Low-temperature carbon interstitial filling

Abstract

An exemplary method of semiconductor processing can include providing a carbon-containing precursor to a processing region of a semiconductor processing chamber. A substrate can be disposed within the processing region of the semiconductor processing chamber. The substrate can define one or more features along the substrate. The method can include generating a plasma of the carbon-containing precursor within the processing chamber. The method can include depositing a carbon-containing material on the substrate. The carbon-containing material can extend within one or more of the features along the substrate. The method can include generating a plasma of a hydrogen-containing precursor within the processing region of the semiconductor processing chamber. The method can include treating the carbon-containing material with a plasma effluent of the hydrogen-containing precursor. The plasma effluent of the hydrogen-containing precursor can cause a portion of the carbon-containing material to be removed from the substrate.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] Cross - Reference to Related Applications

[0001] This application claims the benefit and priority of U.S. Patent Application No. 17 / 737,311, titled "LOW TEMPERATURE CARBON GAPFILL", filed on May 5, 2022, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

[0002]

[0002] This technology relates to methods and components for semiconductor processing. In particular, this technology relates to systems and methods for depositing carbon - containing materials with reduced void or seam formation.

Background Art

[0003]

[0003] Integrated circuits are enabled by a process of generating complexly patterned material layers on a substrate surface. Generating patterned materials on a substrate requires a controlled method for forming and removing materials. As device miniaturization progresses, features within the integrated circuit become smaller, the aspect ratio of the structure may increase, and it can become difficult to maintain the dimensions of these structures during the processing steps. Depending on the process, voids or seams may be created in the material, which can result in undesirable or unwanted effects in further processing. Developing materials that can suppress void or seam formation can become more difficult as device miniaturization progresses.

[0004]

[0004] Accordingly, there is a need for improved systems and methods that can be used in the manufacture of high - quality devices and structures. These needs and other needs are addressed by this technology.

Summary of the Invention

[0005]

[0005] An exemplary method of semiconductor processing may include providing a carbon-containing precursor to a processing region of a semiconductor processing chamber. A substrate may be disposed within the processing region of the semiconductor processing chamber. The substrate may define one or more features along the substrate. The method may include generating a plasma of the carbon-containing precursor within the processing region. The method may include depositing a carbon-containing material on the substrate. The carbon-containing material may extend within one or more of the features along the substrate. The method may include generating a plasma of a hydrogen-containing precursor within the processing region of the semiconductor processing chamber. The method may include treating the carbon-containing material with a plasma effluent of the hydrogen-containing precursor. The plasma effluent of the hydrogen-containing precursor may cause a portion of the carbon-containing material to be removed from the substrate.

[0006]

[0006] In some embodiments, the carbon-containing precursor can be or can include acetylene. The plasma of the carbon-containing precursor can be generated with a plasma power of about 500 W or less. While depositing a carbon-containing material on a substrate and treating the carbon-containing material with the plasma emissions of a hydrogen-containing precursor, the temperature in the semiconductor processing chamber can be maintained from about 100 °C to about 500 °C. While depositing a carbon-containing material on a substrate and treating the carbon-containing material with the plasma emissions of a hydrogen-containing precursor, the pressure in the semiconductor processing chamber can be maintained at about 5 Torr or less. The plasma of the hydrogen-containing precursor can be generated with a plasma power greater than the plasma power used to generate the plasma of the carbon-containing precursor. Treating the carbon-containing material on the substrate with the plasma emissions of the hydrogen-containing precursor can be performed at a temperature within about 25 °C of the temperature at which the carbon-containing material is formed on the substrate. The method can include increasing the plasma power in the semiconductor processing chamber before treating the carbon-containing material on the substrate with the plasma emissions of the hydrogen-containing precursor. The plasma emissions of the hydrogen-containing precursor can remove a portion of the carbon-containing material that overhangs one or more features, a portion of the carbon-containing material on the walls that define one or more features, or a combination of both. The method can include, in sequence, depositing a carbon-containing material on a substrate and subsequently treating the carbon-containing material with the plasma emissions of a hydrogen-containing precursor. One or more features can be filled higher repeatedly during each deposition and treatment sequence. Depositing the carbon-containing material and treating the carbon-containing material can be repeated at least three times.

[0007]

[0007] Some embodiments of the present technology may include a semiconductor processing method. The method may include providing a carbon-containing precursor in a processing region of a semiconductor processing chamber. A substrate may be disposed within the processing region of the semiconductor processing chamber. The substrate may define one or more recessed features along the substrate. The method may include generating a plasma of the carbon-containing precursor within the processing chamber. The plasma of the carbon-containing precursor may be generated at a first plasma power. The method may include depositing a carbon-containing material on the substrate. The carbon-containing material extends into one or more of the recessed features along the substrate. The method may include stopping the flow of the carbon-containing precursor. The method may include providing a hydrogen-containing precursor in the processing region of the semiconductor processing chamber. The method may include generating a plasma of the hydrogen-containing precursor within the processing region. The plasma of the hydrogen-containing precursor may be generated at a second plasma power. The second power may be greater than the first power. The method may include treating the carbon-containing material with the emissions of the hydrogen-containing plasma. The emissions of the hydrogen-containing plasma may cause a portion of the carbon-containing material to be removed from the substrate.

[0008]

[0008] In some embodiments, the second plasma power may be about 300 W or more. The method may include, in sequence, depositing a carbon content on the substrate and treating the carbon-containing material with the emissions of the hydrogen-containing plasma. The time for depositing the carbon-containing material may be between about 20 seconds and about 80 seconds. The time for treating the carbon-containing material with the emissions of the plasma of the hydrogen-containing precursor may be between about 5 seconds and about 25 seconds.

[0009]

[0009] Some embodiments of the present technology may include a semiconductor processing method. The method may include providing a carbon-containing precursor in a processing region of a semiconductor processing chamber. The carbon-containing precursor may be acetylene or may include acetylene. A substrate may be disposed within the processing region of the semiconductor processing chamber. The substrate may define one or more recessed features along the substrate. The method may include generating a plasma of the carbon-containing precursor within the processing chamber. The plasma of the carbon-containing precursor may be generated with a plasma power of about 300 W or less. The method may include depositing a carbon-containing material on the substrate. The carbon-containing material extends into one or more recessed features along the substrate. The method may include stopping the flow of the carbon-containing precursor. The method may include generating a plasma of a hydrogen-containing precursor within the processing region of the semiconductor processing chamber. The hydrogen-containing precursor may be diatomic hydrogen or may include diatomic hydrogen. The method may include etching a portion of the carbon-containing material with a plasma emission of the hydrogen-containing precursor. The temperature within the processing region may be maintained at about 500 °C or less. The pressure within the processing region may be maintained at about 3 Torr or less.

[0010]

[0010] In some embodiments, while processing the carbon-containing material on the substrate with a plasma emission of the hydrogen-containing precursor, the temperature within the semiconductor processing chamber may be maintained from about 200 °C or more to about 400 °C or less. While processing the carbon-containing material on the substrate with a plasma emission of the hydrogen-containing precursor, the pressure within the semiconductor processing chamber may be maintained from about 0.3 Torr or more to about 3 Torr or less. The method may include reducing the pressure within the semiconductor processing chamber before processing the carbon-containing material on the substrate with a plasma emission of the hydrogen-containing precursor. The plasma of the hydrogen-containing precursor may be generated with a plasma power from about 200 W or more to about 600 W or less.

[0011]

[0011] Such a technique may provide a number of advantages over conventional systems and techniques. For example, several embodiments of the present technology may reduce the void or seam size applicable to some substrate features. Further, the present technology can manufacture carbon-containing films for gap filling applications and any other applications where a deposited film characterized by a reduction in void or seam size can be advantageous. These embodiments and other embodiments are described in more detail below in the description and the accompanying drawings, along with many of their advantages and features.

[0012]

[0012] The nature and advantages of the disclosed technology can be further understood by reference to the remainder of this specification and the drawings.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0013]

Figure 1

[0013] A schematic cross-sectional view of an exemplary plasma system according to some embodiments of the present technology is shown.

Figure 2

[0014] Steps in a semiconductor processing method according to some embodiments of the present technology are shown.

Figure 3A

[0015] An exemplary schematic cross-sectional structure in which a material layer is included and generated according to some embodiments of the present technology is shown.

Figure 3B

Figure 3C

Figure 3D

Modes for Carrying Out the Invention

[0014]

[0016] Some of the drawings are included as schematic diagrams. It should be understood that the drawings are for illustrative purposes only and should not be considered to be to scale unless expressly stated to be so. Further, as schematic diagrams, the drawings are provided to assist understanding and may not include all aspects or information compared to a realistic depiction and may include material emphasized for illustrative purposes.

[0015]

[0017] In the accompanying drawings, similar components and / or features may have the same reference numerals. Further, various components of the same type can be distinguished according to the reference numerals by letters that distinguish between similar components. Where only a first reference numeral is used in this specification, the description is applicable to any of the similar components having the same first reference numeral regardless of the letter.

[0016]

[0018] As the size of the device continues to shrink, many material layers can have their thickness and size reduced to miniaturize the device. Features within the semiconductor structure may be miniaturized and the aspect ratio of the features can increase. As the aspect ratio of the features increases, in a chemical vapor deposition process, a void or seam can occur within the feature because pinching off occurs near the top of the feature before the feature is completely filled.

[0017]

[0019] In conventional techniques such as a reverse tone patterning process, it has been difficult to fabricate a film that fills high aspect ratio features in a lower layer structure where void or seam formation is suppressed. Deposition of a carbon-containing material on a lower layer structure containing high aspect ratio trenches can be incomplete because deposition of many carbon-containing films produces a conformal film. The filling process can result in feature sealing near the top of the feature before filling the interior of the feature. As a result, voids or seams in the filling material can occur in the central portion of the feature. The voids or seams can extend to the top of the structure. In some manufacturing where a polishing process may subsequently be performed, removal can expose the voids or seams and provide access into the feature. This can not only cause the material exposed to the atmosphere to oxidize, but also allow slurry or other materials to be incorporated along the voids or seams. Thus, many conventional techniques have been limited in their ability to prevent structural defects in the final device.

[0018]

[0020] This technique overcomes these problems by treating a film on a underlying structure to reduce the presence or size of any voids or seams within the film. By treating the film with a plasma discharge of a hydrogen-containing gas, this technique varies the film on the underlying structure and removes a portion of the film to maintain access to the features. This enables subsequent deposition of a carbon-containing material to gradually fill the features while minimizing void or seam formation. By filling the features or high aspect ratio structures with a carbon-containing material with voids or seams reduced or eliminated, this technique can prevent problems in any subsequent integration process and / or defects within the final device. In the remainder of the disclosure, a particular deposition process that utilizes the disclosed technique is identified and one type of semiconductor processing chamber is described, but it will be readily understood that the processes described can be carried out in any number of semiconductor processing chambers. Thus, this technique should not be considered limited to use with these particular deposition processes or chambers alone. This disclosure will describe one possible chamber that can be used to carry out a process in accordance with multiple embodiments of this technique before the method of semiconductor processing according to this technique is described.

[0019]

[0021] FIG. 1 shows a cross-sectional view of an exemplary semiconductor processing chamber 100 according to some embodiments of the present technology. This figure can show an overview of a system that can incorporate one or more aspects of the present technology and / or execute one or more processes according to multiple embodiments of the present technology. Further details of chamber 100 or the method being performed can be further described below. Although a film layer can be formed using chamber 100 according to some embodiments of the present technology, it should be understood that the method can be similarly performed in any chamber in which film formation can be performed. The semiconductor processing chamber 100 can include a chamber body 102, a substrate support 104 disposed inside the chamber body 102, and a lid assembly 106 coupled to the chamber body 102 that encloses the substrate support 104 within a processing space 120. The substrate 103 can be provided to the processing space 120 through an opening 126, which can be conventionally sealed for processing using a slit valve or a door. The substrate 103 can be placed on the surface 105 of the substrate support 104 during processing. The substrate support 104 can be rotatable along an axis 147 where the shaft 144 of the substrate support 104 can be positioned, as indicated by arrow 145. Alternatively, the substrate support 104 can be lifted and rotated as needed during the deposition process.

[0020]

[0022] A plasma profile modulator 111 can be disposed within a semiconductor processing chamber 100 to control the distribution of plasma across a substrate 103 disposed on a substrate support 104. The plasma profile modulator 111 can include a first electrode 108. The first electrode 108 can be disposed adjacent to the chamber body 102 and can separate the chamber body 102 from other components of the lid assembly 106. The first electrode 108 can be part of the lid assembly 106 or can be a separate sidewall electrode. The first electrode 108 can be an annular or ring-shaped member and can be a ring electrode. The first electrode 108 can be a continuous loop around the outer periphery of the semiconductor processing chamber 100 that surrounds the processing space 120 and, if desired, can be discontinuous at selected locations. The first electrode 108 can also be a perforated electrode, such as a perforated ring or mesh electrode, or can be a flat electrode, such as a secondary gas distributor.

[0021]

[0023] One or more insulators 110a, 110b, which can be a dielectric material such as a ceramic or metal oxide, such as aluminum oxide and / or aluminum nitride, can contact the first electrode 108 and can electrically and thermally isolate the first electrode 108 from the gas distributor 112 and from the chamber body 102. The gas distributor 112 can define an opening 118 for distributing a process precursor into the processing space 120. The gas distributor 112 can be coupled to a first power source 142, such as an RF generator, RF power supply, DC power supply, pulsed DC power supply, pulsed RF power supply, or any other power source, that is coupled to the semiconductor processing chamber 100. In some embodiments, the first power source 142 can be an RF power supply.

[0022]

[0024] The gas distributor 112 may be a conductive gas distributor or a non-conductive gas distributor. The gas distributor 112 may also be formed of conductive and non-conductive components. For example, the body of the gas distributor 112 may be conductive while the faceplate of the gas distributor 112 may be non-conductive. The gas distributor 112 may be powered by a first power source 142 as shown in FIG. 1, or in some embodiments, the gas distributor 112 may be coupled to ground.

[0023]

[0025] The first electrode 108 may be coupled to a first tuning circuit 128 that may control the ground path of the semiconductor processing chamber 100. The first tuning circuit 128 may include a first electronic sensor 130 and a first electronic controller 134. The first electronic controller 134 may be or include a variable capacitor or other circuit element. The first tuning circuit 128 may be or include one or more inductors 132. The first tuning circuit 128 may be any circuit that allows for a variable or controllable impedance under plasma conditions present in the processing space 120 during processing. In some embodiments as illustrated, the first tuning circuit 128 may include a first circuit leg and a second circuit leg coupled in parallel between ground and the first electronic sensor 130. The first circuit leg may include a first inductor 132A. The second circuit leg may include a second inductor 132B coupled in series with the first electronic controller 134. The second inductor 132B may be disposed between the first electronic controller 134 and a node that couples both the first and second circuit legs to the first electronic sensor 130. The first electronic sensor 130 may be a voltage or current sensor and may be coupled to the first electronic controller 134. The first electronic controller 134 may allow for a degree of closed-loop control of the plasma state inside the processing space 120.

[0024]

[0026] The second electrode 122 may be coupled to the substrate support 104. The second electrode 122 may be embedded within the substrate support 104 or may be coupled to the surface 105 of the substrate support 104. The second electrode 122 may be a plate, a perforated plate, a mesh, a wire screen, or other distributed arrangement of conductive elements. The second electrode 122 may be a tuning electrode and may be coupled to the second tuning circuit 136, for example, by a conduit 146 such as a cable having a selected resistance, such as 50 ohms, disposed within the shaft 144 of the substrate support 104. The second tuning circuit 136 may include a second electronic sensor 138 and a second electronic controller 140. The second electronic controller 140 may be a second variable capacitor. The second electronic sensor 138 may be a voltage or current sensor and may be coupled to the second electronic controller 140 to further control the plasma state within the processing space 120.

[0025]

[0027] A third electrode 124, which may be a bias electrode and / or an electrostatic chuck electrode, may be coupled to the substrate support 104. The third electrode may be coupled to a second power source 150 through a filter 148. The filter 148 may be an impedance matching circuit. The second power source 150 may be a DC power source, a pulsed DC power source, an RF bias power source, a pulsed RF source or bias power source, or a combination thereof or other power source. In some embodiments, the second power source 150 may be an RF bias power source. The substrate support 104 may also include one or more heating elements configured to heat the substrate to a processing temperature that may be between about 25 °C and about 800 °C or higher thereby.

[0026]

[0028] The lid assembly 106 and substrate support 104 of FIG. 1 may be used with any processing chamber for plasma or heat treatment. During the process, the semiconductor processing chamber 100 may allow for real-time control of the plasma state within the processing space 120. The substrate 103 may be disposed on the substrate support 104, and process gas may flow through the lid assembly 106 using the inlet 114 according to any desired flow plan. The gas may exit the semiconductor processing chamber 100 through the outlet 152. A power source may be coupled to the gas distributor 112 to establish a plasma within the processing space 120. In some embodiments, the substrate may be electrically biased using a third electrode 124.

[0027]

[0029] When the plasma within the processing space 120 is excited, a potential difference may be established between the plasma and the first electrode 108. Also, a potential difference may be established between the plasma and the second electrode 122. The electronic controllers 134, 140 may then be used to adjust the flow characteristics of the ground path represented by the two tuning circuits 128, 136. Set points may be provided to the first tuning circuit 128 and the second tuning circuit 136 to perform independent control of the deposition rate and independent control of the uniformity of the plasma density from the center to the edge. In some embodiments where both electronic controllers may be variable capacitors, an electronic sensor may independently adjust the variable capacitors to maximize the deposition rate and minimize thickness non-uniformity.

[0028]

[0030] Each of the tuning circuits 128, 136 may have a variable impedance that can be adjusted using respective electronic controllers 134, 140. When the electronic controllers 134, 140 are variable capacitors, the capacitance range of each variable capacitor, as well as the inductances of the first inductor 132A and the second inductor 132B, may be selected to provide a range of impedances. This range depends on the frequency characteristics and voltage characteristics of the plasma, and there may be a minimum value in the capacitance range of each variable capacitor. Therefore, when the capacitance of the first electronic controller 134 is at a minimum or maximum, the impedance of the first tuning circuit 128 becomes high, and a plasma shape with a minimum aerial or lateral coverage on the substrate support 104 may be brought about. As the capacitance of the first electronic controller 134 approaches a value that minimizes the impedance of the first tuning circuit 128, the aerial coverage of the plasma grows to a maximum and may effectively cover the entire working area of the substrate support 104. When the capacitance of the first electronic controller 134 deviates from the minimum impedance setting, the plasma shape may contract from the chamber walls and the aerial coverage of the substrate support 104 may decrease. The second electronic controller 140 has a similar effect, and since the capacitance of the second electronic controller 140 is variable, the aerial coverage of the plasma on the substrate support 104 can be increased or decreased.

[0029]

[0031] The electronic sensors 130, 138 may be used to adjust the respective circuits 128, 136 in a closed loop. Depending on the type of sensor used, a setpoint of current or voltage is provided to each sensor, and control software that determines the adjustment to each respective electronic controller 134, 140 and minimizes the deviation from the setpoint may be provided to the sensor. As a result, during processing, the plasma shape can be selected and dynamically controlled. The foregoing description is based on the electronic controllers 134, 140 which may be variable capacitors, but it will be understood that any electronic component with adjustable characteristics may be used to provide the tuning circuits 128, 136 with adjustable impedance.

[0030]

[0032] Figure 2 shows exemplary steps in a processing method 200 according to some embodiments of the present technology. The method 200 may be executed in various processing chambers, including the semiconductor processing chamber 100 described above, as well as any other chamber in which the steps may be executed, such as a non-plasma chamber. The method 200 may include one or more steps, including front-end processing, deposition, etching, polishing, cleaning, or any other steps that may be executed before the steps described. The method 200 may include some optional steps that may or may not be particularly associated with some embodiments of the method according to some embodiments of the present technology. For example, many of the steps are described to provide a broader range of the processes being executed, but are not absolute for the present technology and may be executed by alternative methods as further described below. The method 200 may describe the steps generally shown in FIGS. 3A-3D, which will be described in relation to the steps of the method 200. It should be understood that the figures show only partial schematics, and the substrate may include any number of additional materials and features having various characteristics and aspects as shown in the figures.

[0031]

[0033] Method 200 may or may not include optional steps for developing a semiconductor structure through specific manufacturing processes. As shown in FIG. 3A, it will be understood that method 200 may be performed on any number of semiconductor structures or substrates 305. They include exemplary structures 300 where a carbon-containing material can be formed. As shown in FIG. 3A, substrate 305 can be processed to form one or more features. The one or more features can be recesses such as trenches, openings, or any other structures in semiconductor processing. Substrate 305 can be made of any number of materials such as a base wafer or substrate 305 made of silicon or a silicon-containing material, other substrate 305 materials, and one or more materials that can be formed on top of substrate 305 during semiconductor processing. For example, in some embodiments, substrate 305 may be processed to include one or more materials or structures for semiconductor processing. Substrate 305 can be a dielectric material such as an oxide or nitride of any number of materials or can include a dielectric material. In multiple embodiments, one or more layers 310 of material are deposited on substrate 305. In multiple embodiments, one or more layers 310 of material can be a silicon-containing material or can include a silicon-containing material. The silicon-containing material can be silicon or can include silicon such as amorphous silicon, doped silicon, silicon oxide, silicon nitride, and silicon carbide.

[0032]

[0034] As shown, one or more features 315, such as trenches, openings, or other recessed features, can be defined by one or more layers 310 of material and / or substrate 305. The aspect ratio of feature 315, i.e., the ratio of the depth of the formed feature to the width or diameter of the feature, can be about 1:1 or greater, about 2:1 or greater, about 3:1 or greater, about 4:1 or greater, about 5:1 or greater, about 6:1 or greater, about 7:1 or greater, about 8:1 or greater, about 9:1 or greater, about 10:1 or greater, or more. Although only one feature 315 is shown in the figure, it will be understood that the exemplary structure can have any number of features 315 defined along the structure according to multiple embodiments of the present technology.

[0033]

[0035] In operation 205, method 200 can include providing a carbon-containing precursor to a processing region of a semiconductor processing chamber, such as semiconductor processing chamber 100, in which substrate 305 can be received. The semiconductor processing chamber can be the same or a different chamber than a chamber in which a pre-treatment or previous processing step can be performed. The carbon-containing precursor that can be used in method 200 can be any number of carbon-containing precursors or can include any number of carbon-containing precursors. For example, the carbon-containing precursor can be any hydrocarbon gas, or any material that contains or is composed of carbon and hydrogen, or can include them. In some embodiments, the carbon-containing precursor can be characterized by one or more carbon-carbon double bonds and / or one or more carbon-carbon triple bonds. Thus, in some embodiments, the carbon-containing precursor can be an alkane, alkene, or alkyne, such as acetylene, ethylene, propene, or any other carbon-containing material, or can include them. The precursor can include a carbon and hydrogen-containing precursor. The carbon and hydrogen-containing precursor can include any amount of carbon bonds and hydrogen bonds along with any other elemental bonds, but in some embodiments, the carbon-containing precursor can be composed of carbon-carbon bonds and carbon-hydrogen bonds. In some embodiments, along with the carbon-containing precursor, one or more additional precursors, such as a hydrogen-containing precursor, and one or more carrier gases or inert gases, such as argon or helium, can be supplied. The hydrogen-containing precursor includes diatomic hydrogen or any other hydrogen-containing precursor.

[0034]

[0036] In operation 210, method 200 may include generating a plasma of a carbon-containing precursor. The plasma power may affect the depth of carbon penetration, the degree of bond reorientation, and / or the amount of void 325 and / or seam 330 formation that may occur. Thus, in some embodiments, the plasma power applied when generating a plasma of a carbon-containing precursor, such as a first plasma power applied in method 200, may be 500 W or less, 450 W or less, 400 W or less, 350 W or less, 300 W or less, 250 W or less, 200 W or less, 150 W or less, 100 W or less, or less than that. However, at lower plasma powers, the plasma emissions of the carbon-containing precursor may not easily reach the full depth of feature 315, and thus, in some embodiments, the plasma power may be 50 W or more, 75 W or more, 100 W or more, or more than that.

[0035]

[0037] In operation 215, method 200 may include depositing a layer of carbon-containing material 320 on substrate 305 and / or one or more layers 310 of material. The plasma emissions of the carbon-containing precursor may contact substrate 305 and, if one or more layers 310 of material are present, may also contact those layers. As shown in FIG. 3B, carbon-containing layer 320 extends along any and / or all exposed surfaces along substrate 305 (when exposed), as well as along any other incorporated material, such as one or more layers 310 of material. During operation 215, growth may occur inwardly within feature 315 from the sidewalls that define feature 315. However, the growth rate inwardly from the sidewalls may be less than or equal to the growth rate at the lower and upper portions of feature 315.

[0036]

[0038] As will be further described herein, the pressure within the semiconductor processing chamber can be maintained at about 5 Torr or less while depositing the carbon-containing material 320. At a pressure of about 5 Torr or less, the plasma emissions of the carbon-containing precursor can be directed towards the bottom of the feature 315. Lower pressures, such as about 5 Torr or less, result in a longer mean free path and may enable the plasma emissions of the carbon-containing precursor to more readily reach the bottom of the feature 315. Further, the carbon-containing material 320 deposited on the sidewalls of the feature 315 may be less susceptible to the influence of the plasma emissions of the carbon-containing precursor due to the directivity of the plasma. This influence can improve the density and film quality during deposition. Thus, by performing the deposition at a lower process pressure, the quality can be improved along the bottom of the feature while a low-quality carbon-containing material can be formed on the sidewalls.

[0037]

[0039] Depositing the carbon-containing material 320 in process 215 can be continued for a time sufficient to deposit a desired amount of the carbon-containing material 320 within the feature 315. This time can depend on various factors including, but not limited to, the depth of the feature 315, the aspect ratio of the feature 315, and / or the flow rate of the carbon-containing precursor. In some embodiments, the time for depositing the carbon-containing material 320 can be about 10 seconds or more, about 20 seconds or more, about 30 seconds or more, about 40 seconds or more, about 50 seconds or more, about 60 seconds or more, about 70 seconds or more, about 80 seconds or more, about 90 seconds or more, about 100 seconds or more, or more. However, depending on the critical dimensions of the feature or the width across the feature, as shown in FIG. 3B, an increase in the deposition time for any particular cycle can result in an overflow of material across the top of the structure. If this continues, the feature may close or the pattern may collapse. Thus, in some embodiments, the deposition can be performed in about 120 seconds or less, about 110 seconds or less, about 100 seconds or less, or less.

[0038]

[0040] The deposition of the carbon-containing material 320 is substantially conformal, and thus growth may occur inwardly from the sidewalls defining the feature 315 into the feature 315. In that case, the inward growth rate from the sidewalls can be less than or equal to the growth rates at the bottom and top of the feature 315. The deposition amount can vary based on the amount of time during which deposition of the carbon-containing material 320 is permitted. Although the deposition amount can vary, more of the carbon-containing material 320 can be deposited at the bottom of the feature 315 than at the top of the feature 315 during deposition in step 215. Further, in some embodiments, more of the carbon-containing material 320 can be deposited at the bottom and / or top of the feature 315 than on the sidewalls defining the feature 315.

[0039]

[0041] By performing deposition in accordance with multiple embodiments of the present technology, the filling along the lower part of feature 315 may be 80% or more, 85% or more, 90% or more, 95%, 98% or more, or 100% or more of the filling across the upper part of feature 315. In that case, the depth of the filling at the lower part of feature 315 occurs to the same extent as the deposition across the upper part of feature 315, such as between recessed features. Further, compared to the deposition either at the lower part of feature 315 or across the upper part, i.e., between features 315, the deposition along the sidewalls of feature 315 is a thickness of about 80% or less of the thickness at the upper or lower part of feature 315, a thickness of about 75% or less of the thickness at the upper or lower part of feature 315, a thickness of about 70% or less at the upper or lower part of feature 315, a thickness of about 65% or less at the upper or lower part of feature 315, a thickness of about 60% or less at the upper or lower part of feature 315, a thickness of about 55% or less at the upper or lower part of feature 315, a thickness of about 50% or less at the upper or lower part of feature 315, a thickness of about 45% or less at the upper or lower part of feature 315, a thickness of about 40% or less at the upper or lower part of feature 315, a thickness of about 35% or less at the upper or lower part of feature 315, a thickness of about 30% or less at the upper or lower part of feature 315, a thickness of about 25% or less at the upper or lower part of feature 315, a thickness of about 20% or less at the upper or lower part of feature 315, or may be limited to less than that. Thereby, as will be described below, removal along the sidewalls can be facilitated while removal at other locations can be restricted.

[0040]

[0042] When the feature 315 closes or is filled with the carbon-containing material 320, voids 325 and / or seams 330 can be formed within the carbon-containing material 320. The void 325 can refer to a portion within the feature 315 between the carbon-containing material 320 deposited at the lower and upper portions of the feature 315. The void 325 can be formed due to the accumulation, i.e., “breadloafing,” of the carbon-containing material 320 deposited on the upper portion of the feature 315. The seam 330 can refer to a gap or trench extending into the carbon-containing material 320 at or near the lower portion of the feature 315. Although a consistent opening is shown in the figure, the void 325 and / or seam 330 structure can further be characterized by several shapes. Some shapes can include wider at the top, wider at the bottom, as well as more amorphous shapes, as can be readily understood by those skilled in the art. As described above, as the deposition time lengthens, the deposition amount at the upper portion of the feature 315 begins to completely seal the feature 315. Thereby, a void 325 or a seam 330 is formed and covered by the carbon-containing material 320. It may be desirable to fill the feature 315 while reducing or removing any voids 325 or seams 330. Thus, depositing too much carbon-containing material 320 at once may require removing a further portion of the carbon-containing material 320. Therefore, at a longer time, the void 325 or seam 330 is no longer filled, and a portion of the deposited carbon-containing material 320 may need to be removed to continue filling the feature 315. The present technique can incorporate intervals of removal to maintain access to the feature.

[0041]

[0043] After depositing the carbon-containing material 320, method 200 may include generating a plasma of a hydrogen-containing precursor in step 220. In some embodiments, method 200 may include stopping the flow of the carbon-containing precursor before step 220. In some embodiments, the flow of the hydrogen-containing precursor may be continued at the same flow rate as during deposition, or at a higher or lower flow rate. Further, the plasma may be maintained between the deposition step and the treatment step by maintaining the flow of the hydrogen-containing precursor and / or an inert or carrier gas. Stopping the flow of the carbon-containing precursor halts the deposition and enables the treatment of the deposited film to be performed. The hydrogen-containing precursor is provided in the same processing region of the semiconductor processing chamber to treat the carbon-containing material 320 and may be continued from the deposition step as described above. In other embodiments, structure 300 may be moved to a different chamber before step 220. The hydrogen-containing precursor that may be used in method 200 may be any number of hydrogen-containing precursors or may include any number of hydrogen-containing precursors. In some embodiments, the hydrogen-containing precursor may be or may include diatomic hydrogen.

[0042]

[0044] Plasma power can affect the depth of hydrogen penetration, the etching rate, and / or the amount of void 325 and / or seam 330 formation that may occur. Thus, in some embodiments, the plasma power applied when generating a plasma of a hydrogen-containing precursor, such as a second plasma power applied in method 200, may be greater than the plasma power utilized during deposition, may be about 100 W or more, about 150 W or more, about 200 W or more, about 250 W or more, about 300 W or more, about 350 W or more, about 400 W or more, about 450 W or more, about 500 W or more, or higher. However, at higher plasma powers, collisions may increase and, as further described below, may cause sputtering or etching of the film at the bottom of the feature, and thus, in some embodiments, the plasma power may be about 600 W or less, about 550 W or less, about 500 W or less, about 450 W or less, about 400 W or less, or lower.

[0043]

[0045] In operation 225, after generating a plasma of a hydrogen-containing material as shown in FIG. 3C, method 200 may include treating carbon-containing material 320 with a plasma emission of a hydrogen-containing precursor. As described above, when depositing carbon-containing material 320, voids 325 and / or seams 330 may be formed within carbon-containing material 320 due to increased sidewall deposition that may close inwardly, as well as overhangs above feature 315. To reduce or remove these voids 325 or seams 330, it may be necessary to remove a portion of carbon-containing material 320 before completely filling feature 315 with carbon-containing material 320. The plasma emission of the hydrogen-containing precursor may result in a portion of carbon-containing material 320 being removed from the substrate 305 and / or one or more layers 310 of material deposited on substrate 305. Specifically, the plasma emission of the hydrogen-containing precursor may remove a portion of carbon-containing material 320 that overhangs feature 315, carbon-containing material 320 on a portion of the sidewall of carbon-containing material 320 that defines feature 315, or a combination of both. Without being bound by any particular theory, the plasma emission of the hydrogen-containing precursor may be generated and supplied to preferentially remove lower quality carbon-containing material 320 along the sidewalls of feature 315. By introducing hydrogen that can more readily bond to carbon-containing material 320 and revert carbon-containing material 320, hydrogen may effectively reverse the deposition that occurred in operation 215 of the lower quality material. This introduced hydrogen may replace the hydrogen removed during plasma generation of the carbon-containing precursor. Due to the newly introduced hydrogen, carbon-containing material 320 may volatilize and be more readily removed than the higher quality and higher density carbon-containing material 320 at the base of feature 315. Further, since plasma generation may be performed in proximity to the top of feature 315, ion collisions may facilitate the removal of carbon-containing material 320 at the top of feature 315. On the other hand, as further described below, other conditions such as pressure may be used to control the interaction at the bottom of feature 315.

[0044]

[0046] In operation 225, treating the carbon-containing material 320 with the plasma emissions of the hydrogen-containing precursor can be continued for a time sufficient to remove the desired amount of carbon-containing material 320 within feature 315. Similar to operation 215, this time can depend on various factors including, without limitation, the depth of feature 315, the aspect ratio of feature 315, the quality and / or strength of the deposited carbon-containing material 320, and / or the flow rate of the hydrogen-containing precursor. In some embodiments, the time for treating the carbon-containing material 320 with the plasma emissions of the hydrogen-containing precursor can be about 5 seconds or more, about 7 seconds or more, about 9 seconds or more, about 11 seconds or more, about 13 seconds or more, about 15 seconds or more, about 17 seconds or more, about 19 seconds or more, or more. At shorter times, treating the carbon-containing material 320 with the plasma emissions of the hydrogen-containing precursor can allow for removal along sidewalls deposited to lower thicknesses as described above, but may not be sufficient to remove carbon-containing material 320 that overhangs into feature 315, which may be a higher quality or higher density material. Similarly, at longer times, treating the carbon-containing material 320 with the plasma emissions of the hydrogen-containing precursor can increase removal along the top and bottom of the feature and can completely remove higher quality carbon-containing material. Thus, in some embodiments, the treatment can be performed in about 20 seconds or less, about 15 seconds or less, or less.

[0045]

[0047] The removal amount can vary based on the amount of time that the carbon-containing material 320 is allowed to be treated with the plasma emissions of the hydrogen-containing precursor. Although the removal amount can vary, during the processing in step 225, more of the carbon-containing material 320 can be removed from the sidewalls that define the feature 315 than from above the feature 315. Further, more of the carbon-containing material 320 can be removed above the feature 315 than below the feature 315. For example, the removal along the sidewalls of the feature 315 can be about 20 percent or more of the thickness at the top or bottom of the feature 315, about 25 percent or more of the thickness at the top or bottom of the feature 315, about 30 percent or more of the thickness at the top or bottom of the feature 315, about 35 percent or more of the thickness at the top or bottom of the feature 315, about 40 percent or more of the thickness at the top or bottom of the feature 315, about 45 percent or more of the thickness at the top or bottom of the feature 315, about 50% or more of the thickness at the top or bottom of the feature 315, about 55 percent or more of the thickness at the top or bottom of the feature 315, about 60 percent or more of the thickness at the top or bottom of the feature 315, about 65 percent or more of the thickness at the top or bottom of the feature 315, about 70 percent or more of the thickness at the top or bottom of the feature 315, about 75 percent or more of the thickness at the top or bottom of the feature 315, about 80 percent or more of the thickness at the top or bottom of the feature 315, or more than that, as compared to the removal either at the bottom of the feature 315 or across the top or between the features 315.

[0046]

[0048] In operation 225, to control the etching rate of the carbon-containing material 320, as will be further described herein, the pressure during operation 225 can be maintained at about 5 Torr or less. As the pressure increases, the ion beam increases, the etching rate of the carbon-containing material 320 increases, and etching along the lower and upper portions of the feature 315 may increase. In a plurality of embodiments, it may be desirable to lower the etching rate when only a portion of the carbon-containing material 320, such as the void 325 and / or the seam 330, needs to be removed. Further, at a pressure of about 5 Torr or less, the etching can be at least partially isotropic. Thereby, the portion of the carbon-containing material 320 deposited on the sidewalls that protrude from or define the feature 315 can be removed preferentially over the carbon-containing material 320 deposited below the feature 315.

[0047]

[0049] As shown in FIG. 3D, in order to fill feature 315 while reducing or eliminating void 325 and / or seam 330, method 200 may include, in order, depositing carbon-containing material 320 on substrate 305 or the like, and subsequently treating carbon-containing material 320 with a plasma emission of a hydrogen-containing precursor. This process may be repeated for any number of cycles. When cycling the deposition and etching of carbon-containing material 320, one or more features 315 may be repeatedly filled higher in a bottom-up gap fill, such as towards the top of feature 315, during each deposition and treatment sequence. As described above, treating carbon-containing material 320 with a plasma emission of a hydrogen-containing precursor may etch a portion of carbon-containing material 320. A portion of carbon-containing material 320 etched by the plasma emission of the hydrogen-containing precursor may be lower quality carbon-containing material 320. This lower quality carbon-containing material 320 may be deposited on the walls defining feature 315, overhangs to feature 315, or in proximity to seam 330 formed within carbon-containing material 320. Carbon-containing material 320 deposited on the walls defining feature 315, overhangs to feature 315, or in proximity to seam 330 may be of lower quality due to fewer collisions and / or interactions during deposition. By repeating the deposition and treatment of carbon-containing material 320, void 325 and / or seam 330 may be reduced or completely eliminated.

[0048]

[0050] The number of repetitions of sequentially depositing and treating the film may depend on various factors including, but not limited to, the depth of feature 315, the aspect ratio of feature 315, the quality of the deposited carbon-containing material 320, and / or the presence of void 325 and / or seam 330 within carbon-containing material 320. In some embodiments, method 200 may include depositing carbon-containing material 320 and treating carbon-containing material 320, which may be repeated at least 3 times, and may include depositing carbon-containing material 320 and treating carbon-containing material 320 at least 4 times, at least 5 times, at least 6 times, at least 7 times, or more times.

[0049]

[0051] During any step of method 200, the semiconductor processing chamber, pedestal, or substrate 305 can be maintained at various temperatures at which film deposition and / or etching processes can be performed. In some embodiments, the temperature of the semiconductor processing chamber, pedestal, or substrate 305 can be maintained at about 500 °C or less, about 450 °C or less, about 400 °C or less, about 350 °C or less, about 300 °C or less, or lower. In some embodiments, the temperature of the semiconductor processing chamber, pedestal, or substrate 305 can be maintained at about 100 °C or more, about 150 °C or more, about 200 °C or more, about 250 °C or more, about 300 °C or more, or higher. In some embodiments, during the deposition of carbon-containing material 320 on substrate 305 in step 215 and during the processing of carbon-containing material 320 using a hydrogen-containing precursor in step 225, the steps can be performed at substantially the same temperature. In some embodiments, treating the carbon-containing material 320 with the plasma emission of the hydrogen-containing precursor can be performed at a temperature within about 25 °C, about 20 °C, about 15 °C, about 10 °C, about 5 °C, or within a narrower range of the temperature at which the carbon-containing material 320 is formed on the substrate 305.

[0050]

[0052] In operation 220, the semiconductor processing chamber can be maintained at various pressures at which deposition can be performed. Further, in some embodiments, the pressure can be adjusted after film deposition, such as during hydrogen processing. For example, while depositing the carbon-containing material 320 on the substrate 305 or the like, and while treating the carbon-containing material 320 with the plasma emissions of the hydrogen-containing precursor, the pressure in the semiconductor processing chamber can be maintained at about 0.1 Torr or more, about 0.3 Torr or more, about 0.5 Torr or more, about 1 Torr or more, about 2 Torr or more, about 3 Torr or more, about 4 Torr or more, or more. Similarly, while depositing the carbon-containing material 320 on the substrate 305 or the like, and while treating the carbon-containing material 320 with the plasma emissions of the hydrogen-containing precursor, the pressure in the semiconductor processing chamber can be maintained at about 5 Torr or less, about 4 Torr or less, about 3 Torr or less, about 2 Torr or less, about 1 Torr or less, or less.

[0051]

[0053] In some embodiments, method 200 can include reducing the pressure in the semiconductor processing chamber before treating the carbon-containing material 320 on the substrate 305 with the plasma emissions of the hydrogen-containing precursor in operation 225. As described above, at a pressure of about 5 Torr or less, the etching is at least partially isotropic and the ion beam can be reduced. Thereby, while restricting the removal along the base of the feature, the portion of the carbon-containing material 320 deposited on the wall that overhangs or defines the feature 315 can be removed.

[0052]

[0054] In the foregoing description, for purposes of explanation, numerous details have been set forth in order to facilitate an understanding of various embodiments of the present technology. However, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that some of these details may be omitted or that additional details may be added and still practice certain plural embodiments.

[0053]

[0055] Although several embodiments have been disclosed, those skilled in the art will recognize that various modifications, alternative constructions, and equivalents can be used without departing from the spirit of the embodiments. Further, some well-known processes and elements have not been described in order to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the present technology. Accordingly, the above description should not be construed as limiting the scope of the present technology.

[0054]

[0056] When a range of values is provided, unless otherwise explicitly stated in the context, each intervening value between the upper and lower limits of that range is specifically disclosed down to the smallest unit of the lower limit. Any stated value or intervening value between any stated value or intervening value within the stated range, and any other stated value or intervening value within that stated range, is also included. The upper and lower limits of these smaller ranges are individually included in or excluded from the range, and each range where either, neither, or both of the limiting values are included in the smaller range is also encompassed within the technical scope, subject to any explicitly excluded limiting values within the stated range. When the stated range includes one or both of the limiting values, ranges excluding either or both of these included limiting values are also included.

[0055]

[0057] As used in this specification and the claims, the singular forms "a", "an", and "the" include plural referents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. Thus, for example, reference to "a carbon-containing precursor" includes a plurality of such precursors, and reference to "a carbon-containing material" includes reference to one or more layers known to those skilled in the art and their equivalents, and so on.

[0056]

[0058] Also, the terms "comprises", "comprising", "includes", "including", "contains", and "containing", when used in this specification and the claims, are intended to specify the presence of the stated features, integers, components, or steps, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, components, processes, acts, or groups.

Claims

1. Providing a carbon-containing precursor to a processing region of a semiconductor processing chamber, wherein a substrate is disposed within the processing region of the semiconductor processing chamber, and the substrate defines one or more features along the substrate, the method comprising providing a carbon-containing precursor; Generating a plasma of the carbon-containing precursor within the processing region; Depositing a carbon-containing material on the substrate, the carbon-containing material extending within the one or more features along the substrate; Generating a plasma of a hydrogen-containing precursor within the processing region of the semiconductor processing chamber; and Processing the carbon-containing material with a plasma effluent of the hydrogen-containing precursor, the plasma effluent of the hydrogen-containing precursor removing a portion of the carbon-containing material from the substrate, the method comprising a semiconductor processing method including processing the carbon-containing material.

2. The semiconductor processing method according to claim 1, wherein the carbon-containing precursor includes acetylene.

3. The semiconductor processing method according to claim 1, wherein the plasma of the carbon-containing precursor is generated with a plasma power of about 500 W or less.

4. While depositing the carbon-containing material on the substrate and processing the carbon-containing material with the plasma effluent of the hydrogen-containing precursor, the temperature within the semiconductor processing chamber is maintained at about 100° C. or more and about 500° C. or less. The semiconductor processing method according to claim 1.

5. While depositing the carbon-containing material on the substrate and processing the carbon-containing material with the plasma effluent of the hydrogen-containing precursor, the pressure within the semiconductor processing chamber is maintained at about 5 Torr or less. The semiconductor processing method according to claim 1.

6. The semiconductor processing method according to claim 1, wherein the plasma of the hydrogen-containing precursor is generated with a plasma power greater than the plasma power used to generate the plasma of the carbon-containing precursor.

7. Processing the carbon-containing material on the substrate with the plasma effluent of the hydrogen-containing precursor is performed at a temperature within about 25° C. of the temperature at which the carbon-containing material is formed on the substrate. The semiconductor processing method according to claim 1.

8. The semiconductor processing method according to claim 1, further comprising increasing the plasma power within the semiconductor processing chamber before processing the carbon-containing material on the substrate with the plasma effluent of the hydrogen-containing precursor.

9. The plasma emission of the hydrogen-containing precursor removes a portion of the carbon-containing material that overhangs the one or more features, a portion of the carbon-containing material on the walls that define the one or more features, or a combination of both, of the semiconductor processing method according to claim 1.

10. The semiconductor processing method according to claim 1 further includes, in order, depositing the carbon-containing material on the substrate and subsequently treating the carbon-containing material with the plasma emission of the hydrogen-containing precursor, wherein the one or more features are repeatedly filled higher during each deposition and treatment sequence.

11. The semiconductor processing method according to claim 10, wherein depositing the carbon-containing material and treating the carbon-containing material are repeated at least three times.

12. Providing a carbon-containing precursor to a processing region of a semiconductor processing chamber, wherein a substrate is disposed within the processing region of the semiconductor processing chamber, and the substrate defines one or more recessed features along the substrate, providing a carbon-containing precursor, Generating a plasma of the carbon-containing precursor within the processing region, wherein the plasma of the carbon-containing precursor is generated at a first plasma power, generating a plasma of the carbon-containing precursor, Depositing a carbon-containing material on the substrate, wherein the carbon-containing material extends within the one or more recessed features along the substrate, depositing a carbon-containing material, Stopping the flow of the carbon-containing precursor, Providing a hydrogen-containing precursor to the processing region of the semiconductor processing chamber, Generating a plasma of the hydrogen-containing precursor within the processing region, wherein the plasma of the hydrogen-containing precursor is generated at a second plasma power, and the second plasma power is greater than the first plasma power, generating a plasma of the hydrogen-containing precursor, and Treating the carbon-containing material with an emission of a hydrogen-containing plasma, wherein the emission of the hydrogen-containing plasma removes a portion of the carbon-containing material from the substrate, including treating the carbon-containing material, a semiconductor processing method.

13. The semiconductor processing method according to claim 12, wherein the second plasma power is about 300 W or more.

14. The semiconductor processing method according to claim 12, further comprising depositing the carbon-containing material on the substrate in order, and treating the carbon-containing material with the emissions of the hydrogen-containing plasma.

15. The time for depositing the carbon-containing material is between about 20 seconds and about 80 seconds, The semiconductor processing method according to claim 14, wherein the time for treating the carbon-containing material with the emissions of the hydrogen-containing plasma is between about 5 seconds and about 25 seconds.

16. Providing a carbon-containing precursor in a processing region of a semiconductor processing chamber, wherein the carbon-containing precursor includes acetylene, a substrate is disposed within the processing region of the semiconductor processing chamber, and the substrate defines one or more recess features along the substrate, providing the carbon-containing precursor. Generating a plasma of the carbon-containing precursor within the processing region, wherein the plasma of the carbon-containing precursor is generated with a plasma power of about 300 W or less, generating the plasma of the carbon-containing precursor. Depositing a carbon-containing material on the substrate, wherein the carbon-containing material extends within the one or more recess features along the substrate, depositing the carbon-containing material. Stopping the flow of the carbon-containing precursor. Generating a plasma of a hydrogen-containing precursor within the processing region of the semiconductor processing chamber, wherein the hydrogen-containing precursor includes diatomic hydrogen, generating the plasma of the hydrogen-containing precursor, and Etching a portion of the carbon-containing material with the plasma emissions of the hydrogen-containing precursor, A semiconductor processing method, wherein the temperature within the processing region is maintained at about 500 °C or less, and the pressure within the processing region is maintained at about 3 Torr or less.

17. The semiconductor processing method according to claim 16, wherein the temperature within the semiconductor processing chamber is maintained between about 200 °C and about 400 °C while treating the carbon-containing material on the substrate with the plasma emissions of the hydrogen-containing precursor.

18. The semiconductor processing method according to claim 16, wherein the pressure within the semiconductor processing chamber is maintained between about 0.3 Torr and about 3 Torr while treating the carbon-containing material on the substrate with the plasma emissions of the hydrogen-containing precursor.

19. The semiconductor processing method according to claim 16, further comprising reducing the pressure in the semiconductor processing chamber before processing the carbon-containing material on the substrate with the plasma emission of the hydrogen-containing precursor.

20. The semiconductor processing method according to claim 16, wherein the plasma of the hydrogen-containing precursor is generated with a plasma power of about 200 W or more and about 600 W or less.

Images