System and method for improving the mechanical strength of low dielectric constant materials

Abstract

An exemplary processing method may include providing a processing precursor to a processing area of ​​a semiconductor processing chamber. A substrate may be housed within the processing area. The substrate may include a layer of silicon-containing material. The method may include forming an inductively coupled plasma emission of the processing precursor. The method may include contacting the layer of silicon-containing material with the inductively coupled plasma emission of the processing precursor to produce a processed layer of silicon-containing material. This contact may reduce the dielectric constant of the silicon-containing material layer.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] Cross - Reference to Related Applications

[0001] This application claims the benefit and priority of U.S. Patent Application No. 18 / 209,719, filed on June 14, 2023, entitled "SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR IMPROVING MECHANICAL STRENGTH OF LOW DIELECTRIC CONSTANT MATERIALS", which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

[0002]

[0002] This technology relates to semiconductor processing. In particular, this technology relates to methods for manufacturing low dielectric constant (κ) materials with improved mechanical strength.

Background Art

[0003]

[0003] Integrated circuits are enabled by a process that creates complexly patterned material layers on a substrate surface. Manufacturing patterned materials on a substrate requires a controlled method for forming and removing materials. The properties of the materials can affect the operation of the device and also how the materials are removed from each other. Plasma - enhanced deposition can produce materials with specific properties. Many of the materials formed require further processing to adjust or improve their properties in order to provide suitable characteristics.

[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. This technology addresses these and other needs.

Summary of the Invention

[0005]

[0005] An exemplary processing method may include providing a processing precursor to a processing area of ​​a semiconductor processing chamber. A substrate may be housed within the processing area. The substrate may include a layer of silicon-containing material. The method may include forming an inductively coupled plasma emission of the processing precursor. The method may include contacting the layer of silicon-containing material with the inductively coupled plasma emission of the processing precursor to produce a processed layer of silicon-containing material. This contact may reduce the dielectric constant of the silicon-containing material layer.

[0006]

[0006] In some embodiments, the processing precursor may be one or more of diatomic nitrogen (N2), diatomic oxygen (O2), ammonia (NH3), argon (Ar), helium (He), or diatomic hydrogen (H2), or may contain these. The silicon-containing material may be a silicon and oxygen-containing material, a silicon, carbon, and oxygen-containing material, or a silicon, carbon, oxygen, and hydrogen-containing material. The inductively coupled plasma emission of the processing precursor may be formed with a plasma power of about 2000 W or more. The treated layer of the silicon-containing material may be characterized by a dielectric constant of about 2.9 or less. This contact may increase silicon-carbon-silicon crosslinking within the layer of the silicon-containing material. The treated layer of the silicon-containing material may be characterized by about 0.4% or more silicon-carbon-silicon crosslinking. By contacting the layer of the silicon-containing material with the inductively coupled plasma emission of the processing precursor, the carbon content within the layer of the silicon-containing material may be reduced. The pressure within the processing area may be maintained at about 50 Torr or less. The temperature within the processing area can be maintained at approximately 150°C or higher. The method may include exposing a treated layer of silicon-containing material to ultraviolet light in order to produce a cured layer of the silicon-containing material.

[0007]

[0007] Some embodiments of the present technology may encompass semiconductor processing methods. The method may include providing a processing precursor to a processing area of ​​a semiconductor processing chamber. A substrate may be housed within the processing area. The substrate may include a layer of silicon-containing material. The method may include forming an inductively coupled plasma emission of the processing precursor with a plasma power of about 2000 W or more. The method may include contacting the layer of silicon-containing material with the inductively coupled plasma emission of the processing precursor to produce a processed layer of silicon-containing material. This contact may improve one or more mechanical properties of the layer of silicon-containing material.

[0008]

[0008] In some embodiments, the silicon-containing material may be a silicon and oxygen-containing material, a silicon, carbon, and oxygen-containing material, or a silicon, carbon, oxygen, and hydrogen-containing material. One or more mechanical properties may include hardness, Young's modulus, dielectric constant, or porosity. A treated layer of the silicon-containing material may be characterized by a second thickness less than a first thickness of the silicon-containing material layer. The method may include exposing the treated layer of the silicon-containing material to ultraviolet light to produce a cured layer of the silicon-containing material. This exposure may reduce the methyl concentration within the treated layer of the silicon-containing material. The cured layer of the silicon-containing material may be characterized by a methyl concentration of about 4.5% or less. The cured layer of the silicon-containing material may be characterized by a dielectric constant of about 2.85 or less. The cured layer of the silicon-containing material may be characterized by a hardness of about 3 GPa or more.

[0009]

[0009] Some embodiments of the present technology may encompass semiconductor processing methods. The method may include providing a processing precursor to a processing area of ​​a semiconductor processing chamber. A substrate may be housed within the processing area. The substrate may include a layer of silicon-containing material. The method may include forming an inductively coupled plasma emission of the processing precursor. The method may include contacting the layer of silicon-containing material with the inductively coupled plasma emission of the processing precursor to produce a processed layer of silicon-containing material. The method may include exposing the processed layer of silicon-containing material to ultraviolet light to produce a cured layer of silicon-containing material.

[0010]

[0010] In some embodiments, the processing precursor may be helium (He) or may contain helium (He). The cured layer of the silicon-containing material may be characterized by a hardness of about 2 GPa or more.

[0011]

[0011] Such techniques may offer numerous advantages over conventional systems and techniques. For example, desired properties may be obtained by performing treatment and / or UV light exposure on a layer of silicon-containing material. Furthermore, treatment and / or UV light exposure may break the conventional trade-offs that are generally associated with dielectric constant and mechanical strength. These embodiments and other embodiments, along with their many advantages and features, are described in detail below in the description and accompanying drawings.

[0012]

[0012] The nature and advantages of the technology of this disclosure can be further understood by referring to the following sections of this specification and the drawings below. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0013] [Figure 1]

[0013] A schematic cross-sectional view of an exemplary plasma processing apparatus according to several embodiments of the present technology is shown. [Figure 2]

[0014] A schematic cross-sectional view of an exemplary plasma processing apparatus according to several embodiments of this technology is shown. [Figure 3]

[0015] A schematic cross-sectional view of an exemplary plasma processing apparatus according to several embodiments of this technology is shown. [Figure 4]

[0016] A schematic cross-sectional view of an exemplary plasma processing apparatus according to several embodiments of this technology is shown. [Figure 5]

[0017] A schematic cross-sectional view of an exemplary plasma processing apparatus according to several embodiments of this technology is shown. [Figure 6] [0018 An isometric view of an exemplary induction coil according to several embodiments of the present technology is shown. [Figure 7]

[0019] The following shows exemplary steps in a processing method according to several embodiments of the present technology. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0014]

[0020] Some of the drawings are included as schematics. Please understand that the drawings are for illustrative purposes only and should not be considered to scale unless explicitly stated otherwise. Furthermore, as schematic diagrams, they are provided to aid understanding and may not include all aspects or information compared to a realistic depiction, and may include elements that are exaggerated for illustrative purposes.

[0015]

[0021] In the attached drawings, similar components and / or features may have the same reference numeral. Furthermore, various components of the same type may be distinguished according to their reference numerals by letters that distinguish similar components from each other. Where only a first reference numeral is used herein, its description may apply to any similar component having the same first reference numeral, regardless of the letters mentioned above.

[0016]

[0022] During back-end-of-line (BEOL) semiconductor processing, low-dielectric-constant (low-κ) materials can perform multiple functions in the fabrication of metallization layers within integrated circuits. These functions may include incorporating electrically insulating low-dielectric-constant materials between conductive metal-containing structures, such as interconnect lines, contact holes, and vias, among other structures. These functions may also include partially removing the low-dielectric-constant material after the formation of the metallic structures. One common removal process in BEOL is chemical mechanical polishing (CMP), which uses a combination of chemical etching and physical abrasion to remove low-dielectric-constant materials from the substrate surface.

[0017]

[0023] Low dielectric constant materials used in BEOL processing must have a lower dielectric constant compared to undoped silicon oxide and high mechanical stability to withstand breakage during the formation of metal-containing structures and removal by CMP. Unfortunately, these properties often conflict in low dielectric constant materials made from UV-treated silicon, carbon, and oxygen-containing materials. In many cases, UV treatment increases the porosity of the material, and increased porosity can reduce the material's mechanical stability. In addition, an increase in the carbon content in the material can decrease the κ value, further reducing the material's mechanical stability. This decrease in mechanical stability can be measured by materials having lower hardness and a lower Young's modulus, among other mechanical properties.

[0018]

[0024] One approach to address these problems is to replace the UV treatment step with other types of treatments. In some conventional embodiments, the UV treatment step is eliminated by depositing a low dielectric constant material at an increased deposition temperature, such as about 500 °C or higher. Unfortunately, such higher deposition temperatures may exceed the thermal budget of many semiconductor manufacturing processes. Higher temperatures may also generate undesirable reactions within the low dielectric constant material. For example, Si-H groups react with oxygen groups to form hydroxyl groups (-OH) within the as-deposited material. A relatively small amount of hydroxyl groups can significantly increase the dielectric constant of the low dielectric constant material. In a further conventional method, the UV treatment step is replaced by a plasma treatment after deposition of the low dielectric constant material. The plasma treatment can be performed at a lower temperature than high temperature deposition, but generally is performed at a higher temperature than the UV treatment, such as 400 °C or higher. These plasma treatment temperatures may impose a burden on the thermal budget of some semiconductor manufacturing methods.

[0019]

[0025] The present technology can overcome these problems by including multiple embodiments of a semiconductor processing method for forming a treated low dielectric constant material with improved mechanical stability. In an optional UV treatment, these treated low dielectric constant materials can be characterized by a dielectric constant of about 3.8 or less. However, unlike the prior art, multiple embodiments of the present technology can maintain the mechanical stability of the material despite the reduced dielectric constant. This material can be characterized by a high hardness of about 2 GPa or more, as well as a Young's modulus of about 4 GPa or more.

[0020]

[0026] After describing some general aspects of a chamber according to some embodiments of the present technology in which a plasma treatment step described below can be performed, a specific methodology can be described. It should be understood that the present technology is not intended to be limited to the specific materials, chambers, or processes described, as the technique is used to improve some material formation processes and can be applicable to various processing chambers and steps.

[0021]

[0027] Figure 1 shows a cross-sectional view of an exemplary plasma processing chamber 100 according to some embodiments of the present technology. This figure may show an overview of a system incorporating one or more aspects of the present technology and / or a system capable of performing one or more deposition or other processing steps according to multiple embodiments of the present technology. Further details of the plasma processing apparatus 100 or the method to be performed may be further described below. The plasma processing apparatus 100 may include a processing chamber 110 and a plasma source 120 coupled to the processing chamber 110. The processing chamber 110 may include a substrate support 112 operable to hold a substrate 114. In some embodiments, the substrate has a thickness of less than about 1 mm. The substrate support 112 may be proximate to one or more heat sources (e.g., multiple lamps 176) that provide heat to the substrate during processing of the substrate within the processing chamber 110. The heat may be provided using any suitable heat source such as one or more lamps such as one or more rapid thermal processing lamps or via a heated pedestal (e.g., a pedestal having a resistive heating element embedded within or coupled to the pedestal). During operation, the heat source may enable independent temperature control of the substrate, which is described in more detail below.

[0022]

[0028] As shown in Figure 1, the processing chamber 110 may include a window 162 such as a dome, and a plurality of lamps 176. The plurality of lamps 176 may be arranged between the window 162 and the lower wall of the processing chamber 110. The plurality of lamps 176 may be arranged as an array. The plurality of lamps 176 may be arranged in a plurality of concentric rings surrounding the center of the processing chamber 110. The plurality of lamps 176 may include 100 or more lamps, 200 or more lamps, 200 to 500 lamps, 200 to 300 lamps, 240 lamps, 300 to 400 lamps, 400 to 500 lamps, or 400 lamps. The power of each of the multiple lamps 176 is 400W to 1000W, 500W to 800W, 500W to 600W, 600W to 700W, 645W, or 700W to 800W. The distance from the multiple lamps 176 to the circuit board is approximately 50mm or less, approximately 5mm to approximately 50mm, approximately 5mm to approximately 20mm, approximately 12.5mm, approximately 20mm to approximately 50mm, or approximately 36.5mm.

[0023]

[0029] A controller (not shown) may be coupled to the processing chamber 110 and used to control the chamber process described herein, which includes controlling a plurality of lamps 176. A substrate support 112 may be positioned between the isolation grid 116 and the window 162. A plurality of sensors (not shown) may be positioned in close proximity to one or more of the lamps 176 and / or the substrate support 112 to measure the temperature inside the chamber 110. The plurality of sensors may include one or more infrared pyrometers or miniature pyrometers. In some embodiments, one or more pyrometers may include two, three, or four pyrometers. In some embodiments, the pyrometers may have a wavelength of 3.3 μm, but generally, the wavelengths of commercially available pyrometers typically vary from about 0.5 μm to about 14 μm. In some embodiments, the pyrometers are bottom pyrometers, meaning that the pyrometers are positioned below the substrate, such as in close proximity to the plurality of lamps 176.

[0024]

[0030] The substrate support 112 may be coupled to the shaft 165. The shaft may be connected to an actuator 178. The actuator 178 may provide rotational motion (around axis A) of the shaft and the substrate support. The actuator 178 may further or alternatively provide height adjustment of the shaft 165 during processing.

[0025]

[0031] The substrate support 112 may include internally located lift pin holes 166. The lift pin holes 166 may be sized to receive lift pins 164 for lifting the substrate 114 from the substrate support 112, either before or after the deposition or processing process. The lift pins 164 may rest on lift pin stops 168 when the substrate 114 is lowered from the processing position to the transfer position.

[0026]

[0032] Plasma can be generated in the plasma source 120 (for example, in the plasma generation region) by the induction coil 130. Plasma ejecta can flow from the plasma source 120 through holes 126 provided in the separation grid 116 to the surface of the substrate 114. The separation grid 116 separates the plasma source 120 from the processing chamber 110 (downstream region).

[0027]

[0033] The plasma source 120 may include dielectric sidewalls 122. The plasma source 120 may include an upper plate 124. The dielectric sidewalls 122 and upper plate 124, integrated with the gas injection insert 140, may define the interior 125 of the plasma source. The dielectric sidewalls 122 may include any suitable dielectric material such as quartz. An induction coil 130 may be positioned close to (e.g., adjacent to) the dielectric sidewalls 122 around the plasma source 120. The induction coil 130 may be coupled to an RF power generator 134 via any suitable matching network 132. A supply gas may be introduced into the interior of the plasma source from a gas supply source 150. Plasma may be generated in the plasma source 120 when the induction coil 130 is energized with RF power from the RF power generator 134. In some embodiments, RF power may be supplied to the induction coil 130 at a rate of about 1 kW to about 15 kW, about 3 kW to about 10 kW, etc. The induction coil 130 may ignite and maintain the plasma over a wide range of pressures and flow rates. In some embodiments, the plasma processing apparatus 100 may include a grounded Faraday shield 128 to reduce the capacitive coupling of the induction coil 130 to the plasma.

[0028]

[0034] To increase efficiency, the plasma processing apparatus 100 may include a gas injection insert 140 located inside the plasma source 125. A gas injection channel 151 may supply process gas to the inside of the plasma source 125 via an active zone 172. In this case, a reaction between high-temperature electrons and the supply gas may occur as a result of enhanced confinement of high-temperature electrons. The enhanced electron confinement region, or active zone 172, may be defined radially by the sidewalls of the gas injection insert and a vacuum tube, and vertically by the edges of the insert's surface 180 from below. The active zone 172 may provide an electron confinement region within the inside of the plasma source 125 for efficient plasma generation and maintenance. The gas injection channel 151 may be narrow to prevent plasma from spreading from inside the chamber into the gas injection channel 151. The diameter of the gas injection channel 151 may be approximately 1 mm to 10 mm, such as approximately 1 mm or more, approximately 10 mm or more, etc. The gas injection insert 140 can force the process gas to pass through an active zone 172 where plasma may be formed.

[0029]

[0035] The ability of the gas injection insert 140 to improve the efficiency of the plasma processing apparatus 100 does not depend on the material of the gas injection insert 140, as long as the walls that are in direct contact with the radicals are made of a material that has a low radical recombination rate. For example, in some embodiments, the gas injection insert 140 may be made of a metal such as aluminum, having a coating configured to reduce surface recombination. Alternatively, the gas injection insert 140 may be a dielectric material such as quartz, or an insulating material.

[0030]

[0036] The induction coil 130 can be aligned with the active region such that the upper turn of the coil is above the surface 180 of the gas injection insert 140 and operates substantially within the active region of the internal space, while the lower turn of the coil is below the surface 180 and operates substantially outside the active region. The center of the coil can be substantially aligned with the surface 180. Within these boundaries, the position of the coil can be adjusted for desired performance. Alignment of the coil with the surface 180 provides improved source efficiency, i.e., controlled generation of desired chemical species for the plasma process, and that these chemical species can be supplied to the substrate with reduced or eliminated losses. For example, plasma maintenance conditions (balance between local generation and loss of ions) may not be optimal for generating species for the plasma process. With respect to the supply of species to the substrate, efficiency may depend on the quantity of these particular species and wall recombination. Thus, control of the coil alignment with the surface 180 can provide control of the source efficiency for the plasma process.

[0031]

[0037] In some embodiments, the coil has a short transition region near the lead wire, and the remainder of the coil turn is parallel to the surface 180. In several other embodiments, the coil is helical, but an upper turn and a lower turn can always be defined. In some embodiments, the coil may have 2 to 5 turns.

[0032]

[0038] In some embodiments, the surface 180 can be aligned with a portion of the induction coil 130 (e.g., coil loop 182) along axis 184 by utilizing a appropriately sized gas injection insert 140 (and an upper plate 124 which may be a pre-formed portion of the gas injection insert 140) to form the plasma source 120. Alternatively, to provide alignment of the surface 180 with a portion of the coil 130, the surface 180 may be movable along a direction V1 perpendicular to the plasma source 120. On the other hand, the rest of the gas injection insert 140 is static (e.g., fixed) as part of the plasma source 120. For example, a mechanism 170 may be coupled to any suitable portion of the gas injection insert 140 to adjust the position of the surface 180. Thereafter, a portion of the gas injection insert 140 having a first length (L1) is adjusted to a second length (L2). The mechanism 170 may be any suitable mechanism, such as an actuator (e.g., a motor, electric motor, stepping motor, or gas pressure actuator). In some embodiments, the difference in length between L1 and L2 is approximately 0.1 cm to approximately 4 cm, or approximately 1 cm to approximately 2 cm, etc.

[0033]

[0039] Alternatively, the gas injection insert 140 may be coupled to a mechanism (such as mechanism 170) to align the surface 180 with a portion of the coil 130. Mechanism 170 may be configured to move the entire gas injection insert 140 vertically (for example, along a direction V1 perpendicular to the plasma source 120). Spacers (not shown) can be used to fill one or more gaps between the gas injection insert 140 and another portion of the plasma source 120 (such as between the upper plate 124 and the dielectric sidewall 122) formed by moving the insert vertically. The spacers may be formed from a ceramic material such as quartz.

[0034]

[0040] Generally, positioning the center of the induction coil 130 above the surface 180 improves the efficiency of ionization and dissociation, but may reduce the efficiency of transporting these species to the substrate, because many of the species may recombine at the walls of the narrow active region. Positioning the induction coil 130 below the surface 180 may improve the plasma supply efficiency, but may reduce the plasma generation efficiency.

[0035]

[0041] The separation grid 116 may be configured to separate an area of ​​the processing chamber 110 from plasma charged particles (ions and electrons). The plasma charged particles recombine on the grid, thereby allowing only neutral plasma species to pass through the grid and enter the processing chamber 110. The holes in the lower section of the separation grid 116 can have various different patterns (e.g., uniform or non-uniform). In some embodiments, the separation grid 116 may be formed from aluminum, anodized aluminum, quartz, aluminum nitride, aluminum oxide, tantalum, tantalum nitride, titanium, titanium nitride, or (one or more) combinations thereof. For example, AlN may be useful for fluxing nitrogen radicals, while conventional separation grids are prone to the recombination of nitride radicals. Similarly, aluminum oxide may provide flux for oxygen radicals or hydrogen radicals, while conventional separation grids are prone to their recombination. In some embodiments, the separation grid 116 may include multiple holes. The multiple holes may be arranged through the separation grid (e.g., the holes may traverse the thickness of the separation grid). The multiple holes may have an average diameter of about 4 mm to about 6 mm. In some embodiments, each of the multiple holes has a diameter of about 4 mm to about 6 mm. In some embodiments, the separation grid 116 has a thickness of about 5 mm to about 10 mm. This thickness defines the length of the holes. The ratio of the grid thickness to the average diameter of the multiple holes may be greater than about 1, or about 1 to about 3, etc.

[0036]

[0042] The exhaust port 192 may be coupled to the side wall of the processing chamber 110. In some embodiments, the exhaust port 192 may be coupled to the lower wall of the process chamber 110 to provide azimuth independence (for example, when the pedestal does not rotate). If the ramp rotates, the exhaust port 192 may be coupled to the side wall, because rotation reduces the dependence on the azimuth.

[0037]

[0043] Next, various features of the ICP source and plasma processing apparatus will be described with reference to Figures 2 to 5. The plasma processing apparatuses in Figures 2 to 5 may be constructed in a similar manner to the plasma processing apparatus 100 in Figure 1, and may operate in the same manner as described above for the plasma processing apparatus 100. It will also be understood that the components of the plasma processing apparatuses in Figures 2 to 5 may be incorporated into any other suitable plasma processing apparatus in several alternative and exemplary embodiments.

[0038]

[0044] As shown in Figure 2, the plasma processing apparatus 200 may include a processing chamber 220 having an internally positioned separation grid (not shown). The plasma processing apparatus 200 may include a plasma source 222 along the vertical direction V. The substrate may be placed in the processing chamber directly below the grid, but at a distance from the grid. Neutral particles from inside the plasma source 230 may flow downward through the separation grid toward the substrate in the processing chamber 220, and the neutral particles may come into contact with the substrate to perform a process, such as a surface treatment process.

[0039]

[0045] Multiple induction coils 250 may be arranged at different positions along the vertical direction V of the plasma source 222. Thereafter, for example, the induction coils (e.g., induction coils 252 and 254) are spaced apart from each other along the vertical direction V along the plasma source 222. For example, the induction coils 250 may include a first induction coil (peripheral induction coil 252) and a second induction coil (central induction coil 254). The first induction coil (peripheral induction coil 252) may be positioned at a first vertical position along the vertical surface of the dielectric sidewall 232. The second induction coil (central induction coil 254) may be positioned at a second vertical position along the vertical surface of the dielectric sidewall 232. The first vertical position may be different from the second vertical position. For example, the first vertical position may be above the second vertical position. In some embodiments, as described above, a portion of the first induction coil (peripheral induction coil 252) may be substantially aligned with the surface 180 of the insert. A second induction coil (central induction coil 254) may be located in the lower (e.g., lower) portion of the plasma source. The second induction coil may include (one or more) magnetic field concentraters 280, as shown in Figure 2, which allows the coil to be located below the plasma source. By using (one or more) magnetic field concentraters 280, the efficiency of plasma generation below the source can be improved and radial control near the substrate can be significantly increased (compared to the absence of magnetic field concentraters). In some embodiments, the central induction coil 254 may be located at a height of 1 / 3 from the bottom of the plasma source 222, at a height of 1 / 4 from the bottom, and so on.

[0040]

[0046] The induction coil 250 may be operable to generate (or modify) an induction plasma inside the plasma source 230. For example, the plasma processing apparatus 200 may include a first radio frequency power generator 262 (e.g., an RF generator and a matching network) coupled to a peripheral induction coil 252. The central induction coil 254 may be coupled to a second radio frequency power generator 264 (e.g., an RF generator and a matching network). The frequency and / or power of the RF energy applied to the first induction coil (peripheral induction coil 252) by the first radio frequency power generator 262 and the frequency and / or power of the RF energy applied to the second induction coil (central induction coil 254) by the second radio frequency power generator 264 may be independent of each other to better control the process parameters of the surface treatment process.

[0041]

[0047] For example, the frequency and / or power of the RF energy applied by the second radio frequency power generator 264 may be lower than the frequency and / or power of the RF energy applied by the first radio frequency power generator 262. The first radio frequency power generator 262 may be operable to energize a peripheral induction coil 252 to generate an inductive plasma inside the plasma source 230. In particular, the first radio frequency power generator 262 may energize the peripheral induction coil 252 with radio frequency (RF) alternating current (AC). Thereafter, the AC induces alternating magnetic and electric fields inside the space near the peripheral induction coil 252 that heat electrons to generate an inductive plasma. In some embodiments, RF power may be supplied to the peripheral induction coil 252 at about 1 kW to about 15 kW, about 3 kW to about 15 kW, etc. The peripheral induction coil 252 can ignite and maintain the plasma over a wide range of pressures and flow rates. A second radio frequency power generator 264 may be operable to energize a central induction coil 254 to generate and / or modify the plasma inside the plasma source 230. In particular, the second radio frequency power generator 264 may energize the central induction coil 254 with radio frequency (RF) alternating current (AC). Thereafter, an inductive RF field inside the space adjacent to the central induction coil 254 accelerates electrons to generate plasma. In some embodiments, RF power may be supplied to the central induction coil 254 at about 0.5 kW to about 6 kW, about 0.5 kW to about 3 kW, etc. The central induction coil 254 can modify the plasma density within the plasma processing apparatus 200. For example, the central induction coil 254 can tune the radial profile of the plasma to promote further uniformity of the plasma moving toward the substrate in the processing chamber 220. Since the peripheral induction coil 252 may be further away from the substrate than the central induction coil 254 during use, the plasma and radicals generated by the peripheral induction coil 252 promote a dome-shaped profile near the substrate, and the central induction coil 254 can flatten (or even raise the edges of) the dome-shaped plasma profile as the plasma approaches the substrate.

[0042]

[0048] The dielectric sidewall 232 may be positioned between the induction coil 250 and the plasma source 222. The dielectric sidewall 232 may generally have a cylindrical shape. An electrically grounded Faraday shield 234 may be made of metal and / or positioned between the induction coil 250 and the dielectric sidewall 232. The Faraday shield 234 may have a cylindrical shape and be positioned around the dielectric sidewall 232. The grounded Faraday shield 234 may extend as far as the length of the plasma source 222. The dielectric sidewall 232 contains the plasma inside the plasma source 230, allowing the RF field from the induction coil 250 to pass into the plasma source interior 230. The grounded Faraday shield 234 may reduce the capacitive coupling of the induction coil 250 to the plasma inside the plasma source 230. In some embodiments, the Faraday shield 234 may be a metal cylinder with slots perpendicular to the direction of the coil. Vertical slots may be located in the coil area (e.g., adjacent to the coil). On the other hand, at least one vertical end of the coil (above or below the coil) may have a complete current path around the cylinder. The Faraday shield may have any suitable thickness, and / or the slots may have any suitable shape. Even when using a helical coil, the slots near (one or more) coils may be relatively narrow (e.g., about 0.5 cm to about 2 cm) and substantially vertical.

[0043]

[0049] As described above, each induction coil 250 may be positioned at different locations along the vertical direction V of the plasma source 222, adjacent to the vertical portion of the dielectric sidewall of the plasma source 222. In this manner, each induction coil 250 may be able to operate to generate (or modify) plasma in a region adjacent to the coil along the vertical surface of the dielectric sidewall 232 of the plasma source 222.

[0044]

[0050] In some embodiments, the plasma processing apparatus 200 may include one or more peripheral gas injection ports 270 arranged radially outward through the gas injection insert 240 of the plasma source 222. The peripheral gas injection ports 270 and the side profile of the insert may be operable to inject process gases directly into active plasma generation regions adjacent to the vertical surfaces of the dielectric sidewalls 232 at the periphery of the plasma source interior 230. For example, there may be more than 20 (e.g., between 70 and 200) vertical injection holes arranged through the gas injection insert 240. For example, a first dielectric coil (peripheral induction coil 252) may be operable to generate plasma in a region 272 adjacent to the vertical surfaces of the dielectric sidewalls 232. A second induction coil (central induction coil 254) may be operable to generate or modify plasma present in a region 275 adjacent to the vertical surfaces of the dielectric sidewalls 232. In some embodiments, the gas injection insert 240 may further define an active region for generating plasma inside the plasma source 230 adjacent to the vertical surface of the dielectric sidewall 232. The upper part of the gas injection insert of this disclosure may have a diameter of about 10 cm to about 15 cm. The lower part of the gas injection insert of this disclosure may have a diameter of about 7 cm to 10 cm.

[0045]

[0051] The plasma processing apparatus 200 may have a peripheral gas injection port 270 that supplies gas to the interior 230 of the plasma source, and a peripheral gas injection port 290 configured to introduce the same or a different gas into the space 210. The peripheral gas injection port 290 is coupled to the process chamber 220 and may be the upper plate of the process chamber 220. The peripheral gas injection port 290 may include a plenum 292 (which may be circular) through which the gas is introduced via an inlet 294. The gas flows from the plenum 292 through one or more openings 296 into the space 210. The peripheral gas injection port 290 may provide fine tuning of the plasma chemistry near the edge of the substrate and / or improve the uniformity of the plasma in the substrate. For example, the peripheral gas injection port 290 may provide modification of the flow (same gas) and / or modification of the chemistry (chemical reaction between plasma radicals and a new supply gas or a different gas).

[0046]

[0052] The plasma processing apparatus 200 may have improved source tuning capabilities compared to known plasma processing apparatuses. For example, the induction coils 250 may be positioned at two locations along the vertical surface of the dielectric sidewall 232. Thereafter, the function of the peripheral induction coil 252, which is close to the active plasma generation region, is to ignite and maintain the plasma inside the plasma source 230, while the function of the central induction coil 254, which is located below the source, is to enable advantageous source tuning capabilities. The lower placement of the second coil is made possible by the use of (one or more) magnetic field concentraters 280. This may result in coupling of the coil to the plasma rather than to the surrounding metal (e.g., the edge gas injection port 290). In this manner, the processing process on the substrate performed using the plasma processing apparatus 200 may be more uniform.

[0047]

[0053] Figure 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the plasma processing apparatus 300. The plasma processing apparatus 300 may include a plasma source 322 and a processing chamber 220. The plasma source 322 may include a gas injection insert 302 having a peripheral gas injection port 270 and a central gas injection port 310. The central gas injection port 310 may be formed by an upper plate 318 and a lower plate 340 forming a plenum 316. The lower plate 340 may have a plurality of holes (through holes) 312, allowing the central gas injection port 310 / gas injection insert 302 to have a plurality of holes (through holes) 312 for supplying process gas into a central process region 314. The dimensions of the central process region 314 may be provided by a portion of the gas injection insert 302, i.e., the central gas injection port 310 and a side wall 320. The side wall 320 has a cylindrical shape and may be made of a dielectric material. For example, the side wall 320 may be made of quartz or alumina. The dimensions of region 272 are provided by the dielectric sidewall 232 and the gas injection insert 302 (i.e., the peripheral gas injection port 270 and sidewall 324). The sidewall 324 (and generally the gas injection insert 302) may have a cylindrical shape. The surface material of the sidewall 324 may be a dielectric material or a metal. For example, the sidewall 324 may be formed from aluminum and covered with quartz or alumina, or may have bare aluminum or anodized aluminum. In addition, a first Faraday shield (not shown) may be placed between the peripheral induction coil 252 and the dielectric sidewall 232. Similarly, a second Faraday shield (not shown) may be placed between the central induction coil 254 and the sidewall 320. In some embodiments, the sidewall 320 may be quartz or ceramic and / or may have a thickness of about 2.5 mm to about 5 mm.

[0048]

[0054] The flow rate of process gas supplied by the peripheral gas injection port 270 through the conduit 326 to region 272 may be greater than the flow rate of process gas supplied to the central process region 314 by the central gas injection port 310. In some embodiments, the ratio of the flow rate of process gas supplied by the peripheral gas injection port 270 to the flow rate of process gas supplied by the central gas injection port 310 is about 2:1 to about 20:1, about 5:1 to about 10:1, etc. Providing a higher flow rate to region 272 than to the central process region 314 may provide improved center-to-edge uniformity of the plasma on the substrate surface of the substrate present in the processing chamber 220.

[0049]

[0055] The plasma processing apparatus 300 may further include a peripheral induction coil 252 and a central induction coil 254. The RF power supplied by the peripheral induction coil 252 may be greater than the RF power supplied by the central induction coil 254. In some embodiments, the ratio of the RF power supplied by the peripheral induction coil 252 to the RF power supplied by the central induction coil 254 is about 2:1 to about 20:1, about 3:1 to about 10:1, etc., or about 5:1. When the central coil is not energized, the secondary plasma source acts as an auxiliary gas injection to reduce the flux of radicals and ions / electrons generated by the peripheral induction coil 252 toward the center of the substrate. Since the plasma density is typically higher at the center of the substrate during conventional plasma processes, providing the peripheral induction coil 252 with a greater RF power than the RF power supplied to the central induction coil 254 can promote an increased plasma density at the (one or more) edges of the substrate, thereby improving plasma uniformity. The (one or more) plasma separators 304 (cylindrical protrusions) between the central area and the edge area improve the ability to independently control the central and edge plasma.

[0050]

[0056] The peripheral induction coil 252 and the central induction coil 254 may be operable to generate (or modify) an induced plasma inside the plasma source 330. For example, the plasma processing apparatus 300 may include a first radio frequency power generator 262 (e.g., an RF generator and a matching network) coupled to the peripheral induction coil 252. The central induction coil 254 may be coupled to a second radio frequency power generator 264 (e.g., an RF generator and a matching network). The frequency and / or power of the RF energy applied to the peripheral induction coil 252 by the first radio frequency power generator 262 and the frequency and / or power of the RF energy applied to the central induction coil 254 by the second radio frequency power generator 264 may be adjusted to be the same or different, respectively, to control process parameters of the substrate processing process.

[0051]

[0057] For example, the frequency and / or power of the RF energy applied by the second radio frequency power generator 264 may be lower than the frequency and / or power of the RF energy applied by the first radio frequency power generator 262. The first radio frequency power generator 262 may be operable to energize the peripheral induction coil 252 to generate an inductive plasma inside the plasma source 330. In particular, the first radio frequency power generator 262 may energize the peripheral induction coil 252 with radio frequency (RF) alternating current (AC). Thereafter, the AC induces an alternating magnetic field inside the peripheral induction coil 252 that heats the gas to generate an inductive plasma. In some embodiments, RF power is supplied to the peripheral induction coil 252 at a rate of about 1 kW to about 15 kW, about 3 kW to about 10 kW, etc.

[0052]

[0058] A second radio frequency power generator 264 may be operable to energize a central induction coil 254 to generate and / or modify an inductive plasma in the central process region 314 of the plasma source 322. In particular, the second radio frequency power generator 264 may energize the central induction coil 254 with radio frequency (RF) alternating current (AC). Thereafter, the AC induces an alternating magnetic field inside the central induction coil 254 that heats the gas to generate and / or modify an inductive plasma. In some embodiments, RF power may be supplied to the central induction coil 254 in amounts such as about 0.3 kW to about 3 kW, about 0.5 kW to about 2 kW, etc. The central induction coil 254 can modify the plasma within the plasma processing apparatus 300. For example, the central induction coil 254 can tune the radial profile of the plasma to promote further uniformity of the plasma moving toward the substrate in the processing chamber 220.

[0053]

[0059] In some embodiments, the plasma processing apparatus 300 includes a gas injection port 270 operable to inject process gas at the periphery of a region 272 along the vertical surface of the dielectric sidewall 232, thereby defining one or more active plasma generation regions adjacent to the vertical surface of the dielectric sidewall 232. For example, a peripheral dielectric coil 252 may be operable to generate plasma in a region 272 adjacent to the vertical surface of the dielectric sidewall 232. A central induction coil 254 may be operable to generate and / or modify plasma present in a central region 314 adjacent to the vertical surface of the sidewall 320. In some embodiments, the gas injection insert 302 may further define active regions for plasma generation within the plasma source adjacent to the vertical surface of the dielectric sidewall 232 and the vertical surface of the sidewall 320.

[0054]

[0060] In practice, the substrate may be provided with some overlap between the process plasma formed in the central process region 314 and the process plasma formed in region 272. Overall, the peripheral gas injection port 270 / central gas injection port 310 and the peripheral induction coil 252 / central induction coil 254 may provide improved plasma and process uniformity (plasma control from center to edge) for plasma processing of the substrate. To enhance the process control from center to edge, the gas injection insert 302 may include (one or more) plasma separators 304. The (one or more) plasma separators 304 may be uniform cylindrical separators coupled to (e.g., arranged along) the surface 180.

[0055]

[0061] In addition, in several embodiments where the process gas supplied by the central gas injection port 310 is different from the process gas supplied by the peripheral gas injection port 270, new plasma chemistry may be obtained compared to conventional plasma processes using conventional plasma sources. For example, advantageous substrate processing may be provided, which cannot be obtained with conventional plasma processing. For example, when a plasma generation flow of radicals and excited species (e.g., several embodiments of region 272) is mixed with different plasma flows enriched with different types of plasma species (e.g., different radicals), a unique mixture of plasmas may be produced. In addition, the formation of these unique plasma chemistry may be obtained, for example, in several embodiments that utilize the alignment of the surface 180 with a portion of the peripheral induction coil 252, as described above.

[0056]

[0062] Figure 4 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the plasma processing apparatus 400. The plasma processing apparatus 400 may include a plasma source 422. The plasma source 422 includes a gas injection insert 402. The gas injection insert 402 may be integrated with an upper cover, a peripheral gas injection port 270, and a central gas injection port 410. The central gas injection port 410 may be located within the gas injection insert 402 to fluidly couple the central gas injection port 410 to a gas supply plenum 416 of the gas injection insert 402. The gas supply plenum 416 may have an increased diameter (compared to the diameter of the central gas injection port 410) to ensure uniform distribution of process gas before it enters the exhaust region between the lower part of the gas injection insert 402 and the supply platform 414. Once the gas is supplied through the holes 412, the platform 414 may provide a second gas supply plenum to facilitate outward flow of gas to the periphery of the plasma source 422 (e.g., into region 272). In some embodiments, no material may be present to form the holes 412, and a larger plenum may be formed. The platform 414 may be coupled to the gas injection insert 402 via a number of screws or bolts (not shown). The platform 414 may be made of quartz or ceramic. The platform 414 may have any suitable design, which allows for different materials. The outward / lateral flow of gas facilitated by the platform 414 affects the gas / plasma flow profile to the substrate during processing, which can improve center-to-edge uniformity compared to conventional plasma processing equipment. In addition, this outward flow of gas to regions adjacent to the plasma generation region of the plasma source 422 (e.g., region 272) offers advantages. Since a high plasma density can be generated in region 272 adjacent to the top of the coil 130, the electric field does not penetrate far from the coil. Therefore, the gases from the central gas injection port 410, the gas supply plenum 416, and the platform 414 do not undergo ionization or dissociation, but the gases chemically interact with the high-density radicals and ions generated within region 272.Both radicals and ions are chemically activated and interact with new supply gas from the central gas injection port 410, the gas supply plenum 416, and platform 414. The new supply gas, radicals, and ions may generate a novel plasma chemistry compared to a conventional plasma source using a plasma process chamber. For example, if a plasma generation flow of radicals and excited species (e.g., in some embodiments of region 272) is mixed with a new flow of gas that did not pass through region 272 having high-temperature electrons (e.g., from the central gas injection port 410 and platform 414 / region 418), a unique mixture of plasma may be generated. For example, H obtained in the plasma from an H2 supply gas (e.g., from the gas provided by the peripheral gas injection port 270). + and H - The radical flow can be mixed with the oxygen O2 flow (for example, from the gas supplied by the central gas injection port 410). In this case, fractions of HO2, HO, H2O2, and other non-equilibrium molecules can be significantly increased in the region adjacent to the active region 272 associated with the induction coil 130. In addition, the formation of these unique plasma chemistry can be obtained in several embodiments that utilize the alignment of the surface 180 with a portion of the induction coil 130, for example, as described above.

[0057]

[0063] In some embodiments, the ratio of the flow rate of the process gas supplied by the peripheral gas injection port 270 to the flow rate of the process gas supplied by the central gas injection port 410 is about 20:1 to about 1:20, about 10:1 to about 1:10, about 2:1 to about 1:2, about 1.2:1 to about 1:1.2, or about 1:1. Such flow rates may provide different stoichiometry (e.g., substantially equimolar amounts) of process gas to provide a desired density of chemical species in the plasma formed in region 272.

[0058]

[0064] In addition, the outward / lateral flows provided by the central gas injection port 410 and platform 414 / region 418 can modify the flow pattern within the plasma source 422 and affect the radical supply profile to the substrate. For example, in several embodiments where the process gas provided by the central gas injection port 410 is substantially the same as the process gas provided by the peripheral gas injection port 270, more plasma flow towards the edges of the substrate can be promoted, improving the plasma profile from center to edge (e.g., the uniformity of the plasma supplied to the substrate).

[0059]

[0065] In addition, in several embodiments where the process gas supplied by the central gas injection port 410 is different from the process gas supplied by the peripheral gas injection port 270, new plasma chemistry may be obtained compared to conventional plasma processes using conventional plasma sources. For example, advantageous substrate processing may be provided, which cannot be obtained with conventional plasma processing. For example, when a plasma generation flow of radicals and excited species (e.g., in some embodiments of region 272) is mixed with a new flow of gas that did not pass through the plasma region having high-temperature electrons, a unique mixture of plasma may be produced. For example, N obtained in the plasma from an N2 supply gas. - The radical flow can be mixed with a flow of nitrogen (N2), hydrazine, and / or NH3. In this case, a number of different radicals, such as NH and / or NH2 molecules, can be generated in the region of the plasma processing apparatus 400 downstream of region 272. In addition, the formation of these unique plasma chemistry can be achieved in several embodiments, for example, by utilizing the alignment of the surface 180 with a portion of the peripheral induction coil 252, as described above.

[0060]

[0066] Figure 5 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the plasma processing apparatus 500. The plasma processing apparatus 500 may include a plasma source 522 and a processing chamber 220. The plasma source 522 may include a gas injection insert 240, peripheral gas injection ports 270, a central gas injection port 510, and an upper plate 124. The central gas injection port 510 may be located close to (e.g., adjacent to) a wall 550. The central gas injection includes a central gas injection port 510 having a generally cylindrical plenum / manifold and a plurality of angled outlets 512 that spread uniformly along the plenum. The gas injection insert 240 may similarly have a generally cylindrical shape. The central gas injection port 510 has angled outlets 512 to facilitate outward / lateral flow of process gas provided by the central gas injection port 510 and the angled outlets 512. The angled outlet 512 may have angles such as approximately 0 to approximately 90 degrees, approximately 30 to approximately 60 degrees, or approximately 45 degrees with respect to a vertical axis (such as a vertical axis 186 parallel to the axial centerline of the processing apparatus 500 and / or the axial centerline of the plasma source 522).

[0061]

[0067] The outward / lateral gas flow facilitated by the angled outlet 512 influences the gas / plasma flow profile to the substrate during processing, potentially improving center-to-edge uniformity compared to conventional plasma processing equipment. In addition, a high plasma density can be generated in the region adjacent to the induction coil 130 (and the electric field does not penetrate far from the coil), thus potentially yielding novel plasma chemistry compared to conventional plasma processes using a plasma process chamber. For example, mixing a plasma generation flow of radicals and excited species (e.g., in some embodiments of region 272) with a new flow of gas that did not pass through the plasma region with high-temperature electrons (e.g., the central gas injection port 510 and the angled outlet 512) can generate a unique mixture of plasma. For example, N2 obtained in the plasma from an N2 supply gas (e.g., from the gas provided by the peripheral gas injection port 270). -The radical flow can be mixed with a flow of N2, hydrazine, and / or NH3 (for example, from the gas supplied by the central gas injection port 510). In this case, molecular radicals such as NH and NH2 molecules can be generated in the active region 272 adjacent to the induction coil 130. In addition, the formation of these unique plasma chemistry can be achieved in several embodiments that utilize the alignment of the induction coil 130 with the surface 180, as described above.

[0062]

[0068] In some embodiments, the ratio of the flow rate of the process gas supplied by the peripheral gas injection port 270 to the flow rate of the process gas supplied by the central gas injection port 510 may be about 2:1 to about 1:2, about 1.2:1 to about 1:1.2, or about 1:1. Such flow rates may provide different stoichiometry (e.g., substantially equimolar amounts) of process gas to provide a desired density of chemical species in the plasma formed in region 272.

[0063]

[0069] In addition, the outward / lateral flows provided by the central gas injection port 510 and the angled outlet 512 can modify the flow pattern within the plasma source 522 and affect the radical supply profile to the substrate. For example, in several embodiments where the process gas supplied by the central gas injection port 510 is substantially the same as the process gas supplied by the peripheral gas injection port 270, more plasma flow towards the edges of the substrate can be promoted, improving the plasma profile from center to edge (e.g., the uniformity of the plasma supplied to the substrate).

[0064]

[0070] Furthermore, the gas injection insert 240 in Figure 5 has a fixed edge on the lower surface 180, defining an active region that points to the axis 184 (or alignment height) of the induction coil 130. The induction coil 130 can be substantially aligned with the surface 180 such that the upper turn of the coil is positioned above the axis 184 (surface 180) and the lower turn is positioned below the edge. The position of the coil may be further adjusted within this range based on the results of the process. Alignment of the vertical center of the coil with the surface 180 can result in improved source efficiency, i.e., controlled generation of desired chemical species for the plasma process and supply of those species to the substrate with minimal loss. For example, plasma maintenance conditions (balance between local generation and loss of ions) may not work favorably for generating species for the plasma process. With respect to the supply of species to the substrate, efficiency may depend on the quantity of these particular species and wall recombination. Therefore, controlling the alignment of the coil 130 with the surface 180 (edge) provides control over the source efficiency for the plasma process.

[0065]

[0071] In some embodiments, a appropriately sized gas injection insert 240 is used to form the plasma source 120, so that the lower surface of the gas injection insert 240 aligns with the surface 180 of the insert that defines the active region for the coil (this alignment height is illustrated as axis 184). Alternatively, the lower surface of the gas injection insert 240 can be flexibly created using a movable central portion of the gas injection insert 240, as shown in Figure 5. The rest of the insert 240, on the other hand, can be fixed as part of the plasma source 120. For example, a mechanism 170 may be coupled to the central portion of the gas injection insert 240 to adjust the central portion of the gas injection insert 240. Thereafter, the central portion of the gas injection insert 240 having a first position is adjusted to a second position. In some embodiments, the difference in position from the first position to the second position is about 0.1 cm to about 10 cm, about 1 cm to about 2 cm, etc. The mechanism 170 can be any suitable mechanism such as an actuator (e.g., a motor, electric motor, stepping motor, or gas pressure actuator). The movement of the central portion of the gas injection insert 240 by mechanism 170 increases or decreases the space between the central portion and the upper cover 124.

[0066]

[0072] Generally, moving the central portion of the gas injection insert 240 downward along the vertical direction V reduces the flow of active species toward the center of the substrate, and therefore the process speed at the center decreases relative to the edges. On the other hand, moving the central portion upward increases the process speed at the center relative to the edges.

[0067]

[0073] Although Figures 1 to 5 have been described independently, it will be understood that one or more embodiments from one drawing may be beneficially combined with one or more embodiments from different drawings. For example, the gas injection insert 140 in Figure 1 or the gas injection insert 240 in Figure 2 may be the gas injection insert 302 in Figure 3, the gas injection insert 402 in Figure 4, or the configuration of the gas injection insert 240 and the central gas injection port 510 in Figure 5. In another non-limiting embodiment, the edge gas injection port 290 may be included as an embodiment having the plasma processing apparatus 300 in Figure 3, the plasma processing apparatus 400 in Figure 4, and the plasma processing apparatus 500 in Figure 5.

[0068]

[0074] Figure 6 shows a possible induction coil 130 that may be used with a plasma source. The induction coil 130 may include multiple coil loops, including a coil loop 182. As shown, the induction coil 130 includes three complete coils, but more or fewer coils are possible. For example, the induction coil may have 2 to 6 complete turns for an RF frequency of 13.56 MHz. More turns may be used for lower RF frequencies.

[0069]

[0075] Either of the plasma processing apparatuses or processing chambers described above may be used in some embodiments of the present technology for processing methods that may include forming, etching, or curing materials for semiconductor structures. The chambers described should not be considered limiting, and it should be understood that any chamber that can be configured to perform the operations described may be used similarly. Figure 7 shows exemplary steps in processing method 700 according to some embodiments of the present technology. Method 700 may be performed in various processing chambers, including the processing chambers described above, and on one or more mainframes or tools. Method 700 may include several optional steps that may or may not be specifically associated with some embodiments of the method according to the present technology. For example, many of the steps described to provide a broader range of structure formation may not be critically important to the technology or may be performed by alternative methods that are easily understood.

[0070]

[0076] Method 700 may include further steps before commencing the enumerated steps. For example, the further processing steps may include forming a structure on the semiconductor substrate, which may include both forming and removing materials. For example, a transistor structure, a memory structure, or any other structure may be formed. The prior processing steps may be performed in a chamber in which Method 700 may be performed, or processing may be performed in one or more other processing chambers before supplying the substrate to one or more semiconductor processing chambers in which Method 700 may be performed. In any case, Method 700 may optionally include supplying the semiconductor substrate to a processing area of ​​a semiconductor processing chamber such as the processing chamber 110 described above, any other processing chamber described above, or other processing chambers that may include the components described above. The substrate may be placed on a substrate support. The substrate support may be a pedestal such as the substrate support 112, which may be placed within the processing area of ​​the processing chamber.

[0071]

[0077] A substrate on which several processes have been performed may be a substrate comprising one or more layers on which materials are arranged. The substrate may be any number of materials used in semiconductor processing. The substrate material may be a dielectric material containing silicon, germanium, silicon oxide or silicon nitride, a metallic material, or some combination of these materials, or may contain them. In some embodiments, layers of silicon-containing material may be arranged on the substrate. The silicon-containing material may be a silicon and oxygen-containing material, a silicon, carbon, and oxygen-containing material, or a silicon, carbon, oxygen, and hydrogen-containing material. Furthermore, there may be multiple layers of silicon-containing material, and / or one or more features may be formed within one or more layers of the material. If present, features may be characterized by any shape or configuration. In some embodiments, features may be trench structures or openings, or may include them.

[0072]

[0078] In some embodiments, Method 700 may include optional processing steps, such as pretreatment, which may be performed to prepare the surface of the substrate for processing. Once prepared, Method 700 may include, in step 705, providing one or more precursors to a semiconductor processing chamber containing the substrate. The precursors may include one or more processing precursors. Processing precursors that may be used in Method 700 may include, but are not limited to, diatomic nitrogen (N2), diatomic oxygen (O2), ammonia (NH3), argon (Ar), helium (He), or diatomic hydrogen (H2), as well as any other diluents or carrier gases such as inert gases or other gases supplied with the processing precursors.

[0073]

[0079] An inductively coupled plasma emitter of the processing precursor may be formed in step 710. The plasma emitter may be formed within a plasma region. The plasma region may be separated from the processing region via a separation grid. The separation grid may allow the plasma emitter to be formed in a region distant from the substrate. For example, in some embodiments, the inductively coupled plasma emitter may be formed within the plasma region by applying plasma power to an induction coil, as described above.

[0074]

[0080] Higher output plasma is generated during processing. This plasma can increase dissociation and provide a processed plasma emission with high radical density and high flux. Therefore, in some embodiments, the plasma power supply may supply plasma power of about 1000W or more to the induction coil, and may supply power of about 1500W or more, about 2000W or more, about 2500W or more, about 3000W or more, about 3500W or more, about 4000W or more, about 4500W or more, about 5000W or more, about 5500W or more, about 6000W or more, or more. For example, at plasma outputs of less than 1000W, the radical density and flux of the plasma emission may not be sufficient to process the layer of silicon-containing material on the substrate and improve the mechanical properties of the material.

[0075]

[0081] In step 715, method 700 may include contacting a layer of silicon-containing material with inductively coupled plasma emitters of a treatment precursor to produce a treated layer of silicon-containing material. During step 715, the inductively coupled plasma emitters of the treatment precursor may diffuse into the layer of silicon-containing material on the substrate. The internal energy from the inductively coupled plasma emitters of the treatment precursor may modify the layer of silicon-containing material to increase the desired mechanical properties of the layer. For example, the inductively coupled plasma emitters of the treatment precursor may diffuse into the layer of silicon-containing material on the substrate, densifying the material while correcting the bonds within the material.

[0076]

[0082] In several embodiments, the process in step 715 may produce a treated layer of silicon-containing material that may be characterized by a lower porosity and / or lower dielectric constant, as well as increased other mechanical properties, compared to the as-deposited material. Furthermore, due to densification, the treated layer of silicon-containing material may be characterized by a second thickness less than the first thickness of the silicon-containing material layer. The first thickness of the silicon-containing material layer may be the thickness of the as-deposited material.

[0077]

[0083] In an optional step 720, method 700 may include exposing the treated layer of silicon-containing material to ultraviolet (UV) light to produce a cured layer of the silicon-containing material. Optional step 720 may include directing energy in the form of UV light toward a substrate to cure the treated layer of silicon-containing material on the substrate. In some embodiments, exposure to UV light may be performed within a processing chamber used for processing the layer of silicon-containing material. In a further plurality of embodiments, the substrate having the treated layer of silicon-containing material may be transferred to another semiconductor processing chamber where exposure to UV light may be performed.

[0078]

[0084] In several embodiments, exposure to UV light in an optional step 720 may produce a cured layer of the silicon-containing material. This cured layer may be characterized by a further reduced porosity and / or dielectric constant, as well as increased other mechanical properties, compared to the as-deposited material and / or the treated material.

[0079]

[0085] The processing in step 715 and / or the optional exposure to UV light in step 720 may be carried out at a substrate or pedestal temperature of about 150°C or higher. In some embodiments, the processing in step 715 and / or the optional exposure to UV light in step 720 may be carried out at temperatures of about 200°C or higher, about 250°C or higher, about 300°C or higher, about 350°C or higher, about 400°C or higher, about 450°C or higher, or higher. Furthermore, the temperature may be maintained at about 500°C or lower. This may satisfy thermal budget requirements. In some embodiments, the temperature may be maintained at about 450°C or lower, about 400°C or lower, about 350°C or lower, about 300°C or lower, about 250°C or lower, about 200°C or lower, about 150°C or lower, or lower.

[0080]

[0086] The processing in step 715 and / or the optional exposure to UV light in step 720 may be carried out at a pressure of about 500 Torr or less, for example, about 450 Torr or less, about 400 Torr or less, about 350 Torr or less, about 300 Torr or less, about 250 Torr or less, about 200 Torr or less, about 150 Torr or less, about 100 Torr or less, about 75 Torr or less, about 50 Torr or less, about 25 Torr or less, about 10 Torr or less, about 8 Torr or less, about 6 Torr or less, 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 lower. Steps 715 and 720 may be carried out under the same or similar process conditions. For example, temperature and / or pressure may be maintained for both the processing in step 715 and the optional exposure to UV light in step 720. Conversely, temperature and / or pressure may be changed or adjusted between the steps of Method 700.

[0081]

[0087] Following the treatment in step 715 and / or exposure to UV light in the optional step 720, the treated and / or cured layer of the silicon-containing material may be characterized by increased mechanical properties. In some embodiments, compared to the as-deposited material, the treated and / or cured layer of the silicon-containing material may be characterized by an increased refractive index (RI), decreased methyl concentration, increased silicon-carbon-silicon crosslinking and / or increased silicon-oxygen-silicon crosslinking, as well as a decreased dielectric constant, decreased porosity, increased hardness, and / or increased Young's modulus.

[0082]

[0088] In several embodiments, the treated and / or cured layer of the silicon-containing material may be characterized by an RI of about 1.48 or higher, and may be characterized by an RI of about 1.49 or higher, about 1.50 or higher, about 1.51 or higher, about 1.52 or higher, about 1.53 or higher, about 1.54 or higher, about 1.55 or higher, about 1.56 or higher, about 1.57 or higher, about 1.58 or higher, about 1.59 or higher, or higher.

[0083]

[0089] Treated and / or cured layers of silicon-containing materials may be characterized by the percentage of atoms (i.e., molecules) of methyl groups (-CH3) relative to silicon oxide (SiO) groups in the material, as measured by the area of ​​the infrared absorption peaks attributable to these groups. Treated and / or cured layers of silicon-containing materials may be characterized by methyl concentrations of about 6% or less, and may be characterized by methyl concentrations of about 5% or less, about 4.5% or less, about 4% or less, about 3.5% or less, about 3% or less, about 2.5% or less, about 2% or less, about 1.5% or less, or lower. The percentage of methyl concentration may also be a unit area percentage obtained from the infrared absorption peak (e.g., a comparison of methyl area to SiO area).

[0084]

[0090] Similarly, the treated and / or cured layers of silicon-containing materials may be characterized by the atomic (i.e., molecular) percentage of silicon-carbon-silicon crosslinking to silicon oxide (SiO) groups in the material, as measured by the area of ​​the infrared absorption peaks attributable to these groups. Treatment in step 715 and / or exposure to UV light in the optional step 720 may increase the silicon-carbon-silicon crosslinking in the material. In some embodiments, the treated and / or cured layers of silicon-containing materials may be characterized by about 0.4% or more silicon-carbon-silicon crosslinking, about 0.42% or more, about 0.44% or more, about 0.46%, about 0.48% or more, about 0.5% or more, about 0.52% or more, about 0.54% or more, about 0.56%, about 0.58% or more, about 0.6% or more, about 0.62% or more, or higher silicon-carbon-silicon crosslinking. The percentage of silicon-carbon-silicon crosslinking may be expressed as a unit area percentage obtained from infrared absorption peaks (for example, a comparison of silicon-carbon-silicon crosslinking area to SiO area).

[0085]

[0091] In several embodiments, the dielectric constant of the treated and / or cured layer of the silicon-containing material may be about 4 or less, and may be about 3.8 or less, about 3.6 or less, about 3.5 or less, about 3.4 or less, about 3.3 or less, about 3.2 or less, about 3.1 or less, about 3.0 or less, about 2.95 or less, about 2.9 or less, about 2.85 or less, about 2.8 or less, about 2.75 or less, about 2.7 or less, about 2.65 or less, about 2.6 or less, about 2.55 or less, about 2.5 or less, or lower.

[0086]

[0092] The hardness of the treated and / or cured layer of the silicon-containing material may be about 2 GPa or higher, and may be about 2.2 GPa or higher, about 2.4 GPa or higher, about 2.6 GPa or higher, about 2.8 GPa or higher, about 3 GPa or higher, about 3.2 GPa or higher, about 3.4 GPa or higher, about 3.6 GPa or higher, about 3.8 GPa, about 4 GPa or higher, about 4.5 GPa or higher, about 5 GPa or higher, about 5.5 GPa or higher, about 6 GPa or higher, about 6.5 GPa or higher, about 7 GPa or higher, about 7.5 GPa or higher, about 8 GPa or higher, about 9 GPa or higher, or higher. Furthermore, the Young's modulus of the treated and / or cured layer of the silicon-containing material may be about 4 GPa or higher, about 4.5 GPa or higher, about 5 GPa or higher, about 5.5 GPa or higher, or higher.

[0087]

[0093] The above description includes numerous details for illustrative purposes to facilitate understanding of various embodiments of the technology. However, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that certain embodiments can be implemented without some of these details, or with additional details.

[0088]

[0094] While several embodiments have been disclosed, those skilled in the art will recognize that various modifications, alternative structures, and equivalents can be used without departing from the spirit of the embodiments. Furthermore, some well-known processes and elements have not been described in order to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the Art. Therefore, the descriptions in the prior specification should not be considered to limit the scope of the Art. In addition, while methods or processes may be described as sequential or stepwise, it should be understood that these steps may be performed simultaneously or in a different order than described.

[0089]

[0095] Where a range of values ​​is given, unless explicitly stated otherwise 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. This includes any smaller range between any stated or unstated intervening values ​​within the stated range, and any other stated or intervening values ​​within that stated range. The upper and lower limits of such narrower ranges may be individually included in or excluded from that range. Each of these narrower ranges, whether containing one, neither, or both of the limit values, is also included in the Art, although there may be limit values ​​specifically excluded within the stated range. Where a stated range contains one or both of the limit values, it also includes ranges that exclude one or both of these included limit values.

[0090]

[0096] As used herein and in the claims, the singular forms "a," "an," and "the" include multiple references unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. For example, a reference to “processing precursor” includes multiple such precursors, and a reference to “layer of silicon-containing material” includes one or more materials and their equivalents known to those skilled in the art, and so on.

[0091]

[0097] Furthermore, the terms “comprise(s),” “comprising,” “contain(s),” “containing,” “include(s),” and “including,” as used herein and in the claims, are intended to identify the presence of the described features, integers, components, or processes, but not to exclude the presence or addition of any other features, integers, components, processes, actions, or groups.

Claims

1. To provide a processing precursor for a semiconductor processing chamber, wherein the substrate is housed within the processing chamber, and the substrate includes a layer of silicon-containing material. Forming inductively coupled plasma ejecta of the processing precursor, and A semiconductor processing method comprising contacting the silicon-containing material layer with the inductively coupled plasma emitters of the processing precursor in order to produce the processed layer of the silicon-containing material, wherein the dielectric constant of the silicon-containing material layer decreases upon contact.

2. The aforementioned processing precursor is diatomic nitrogen (N 2 ), diatomic oxygen (O 2 ), ammonia (NH 3 ), argon (Ar), helium (He), or diatomic hydrogen (H 2 The semiconductor processing method according to claim 1, comprising one or more of the following:

3. The semiconductor processing method according to claim 1, wherein the silicon-containing material includes a silicon and oxygen-containing material, a silicon, carbon, and oxygen-containing material, or a silicon, carbon, oxygen, and hydrogen-containing material.

4. The semiconductor processing method according to claim 1, wherein the inductively coupled plasma emitter of the processing precursor is formed with a plasma power of approximately 2000 W or more.

5. The semiconductor processing method according to claim 1, wherein the processed layer of the silicon-containing material is characterized by a dielectric constant of about 2.9 or less.

6. The semiconductor processing method according to claim 1, wherein the contact increases the silicon-carbon-silicon crosslinking in the layer of the silicon-containing material, and the treated layer of the silicon-containing material is characterized by about 0.4% or more silicon-carbon-silicon crosslinking.

7. The semiconductor processing method according to claim 1, wherein the carbon content in the layer of the silicon-containing material is reduced by bringing the layer of the silicon-containing material into contact with the inductively coupled plasma emitter of the processing precursor.

8. The semiconductor processing method according to claim 1, wherein the pressure within the processing area is maintained at approximately 50 Torr or less.

9. The semiconductor processing method according to claim 1, wherein the temperature within the processing area is maintained at approximately 150°C or higher.

10. The semiconductor processing method according to claim 9, further comprising exposing the processed layer of the silicon-containing material to ultraviolet light in order to produce a cured layer of the silicon-containing material.

11. To provide a processing precursor for a semiconductor processing chamber, wherein the substrate is housed within the processing chamber, and the substrate includes a layer of silicon-containing material. Forming inductively coupled plasma emissions of the processing precursor with a plasma power of approximately 2000W or more, and A semiconductor processing method comprising contacting the silicon-containing material layer with the inductively coupled plasma emitters of the processing precursor in order to produce the processed layer of the silicon-containing material, wherein the contact improves one or more mechanical properties of the silicon-containing material layer.

12. The semiconductor processing method according to claim 11, wherein the silicon-containing material includes a silicon and oxygen-containing material, a silicon, carbon, and oxygen-containing material, or a silicon, carbon, oxygen, and hydrogen-containing material.

13. The semiconductor processing method according to claim 11, wherein the one or more mechanical properties include hardness, Young's modulus, dielectric constant, or porosity.

14. The semiconductor processing method according to claim 11, wherein the processed layer of the silicon-containing material is characterized by a second thickness less than the first thickness of the layer of the silicon-containing material.

15. The semiconductor processing method according to claim 11, further comprising exposing the treated layer of the silicon-containing material to ultraviolet light in order to produce a cured layer of the silicon-containing material, wherein the exposure reduces the methyl concentration within the treated layer of the silicon-containing material, and the cured layer of the silicon-containing material is characterized by a methyl concentration of about 4.5% or less.

16. The semiconductor processing method according to claim 15, wherein the cured layer of the silicon-containing material is characterized by a dielectric constant of about 2.85 or less.

17. The semiconductor processing method according to claim 15, wherein the processed layer of the silicon-containing material is characterized by a hardness of about 3 GPa or more.

18. To provide a processing precursor for a semiconductor processing chamber, wherein the substrate is housed within the processing chamber, and the substrate includes a layer of silicon-containing material. To form inductively coupled plasma ejecta of the aforementioned processing precursor, To produce the treated layer of the silicon-containing material, the layer of the silicon-containing material is brought into contact with the inductively coupled plasma emitters of the processing precursor, and A semiconductor processing method comprising exposing the treated layer of the silicon-containing material to ultraviolet light in order to produce a cured layer of the silicon-containing material.

19. The semiconductor processing method according to claim 18, wherein the processing precursor comprises helium (He).

20. The semiconductor processing method according to claim 18, wherein the cured layer of the silicon-containing material is characterized by a hardness of about 2 GPa or more.

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