is 0.5-2.5 Torr; in the repair step, the target pressure is 0.5-1.5 Torr, and the target pressure is lower than the chamber pressure in the deposition step.

[0017] Optionally, in the deposition step, the chamber pressure is 1.9 to 2.5 Torr; in the repair step, the preset pressure is 1.3 to 1.8 Torr, and the target pressure is 0 to 1.2 Torr.

[0018] Optionally, the preset duration is 5 to 60 seconds.

[0019] The present invention also provides a semiconductor process equipment, comprising: a process chamber, a supporting base, an upper radio frequency power supply, a lower radio frequency power supply, an air inlet component, an air extraction component and a controller, wherein:

[0020] The supporting base is used to support the silicon substrate;

[0021] The upper RF power supply is used to load high-frequency RF power into the process chamber;

[0022] The lower RF power supply is used to load low-frequency RF power to the supporting base;

[0023] The gas inlet assembly is used to introduce process gas into the process chamber;

[0024] The exhaust component is used to exhaust the process chamber;

[0025] The controller includes a memory and a processor, wherein the memory stores computer instructions, and the processor executes the thin film deposition method according to any one of claims 1 to 9 by executing the computer instructions.

[0026] In the thin film deposition method provided by the present invention, when the deposition step is completed, the repair step is continued to be executed. Based on the current low-frequency RF power, it is increased to the target power to increase the traction ability of the low-frequency RF power on the plasma, thereby enhancing the directional migration ability of the plasma, so that the collision probability and force of the plasma with the particles suspended in the process chamber and the particles formed on the film are increased, and the binding energy threshold between the particles on the film and the substrate can be broken through, thereby effectively decomposing the particles on the current film, reducing the number of particles in the film, reducing film particle defects, realizing precise control of the film surface morphology, significantly reducing the film surface roughness, and improving the film surface flatness and uniformity; at the same time, the particles suspended in the process chamber are effectively decomposed to reduce the particles formed on the film in the next cycle, thereby further reducing the number of particles in the film, further reducing film particle defects, and improving the uniformity of the film, thereby ensuring the electrical properties and yield of the finished product obtained in subsequent processing. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0027] In order to more clearly illustrate the specific embodiments of the present invention or the technical solutions in related technologies, the following briefly introduces the drawings required for use in the specific embodiments or related technical descriptions. Obviously, the drawings described below are some embodiments of the present invention. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without paying any creative work.

[0028] Figure 1 Schematic diagram of a thin film deposition method in related art;

[0029] Figure 2 A first schematic diagram of a thin film deposition method according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0030] Figure 3 A second schematic flow chart of a thin film deposition method according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0031] Figure 4 A schematic diagram of a process for preparing a SiCN thin film by a thin film deposition method according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0032] Figure 5 A schematic diagram showing the relationship between different cumulative process times and the number of particles in the thin film in a process chamber according to a thin film deposition method provided by an embodiment of the present invention;

[0033] Figure 6A schematic diagram of semiconductor process equipment provided by an embodiment of the present invention.

[0034] Description of reference numerals:

[0035] 10-substrate; 110-process chamber; 120-carrying base; 130-upper RF power supply; 140-upper matching device; 150-RF coil; 160-dielectric window; 170-lower matching device; 180-lower RF power supply; 191-air inlet assembly; 192-exhaust assembly. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0036] The technical solution of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the embodiments described are only some embodiments of the present invention, not all embodiments. All other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field based on the embodiments of the present invention without making any creative efforts shall fall within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0037] In the description of the present invention, it should be noted that the terms "center," "upper," "lower," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "inner," and "outer," etc., indicating orientations or positional relationships, are based on the orientations or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings and are intended solely to facilitate and simplify the description of the present invention. They are not intended to indicate or imply that the devices or components referred to must have, be constructed, or operate in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as limitations on the present invention. Furthermore, the terms "first," "second," and "third" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance.

[0038] In the description of the present invention, it should be noted that, unless otherwise expressly specified or limited, the terms "mounted," "connected," and "connected" should be understood in a broad sense. For example, they may refer to fixed, detachable, or integral connections; mechanical or electrical connections; direct or indirect connections through an intermediate medium; and internal communication between two components. Those skilled in the art will understand the specific meanings of the above terms in the present invention based on the specific circumstances.

[0039] Figure 1 Schematic diagram of the process of thin film deposition method in related technology.

[0040] like Figure 1As shown, in the process of depositing a thin film using a PECVD process in the related art, step S102 is first performed: process gas is introduced into the process chamber, and the chamber pressure of the process chamber is controlled to be the process pressure; then step S104 is performed: high-frequency RF power and low-frequency RF power are turned on to deposit a thin film on the substrate; after the film deposition in step S104 is completed, step S106 is continued to perform: repair steps such as plasma extinction or process gas flow adjustment are performed to improve and repair the particle defects in the film. However, the repair steps in the related art are less effective in decomposing the particles in the film, resulting in the presence of a large number of particle defects in the film, which affects the electrical properties and yield of the product formed in subsequent processing.

[0041] An embodiment of the present invention provides a thin film deposition method. After the deposition step is completed, the low-frequency RF power is further increased based on the low-frequency RF power in the deposition step and is continuously operated for a preset duration. The higher low-frequency RF power enhances the directional migration capability of the plasma, increases the collision probability between the plasma and particles, and breaks the binding energy threshold between the particles in the film and the substrate, thereby effectively decomposing the particles and improving the uniformity of the film, thereby ensuring the electrical properties and yield of the finished product obtained in subsequent processing. The thin film deposition method provided by the embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0042] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of a first process of a thin film deposition method according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0043] like Figure 2 As shown, an embodiment of the present invention provides a thin film deposition method, comprising:

[0044] In the deposition step S202, after performing a preset plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition process on the substrate, the high frequency radio frequency power is turned off, the low frequency radio frequency power is kept on, and the introduction of the silicon source gas is stopped.

[0045] A process recipe is determined according to the type of thin film, a substrate to be processed is placed on a supporting base in a process chamber, and then a plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition process is performed according to a preset process recipe, specifically including: introducing process gas into the process chamber, the process gas including at least silicon source gas and reaction gas such as nitrogen source gas that can react with the silicon source gas to generate a target thin film, controlling the chamber pressure of the process chamber to be the process pressure, then turning on the upper RF power supply to apply high-frequency RF power, and turning on the lower RF power supply to apply low-frequency RF power, under the excitation of the high-frequency RF power, the reaction gas forms a plasma, and the plasma collides and reacts toward the substrate under the traction of the low-frequency RF power, and is deposited on the surface of the substrate to form a thin film; after depositing the thin film for a certain period of time, the introduction of silicon source gas is stopped to reduce the secondary deposition of unreacted precursors; the high-frequency RF power is turned off to reduce the high-energy electron density, interrupt the continuous bombardment of the plasma on the film surface, and reduce excessive etching damage to the substrate, etc.; at the same time, the low-frequency RF power remains on, thereby stopping the continuation of the deposition reaction, and the deposition step ends.

[0046] The radio frequency frequency of the electric field corresponding to the high-frequency radio frequency power is not less than 13.56 MHz; the radio frequency frequency of the electric field corresponding to the low-frequency radio frequency power is not higher than 2 MHz, and can be specifically 40 to 400 kHz.

[0047] In the repair step S204, after the low-frequency radio frequency power is increased for a preset period of time, the low-frequency radio frequency power is turned off.

[0048] At the end of the deposition step (step S202), plasma still exists in the process chamber. Based on the current low-frequency RF power, it is increased to the target power to increase the low-frequency RF power's pulling ability on the plasma, thereby enhancing the plasma's directional migration ability. This increases the probability and force of collisions between the plasma and particles suspended in the process chamber and particles formed on the film, and is able to break through the binding energy threshold between the particles on the film and the substrate. This effectively decomposes the particles currently on the film, reduces the number of particles in the film, reduces film particle defects, achieves precise control of the film surface morphology, significantly reduces film surface roughness, and improves film surface flatness and uniformity. At the same time, the target power in the repair step can be 110% to 130% of the low-frequency RF power in the deposition step, effectively decomposing particles suspended in the process chamber to reduce particles formed on the film in the next cycle, thereby further reducing the number of particles in the film, further reducing film particle defects, and improving film uniformity, thereby ensuring the electrical properties and yield of the finished product obtained in subsequent processing.

[0049] Steps S202 and S204 are executed in a loop to obtain a thin film of target thickness with relatively small particle defects. The electrical properties and yield of the semiconductor device obtained by processing the thin film can be guaranteed.

[0050] In an embodiment of the present invention, during the deposition step, the low-frequency RF power is 100 to 1000W; during the repair step, the low-frequency RF power is 200 to 1100W, and the low-frequency RF power of the repair step is greater than that of the deposition step. During the deposition step, the low-frequency RF power is within the range of 100 to 1000W to ensure its pulling effect on the plasma, enabling it to form a thin film on the substrate surface; during the repair step, the target power is within the range of 200 to 1100W, and is greater than the low-frequency RF power during the deposition step. The increase in low-frequency RF power improves its pulling ability on the plasma, effectively improving the plasma's ability to decompose particles suspended in the process chamber and particles formed on the film, thereby ensuring the uniformity of the film formed.

[0051] In an embodiment of the present invention, further, in the deposition step, the low-frequency RF power is 700-740W, specifically 710W; in the repair step, the low-frequency RF power is 750-800W, specifically 780W.

[0052] In an embodiment of the present invention, during the repair step, the chamber pressure is reduced to the target pressure while or before the low-frequency RF power is increased. Before or while the low-frequency RF power is increased, the chamber pressure is reduced to the target pressure, that is, after the deposition step, the step of reducing the chamber pressure to the target pressure is no later than the step of increasing the low-frequency RF power, so as to suppress the deposition of by-products and limit the diffusion range of the plasma, ensuring that the energy of the plasma is concentrated on the area where the film is located, thereby ensuring the effective decomposition of particulate matter by the plasma in the repair step, and correspondingly ensuring the uniformity of the film after the repair, and ensuring the electrical properties and yield of the product obtained in subsequent processing. Specifically, the adjustment of the chamber pressure can be achieved through a controllable swing valve.

[0053] In an embodiment of the present invention, the step of reducing the chamber pressure to a target pressure includes: controlling the chamber pressure to decrease in a stepwise manner to the target pressure. After the deposition step is completed, controlling the chamber pressure to gradually decrease in a stepwise manner and in small increments to the target pressure. By gradually and slowly reducing the chamber pressure, the uniform contraction of the plasma sheath is maintained, and the turbulence effect caused by the sudden pressure drop that causes the resuspension and re-adsorption of particles is avoided, thereby ensuring the plasma's decomposition effect on the particles, reducing the concentration of particles in the process chamber, and further reducing the number of particles formed in the thin film, thereby reducing particle defects. At the same time, it can also reduce stress damage to the film caused by sudden pressure changes, thereby ensuring the quality of the film. Subsequently, after the chamber pressure drops to the target pressure, the diffusion range of the plasma is limited, ensuring that the plasma energy is concentrated on the area where the thin film is located.

[0054] Through the above-mentioned coordinated control of low-frequency RF power, chamber pressure and process gas, the risk of secondary contamination by particulate matter can be significantly reduced and process repeatability can be improved.

[0055] In an embodiment of the present invention, the repair step includes: a first repair step, reducing the chamber pressure to a preset pressure; a second repair step, increasing the low-frequency RF power and reducing the chamber pressure to a target pressure, and after running for a preset time, turning off the low-frequency RF power; wherein the target pressure is less than the preset pressure. Specifically, after the deposition step is completed, the chamber pressure is controlled to be reduced twice in a step-by-step manner, wherein, relative to the deposition step, in the first repair step, the low-frequency RF power remains unchanged and the chamber pressure is reduced to a preset pressure; after the first repair step is completed, the second repair step is executed, and relative to the first repair step, in the second repair step, the chamber pressure is reduced from the preset pressure to the target pressure while increasing the low-frequency RF power to improve control efficiency and reduce the time consumption of process steps; then, at a lower chamber pressure and a higher low-frequency RF power, the process is run for a preset time to ensure the effective effect of the low-frequency RF power on the plasma, thereby ensuring the effective decomposition of particles by the plasma and the effective reduction of thin film particle defects.

[0056] Compared with the repair step in which the low-frequency RF power is not increased but only the chamber pressure is reduced, the embodiment of the present invention realizes precise control of plasma energy through the three-step "reaction termination-transition stabilization-directional cleaning" timing design, which can reduce the particle residue rate by more than 60%, and at the same time avoid the secondary oxidation defects caused by traditional oxygen plasma treatment.

[0057] In the embodiment of the present invention, during the deposition step, the chamber pressure is 0.5 to 2.5 Torr; during the repair step, the target pressure is 0.5 to 1.5 Torr, and the target pressure is lower than the chamber pressure during the deposition step. During the deposition step, the chamber pressure is maintained at 0.5 to 2.5 Torr to ensure the deposition reaction of the reactant gases and to form a thin film on the substrate. During the repair step, the chamber pressure is reduced to the target pressure, which is 0.5 to 1.5 Torr, to limit the diffusion range of the plasma and ensure that the plasma energy is concentrated on the area where the thin film is located, thereby ensuring that the plasma effectively decomposes particulate matter during the repair step.

[0058] Specifically, during the deposition step, the chamber pressure is 1.9-2.5 Torr, specifically 2.1 Torr. During the repair step, the preset pressure is 1.3-1.8 Torr, specifically 1.5 Torr; and the target pressure is 0-1.2 Torr, specifically 1 Torr.

[0059] In an embodiment of the present invention, during the repair step, after the chamber pressure is reduced to the target pressure and the low-frequency RF power is increased to the target power, the preset duration of continuous operation is 5 to 60 seconds, specifically 5 seconds. During the repair step, the plasma is maintained at a relatively low chamber pressure and a relatively high low-frequency RF power for a relatively long duration to ensure that the plasma decomposes the particles, completely removes any remaining particles as much as possible, further reduces the number of particles formed in the film, and accordingly further reduces the particle defects in the film, improves the uniformity of the film, and ensures the electrical properties and yield of the product obtained in subsequent processing.

[0060] In an embodiment of the present invention, a preheating step may be performed before the deposition step: the substrate to be processed is placed on a supporting base in the process chamber, the supporting base is controlled to heat the substrate, and a heat-conducting gas is introduced at the same time to improve the heating uniformity of the substrate, thereby ensuring the efficiency and uniformity of the subsequent deposition step to form a thin film.

[0061] In the embodiment of the present invention, after the repair step, the low-frequency RF power is turned off, the introduction of process gas is stopped, and the process chamber is evacuated to remove the residual precursors and particles in the process chamber, thereby further reducing the film particle defects caused by particle deposition.

[0062] Figure 3 Schematic diagram of the second process of the thin film deposition method provided according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 3 As shown, the thin film deposition method includes:

[0063] S301 places the substrate to be processed on a supporting base in the process chamber, controls the supporting base to heat the substrate, and introduces heat-conducting gas at the same time.

[0064] S302 mixes the reaction gases.

[0065] S303: introducing the mixed reaction gas into the process chamber, and controlling the chamber pressure of the process chamber to be the process pressure.

[0066] S304: turning on the upper RF power supply to apply high-frequency RF power, and turning on the lower RF power supply to apply low-frequency RF power, to deposit a thin film on the substrate.

[0067] S305 turns off the high-frequency radio frequency power, keeps on the low-frequency radio frequency power, and stops introducing the silicon source gas into the reaction gas.

[0068] S306 reduces the chamber pressure to a preset pressure.

[0069] S307 increases the low-frequency RF power to the target power, reduces the chamber pressure to the target pressure, and runs for a preset time. This effectively repairs and improves film particle defects, improves film uniformity, and ensures the electrical properties and yield of subsequent products.

[0070] S308 turns off the low-frequency radio frequency power and evacuates the process chamber.

[0071] Figure 4 Schematic diagram of the process of preparing SiCN thin film according to the thin film deposition method provided in an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 4 As shown, the thin film deposition method includes:

[0072] S401 places the wafer on a pedestal in the process chamber, controls the pedestal to heat the substrate, and simultaneously introduces He. Using the wafer as a substrate, He's high thermal conductivity helps maintain reaction temperature uniformity and reduce thin film defects caused by localized overheating of the wafer. The He flow rate is 5,000 to 10,000 sccm, specifically 10,000 sccm; the chamber pressure is 0.5 to 2.5 torr, specifically 2.4 torr; and the run time is 1 to 60 seconds, specifically 20 seconds.

[0073] S402: Mixing the reaction gases NH3 and 4MS. He is maintained at a reduced flow rate. 4MS, serving as the silicon source gas in the reaction gases, is introduced into the vacuum pumping line (FlowDivert) reserved for NH3 and 4MS into the pumping assembly to mix the two gases. The NH3 flow rate is 1000-5000 sccm, specifically 3600 sccm; the 4MS flow rate is 500-1000 sccm, specifically 850 sccm. The chamber pressure is 0.5-2.5 torr, specifically 2.1 torr. The run time is 1-60 seconds, specifically 5 seconds.

[0074] S403 introduces the mixed NH3 and 4MS into the process chamber, and controls the chamber pressure to the process pressure. The He flow rate is 1000-10000 sccm, specifically 3500 sccm; the NH3 flow rate is 1000-5000 sccm, specifically 3600 sccm; the 4MS flow rate is 500-1000 sccm, specifically 850 sccm; the chamber pressure is 0.5-2.5 torr, specifically 2.1 torr; and the operation time is 1-60 seconds, specifically 2 seconds.

[0075] In step S404, the upper RF power supply is turned on to apply high-frequency RF power (HF power), and the lower RF power supply is turned on to apply low-frequency RF power (LF power) to deposit a SiCN film on the substrate. The HF power is 100-2000 W, specifically 1200 W; the LF power is 100-1000 W, specifically 710 W; the He flow rate is 1000-10000 sccm, specifically 3500 sccm; the NH3 flow rate is 1000-5000 sccm, specifically 3600 sccm; the 4MS flow rate is 500-1000 sccm, specifically 850 sccm; the chamber pressure is 0.5-2.5 torr, specifically 2.1 torr; and the operation time is 1-60 seconds, specifically 28.5 seconds.

[0076] S405 turns off the high-frequency RF power, keeps the low-frequency RF power on, and stops the flow of 4MS. The 4MS is switched from flowing to the chamber to flowing to the vacuum pumping line of the pumping component. The low-frequency RF power can combine the unsaturated dangling bonds in the film with hydrogen atoms, reducing the interfacial energy and facilitating the plasma to decompose the particles on the film. Among them, the LF power is 100-1000W, specifically 710W; the He flow rate is 1000-10000sccm, specifically 3500sccm; the NH3 flow rate is 1000-5000sccm, specifically 3600sccm; the 4MS flow rate is -1-0sccm, specifically -1sccm; the chamber pressure is 0.5-2.5torr, specifically 2.1torr; the operation time is 1-60sec, specifically 3sec.

[0077] S406 reduces the chamber pressure to a preset pressure. The LF power is 100-1000W, specifically 710W; the He flow rate is 1000-10000sccm, specifically 3500sccm; the NH3 flow rate is 1000-5000sccm, specifically 3600sccm; the 4MS flow rate is -1-0sccm, specifically -1sccm; the chamber pressure is 1.3-1.8 torr, specifically 1.5 torr, wherein the chamber pressure is reduced from 2.1 torr to 1.5 torr within 1 second; and the operation time is 1-60 seconds, specifically 5 seconds.

[0078] S407 increases the low-frequency RF power to the target power, reduces the chamber pressure to the target pressure, and runs for a preset time. This effectively repairs and improves the particle defects in the film, improves the uniformity of the formed film, and ensures the electrical properties and yield of the product obtained in subsequent processing. The LF power is 200-1100W, specifically 780W; the He flow rate is 1000-10000sccm, specifically 3500sccm; the NH3 flow rate is 1000-5000sccm, specifically 3600sccm; the 4MS flow rate is -1-0sccm, specifically -1sccm; the chamber pressure is 0-1.2torr, specifically 1torr, wherein the chamber pressure is reduced from 1.5torr to 1torr within 1 second; and the run time is 1-60 seconds, specifically 5 seconds.

[0079] In step S408, the low-frequency RF power is turned off, the introduction of NH3 and He is stopped, and the process chamber is evacuated. N2 is introduced into the process chamber at a flow rate of 1,000 to 10,000 sccm, specifically 9,000 sccm, to control the chamber pressure at 0.5 torr to 1.5 torr, specifically 1 torr. The operation time is 1 to 60 seconds, specifically 20 seconds.

[0080] Figure 5 Schematic diagram of the relationship between different cumulative process times and the number of particles in the film in the process chamber according to the thin film deposition method provided by an embodiment of the present invention. The horizontal and vertical scales represent the number of repeated processes from 1 to 50 times, and the vertical axis represents the number of particles with a diameter greater than 0.037 μm in the film, ea, as shown in FIG. Figure 5 As shown in the figure, as the cumulative number of processes increases, the number of particles in the film does not increase significantly. It can be seen that the repair step in the thin film deposition method provided by the embodiment of the present invention can effectively suppress the formation of particles, thereby improving the uniformity of the film and ensuring the electrical properties and yield of the semiconductor device obtained in subsequent processing.

[0081] The embodiment of the present invention further provides a semiconductor process equipment, such as Figure 6The device shown includes: a process chamber 110, a supporting base 120, an upper RF power supply 130, a lower RF power supply 180, an air inlet assembly 191, an exhaust assembly 192, and a controller. The supporting base 120 is used to support the silicon substrate 10; the upper RF power supply 130 is used to apply high-frequency RF power to the process chamber 110; the lower RF power supply 180 is used to apply low-frequency RF power to the supporting base 120; the air inlet assembly 191 is used to introduce process gas into the process chamber 110; and the exhaust assembly 192 is used to exhaust gas from the process chamber 110. The controller includes a memory and a processor. The memory stores computer instructions, and the processor executes the computer instructions to perform the above-mentioned thin film deposition method. This semiconductor process equipment is capable of performing the above-mentioned thin film deposition method and has all the beneficial effects of the thin film deposition method, which will not be described in detail here.

[0082] Specifically, in the semiconductor processing equipment, a dielectric window 160 is provided above the pedestal 120 in the process chamber 110. A radio frequency coil 150 is provided above the dielectric window 160. An upper matching element 140 is provided between the radio frequency coil 150 and an upper radio frequency power source 130. The upper radio frequency power source 130 provides high-frequency radio frequency power to the radio frequency coil 150 through the upper matching element 140, so that the radio frequency coil 150 excites the process gas inside the process chamber 110 to generate plasma. A lower matching element 170 is provided between the pedestal 120 and a lower radio frequency power source 180. The lower radio frequency power source 180 provides low-frequency radio frequency power to the pedestal 120 through the lower matching element 170. The pedestal 120 may be, for example, an electrostatic chuck, a mechanical chuck, or a vacuum suction chuck.

[0083] The semiconductor process equipment of the embodiment of the present application may be an inductively coupled plasma (ICP) device or a capacitively coupled plasma (CCP) device. The embodiment of the present application does not limit the type of semiconductor process equipment.

[0084] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present invention, rather than to limit it. Although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the above embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that they can still modify the technical solutions described in the above embodiments, or replace some or all of the technical features therein with equivalents. However, these modifications or replacements do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention.

Claims

1. A thin film deposition method, characterized in that: include: In the deposition step, after performing a preset plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition process on the substrate, the high-frequency radio frequency power is turned off, the low-frequency radio frequency power is kept on, and the introduction of the silicon source gas is stopped; Repair step: After increasing the low-frequency RF power for a preset period of time, turn off the low-frequency RF power.

2. The thin film deposition method according to claim 1, wherein: In the deposition step, the low-frequency RF power is 100 to 1000 W; in the repair step, the low-frequency RF power is 200 to 1100 W, and the low-frequency RF power in the repair step is greater than the low-frequency RF power in the deposition step.

3. The thin film deposition method according to claim 2, wherein: In the deposition step, the low-frequency radio frequency power is 700-740W; in the repair step, the low-frequency radio frequency power is 750-800W.

4. The thin film deposition method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that: In the repair step, the chamber pressure is reduced to the target pressure while or before the low-frequency radio frequency power is increased.

5. The thin film deposition method according to claim 4, wherein: The step of reducing the chamber pressure to the target pressure includes: The chamber pressure is controlled to drop stepwise to the target pressure.

6. The thin film deposition method according to claim 4, wherein: The repair step includes: In the first repair step, the chamber pressure is reduced to a preset pressure; The second repair step is to increase the low-frequency RF power and reduce the chamber pressure to the target pressure. After running for a preset time, the low-frequency RF power is turned off; wherein the target pressure is lower than the preset pressure.

7. The thin film deposition method according to claim 4, wherein: In the deposition step, the chamber pressure is 0.5 to 2.5 Torr; in the repair step, the target pressure is 0.5 to 1.5 Torr, and the target pressure is lower than the chamber pressure in the deposition step.

8. The thin film deposition method according to claim 6, wherein: In the deposition step, the chamber pressure is 1.9 to 2.5 Torr; in the repair step, the preset pressure is 1.3 to 1.8 Torr, and the target pressure is 0 to 1.2 Torr.

9. The thin film deposition method according to claim 1, wherein: The preset time length is 5 to 60 seconds.

10. A semiconductor process equipment, characterized in that: include: A process chamber (110), a supporting base (120), an upper radio frequency power supply (130), a lower radio frequency power supply (180), an air inlet component (191), an air extraction component (192), and a controller, wherein: The supporting base (120) is used to support the silicon substrate (10); The upper radio frequency power supply (130) is used to load high-frequency radio frequency power into the process chamber (110); The lower radio frequency power supply (180) is used to load low-frequency radio frequency power to the supporting base (120); The gas inlet assembly (191) is used to introduce process gas into the process chamber (110); The exhaust assembly (192) is used to exhaust the process chamber (110); The controller includes a memory and a processor, wherein the memory stores computer instructions, and the processor executes the thin film deposition method according to any one of claims 1 to 9 by executing the computer instructions.

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