Deposition of silicon boron nitride films

Abstract

A method for forming a SiBN film includes depositing a film on a feature on a substrate, the method including: depositing a SiB layer on a substrate having at least one feature thereon in a chamber using a chemical vapor deposition process in a first cycle, the at least one feature having a top surface, a bottom surface, and sidewalls, the SiB layer being formed on the top surface, the bottom surface, and the sidewalls; and treating the SiB layer with a plasma including a nitrogen-containing gas in a second cycle to form a conformal SiBN film.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE

[0001] This disclosure relates generally to methods for depositing thin films, and more particularly to processes for depositing silicon boron nitride films.

[0002] Background technology

[0002] Silicon boron nitride films as dielectric layers have been used in semiconductor manufacturing processes. For example, SiBN films are used as spacer materials in multi-patterning processes to achieve device miniaturization without employing the most expensive extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography techniques. Furthermore, SiBN can be used as a gate spacer material to separate gate structures from contact regions and minimize potential leakage current.

[0003]

[0003] The fabrication process for silicon boron nitride spacers involves the deposition of SiBN films on three-dimensional structures (e.g., fins). Conventional SiBN plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) processes have poor step coverage and poor conformality. Furthermore, conventional PECVD processes require very high process temperatures.

[0004]

[0004] Thus, there is a need in the art for a process for depositing conformal SiBN films that can be performed at lower process temperatures than existing processes. Summary of the Invention

[0005]

[0005] One or more embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to a processing method. In a first embodiment, a method for forming a film on a substrate includes: depositing a SiB layer on a substrate in a chamber using a chemical vapor deposition process in a first cycle, the substrate having at least one feature thereon, the at least one feature having a top surface, a bottom surface, and sidewalls, the SiB layer being formed on the top surface, the bottom surface, and the sidewalls; and treating the SiB layer with a plasma comprising a nitrogen-containing gas in a second cycle to form a conformal SiBN film.

[0006]

[0006] In another embodiment, a method for forming a film on a substrate includes: depositing a SiB layer on a substrate in a chamber using a chemical vapor deposition process in a first cycle, the substrate having at least one feature thereon, the at least one feature having a top surface, a bottom surface, and sidewalls, the SiB layer being formed on the top surface, the bottom surface, and the sidewalls; and treating the SiB layer with a plasma including a nitrogen-containing gas in a second cycle to form a conformal SiBN film, wherein one cycle of the chemical vapor deposition process deposits a film having a thickness in the range of about 10 angstroms (Å) to about 30 angstroms (Å), and the method is performed at a temperature in the range of 300°C to 550°C.

[0007]

[0007] In another embodiment, a method for forming a film on a substrate includes: depositing a SiB layer on a substrate in a chamber using a chemical vapor deposition process in a first cycle, the substrate having at least one feature thereon, the at least one feature having a top surface, a bottom surface, and sidewalls, the SiB layer being formed on the top surface, the bottom surface, and the sidewalls; purging the chamber with an inert gas; and treating the SiB layer with a plasma comprising a gas containing at least one of Ar, N2, He, NH3, and H2 to form a conformal SiBN film in a second cycle, wherein one cycle of the chemical vapor deposition process deposits a film having a thickness in the range of about 10 Å to about 30 Å, and the method is conducted at a temperature in the range of 300°C to 550°C.

[0008]

[0008] For a more detailed description of the present disclosure briefly summarized above, reference may be made to embodiments, some of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, so that the above-mentioned features of the present disclosure may be understood in detail. However, it should be noted that the accompanying drawings show only typical embodiments of the present disclosure, and therefore should not be considered to limit the scope of the present invention, since other equally effective embodiments may be recognized in the present disclosure. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] A-D show substrates and films formed thereon according to processing methods according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. [Figure 2] 1A illustrates a cross-sectional view of a substrate according to one or more embodiments; FIG. 1B illustrates a cross-sectional view of a substrate according to one or more embodiments; [Figure 3] FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a batch processing chamber according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0010]

[0013] Before describing several exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure, it is to be understood that the present disclosure is not limited to the details of construction or process steps set forth in the following description. The present disclosure is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or carried out in various ways.

[0011]

[0014] As used herein, "substrate" refers to any substrate or material surface formed on a substrate that undergoes film processing during a manufacturing process. For example, substrate surfaces that can undergo processing include materials such as silicon, silicon oxide, strained silicon, silicon-on-insulator (SOI), carbon-doped silicon oxide, amorphous silicon, doped silicon, germanium, gallium arsenide, glass, sapphire, and other materials such as metals, metal nitrides, metal alloys, and other conductive materials depending on the application. Substrates include, but are not limited to, semiconductor substrates. Substrates may be subjected to pretreatment processes that polish, etch, reduce, oxidize, hydroxylate, anneal, and / or bake the substrate surface. In this disclosure, in addition to direct film processing on the surface of the substrate itself, any of the disclosed film processing steps may be performed on an underlying layer formed on the substrate, as disclosed in more detail below, and the term "substrate surface" is intended to include such underlying layers as the context indicates. Thus, for example, if a film / layer, or partial film / layer, is deposited on a substrate surface, the exposed surface of the newly deposited film / layer becomes the substrate surface.

[0012]

[0015] As used herein and in the appended claims, the terms "precursor," "reactant," "reactive gas," and the like are used interchangeably to refer to any gas species capable of reacting with the substrate surface.

[0013]

[0016] Some embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to SiBN deposition methods that allow for different film properties based on deposition location on a three-dimensional structure. For example, films deposited on the top and bottom of a structure can be processed to have different film properties than films deposited on the sidewalls of the structure. Some embodiments of the present disclosure advantageously provide methods for forming films that allow for selective removal of portions of the film (e.g., top and bottom) by wet etching while leaving other portions of the film (e.g., sidewalls) as spacers. Some embodiments of the present disclosure are advantageously performed in a single processing chamber.

[0014]

[0017] In some embodiments, selective deposition of silicon boron nitride involves two processes in a single processing chamber: deposition of a SiBN film and plasma treatment. A batch processing chamber can be used to perform a SiB chemical vapor deposition (CVD) process, particularly a plasma (e.g., radio frequency (RF) plasma) treatment, using, for example, N2 or NH3, and optionally H2 gas (which can be mixed with an inert gas such as Ar or He). A silicon precursor and a boron precursor form a conformal SiB film, and a plasma treatment modifies the film at the top and bottom of the feature. In some embodiments, the RF plasma treatment uses hardware configured to have a directional treatment effect on the SiB film. In some embodiments, deposition is performed at a substrate temperature ranging from about 200°C to about 550°C.

[0015]

[0018] 1A-1D, one or more embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to a processing method for depositing a film, such as a spacer film, on a substrate 100, the substrate having a feature 110 thereon. The feature 110 can be any three-dimensional structure. While the feature 110 shown in FIGS. 1A-1D is a mesa, one skilled in the art will understand that this is merely representative of one possible structure. Suitable features include, but are not limited to, ridges, trenches, and vias.

[0016]

[0019] 1A-1D includes a top surface 120, a bottom surface 130, and sidewalls 140. In the illustrated embodiment, feature 110 has two sidewalls 140 on either side of feature 110 in the form of a mesa. Feature 110 has a height defined by top surface 120 and bottom surface 130, and a width defined by the distance between sidewalls 140.

[0017]

[0020] Substrate 100 has at least one feature 110 thereon. As shown in Figure 1B, a film 150 is formed on substrate 100 such that the film is formed on at least one feature 110. Film 150 is formed on top surface 120, bottom surface 130, and sidewalls 140 of feature 110. In some embodiments, film 150 is formed conformally on feature 110.

[0018]

[0021] In one or more embodiments, the terms "conformal," "conformality," or "conformally" are typically quantified by the ratio (which can be expressed as a percentage) of the average thickness of a layer deposited on the sidewall of a feature to the average thickness of the same layer deposited on the film or top surface of a substrate. Layers deposited by the methods described herein have been observed to have conformalities of greater than about 30%, e.g., greater than 40%, greater than 50%, greater than 60%, greater than 70% (greater than 7:10), greater than 80% (greater than 4:5), greater than 85% (greater than 8.5:10), greater than 90% (greater than 9:10), greater than 95% (greater than 9.5:10), greater than 96% (greater than 9.6:10), greater than 97% (greater than 9.7:10), greater than 98% (greater than 9.8:10), greater than 99% (greater than 9.9:10), to about 100% (1:1). In certain embodiments, the terms "conformal," "conformity," or "conformally" refer to a layer that adheres to and uniformly covers exposed surfaces at a thickness that varies by less than 1% relative to the average thickness of the film. For example, a 1,000 Å thick film would have a thickness that varies by less than 10 Å. This thickness and variation includes edges, corners, sides, and the bottom of recesses. For example, a conformal layer according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure will provide coverage over the deposition area of ​​substantially uniform thickness on complex surfaces.

[0019]

[0022] In one or more embodiments, film 150 includes or is SiB. The formation of SiBN is performed by plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD). In some embodiments, film 150 including SiB is formed by thermally reacting a silicon precursor with a boron precursor in a PECVD chamber, thereby forming SiB on top surface 120, sidewalls 140, and bottom surface 130.

[0020]

[0023] Suitable silicon precursors include, but are not limited to, silane, disilane, dichlorosilane (DCS), bis(diethylamino)silane (BDEAS), tetrakis(dimethylamino)silane (TDMAS), and / or bis(tert-butylamino)silane (BTBAS). In some embodiments, the silicon precursor comprises dichlorosilane.

[0021]

[0024] Suitable boron precursors include, but are not limited to, boranes, alkylboranes, and haloboranes. In some embodiments, the boron precursor is B c H d X e R f wherein each X is a halogen independently selected from F, Cl, Br, and I; each R is an independently selected C1-C4 alkyl group; c is any integer greater than or equal to 2; d, e, and f are each less than or equal to c+2; and d+e+f is equal to c+2.

[0022]

[0025] According to one or more embodiments, after the SiB film is formed, the SiB film is treated using plasma nitridation. In one or more embodiments, a plasma is formed by flowing a nitrogen-containing gas in a PECVD chamber. Suitable nitrogen-containing gases include, but are not limited to, molecular nitrogen and ammonia. Additional gases, such as Ar, He, and / or H2, can be flowed during the plasma nitridation. The plasma nitridation is performed by exposing the SiB film to, but is not limited to, a nitrogen plasma, an ammonia plasma, or a plasma containing a mixture of two or more of hydrogen, nitrogen, ammonia, helium, argon, hydrogen, and / or oxygen. In some embodiments, the plasma includes a plasma of argon and ammonia, or a plasma of argon and nitrogen, or a plasma of argon and oxygen, or a plasma of helium and ammonia.

[0023]

[0026] As shown in FIG. 1C, after formation of film 150 (e.g., SiB), film 150 is treated with plasma 160 having a high ion concentration. In some embodiments, plasma 160 can be a directional plasma. As used herein and in the appended claims, the term "directional plasma" means that the energetic species (ions and radicals) present in the plasma move in a particular direction. For example, in FIG. 1C, plasma 160 is shown moving downward so that the energetic species can contact film 150 on top surface 120 and bottom surface 130, but have minimal contact with film 150 on sidewall 140.

[0024]

[0027] Plasma with high ion density is about 10 10 / cm 3 In one or more embodiments, the ion-rich plasma has a concentration of about 10 9 / cm 3 That's it, 10 11 / cm 3 That's it, 10 12 / cm 3 That's it, 10 13 / cm 3 or more, or 10 14 / cm 3 It has a concentration of more than 1000 ppm.

[0025]

[0028] A directional plasma can be formed as a remote plasma, where plasma species are excited at a location remote from the substrate and flow toward the substrate. The substrate and substrate support do not have to be part of the electrical path used to generate the plasma. A directional plasma can also be formed as a direct plasma, where the substrate or substrate support acts as an electrode in the plasma formation. A directional plasma is generally a diffusive plasma, and can be made directional by biasing the substrate so that ions are attracted to and move toward the substrate.

[0026]

[0029] 1D, treating film 150 with a plasma modifies the properties of film 150 at top surface 120 and bottom surface 130. In some embodiments, the properties of film 150 are altered by adding nitrogen to film 150 to form SiBN.

[0027]

[0030] The plasma used in the treatment can be any suitable plasma (e.g., direct or remote plasma) capable of modifying film properties. In some embodiments, the treatment includes one or more of hydrogen, argon, nitrogen, ammonia, oxygen, or helium.

[0028]

[0031] The formation and treatment of film 150 can be repeated until a film having a predetermined total thickness is formed. The film can then be treated, and the process repeated as necessary. In some embodiments, treating film 150 with plasma 160 occurs after a film having a thickness in the range of about 10 Å to about 30 Å is deposited. In some embodiments, film 150 has a thickness in the range of about 10 Å to about 25 Å, about 10 Å to about 20 Å, about 10 Å to about 15 Å, about 15 Å to about 35 Å, about 15 Å to about 25 Å, about 15 Å to about 20 Å, about 20 Å to about 30 Å, or about 20 Å to about 25 Å.

[0029]

[0032] In some embodiments of the method, the film 150 is etched. The modified top film 152 and the modified bottom film 153 are selectively etched relative to the sidewall film 154. As used in this context, "selectively etch" means that the amount, rate, or extent of etching at the top and bottom is greater than the sidewall etching. In some embodiments, the film is etched with diluted HF to selectively remove the film from the top and bottom of the feature. FIG. 1D shows the results of the etching process. While the top and bottom of the feature 110 and the sidewall film 154 are shown with square corners in the drawings, one skilled in the art will understand that this is merely an example and that the edges and corners are not perfectly straight or square.

[0030]

[0033] 2A and 2B, an advantage of the method according to the present invention is that it improves the conformality of the film deposited on the feature compared to existing PECVD deposition processes. FIG. 2A is a partial cross-sectional view of a substrate 200 having a feature 210 in the form of a trench. In one or more embodiments, the substrate 200 has a top surface 220. At least one feature 210 forms an opening in the top surface 220. The feature 210 is formed from the top surface 220 to a depth D. f Feature 210 extends to bottom surface 212. Feature 210 has a width W f The open area formed by the sidewalls and the bottom is also referred to as a gap.

[0031]

[0034] 2B is a schematic cross-sectional view of a substrate 200 having a feature 210 and a SiBN film 250 formed thereon. The SiBN film 250 exhibits a typical appearance of a film deposited using a method according to the present invention. Qualitatively, the SiBN film 250 is highly conformal, completely covering the sidewalls 214, 216 and bottom surface 212 of the feature 210. Quantitatively, the SiBN film 250 has a conformality on the order of about 30% to about 100%, e.g., about 70% to about 90%, where conformality is defined as the ratio of the average thickness of the SiBN film 250 deposited on the sidewalls 214, 216 to the average thickness T of the SiBN film 250 on the top surface 220 of the substrate 200.

[0032]

[0035] Films produced by the methods described herein have been observed to have conformalities of greater than about 30%, e.g., greater than 40%, greater than 50%, greater than 60%, greater than 70% (greater than 7:10), greater than 80% (greater than 4:5), greater than 85% (greater than 8.5:10), greater than 90% (greater than 9:10), greater than 95% (greater than 9.5:10), greater than 96% (greater than 9.6:10), greater than 97% (greater than 9.7:10), greater than 98% (greater than 9.8:10), greater than 99% (greater than 9.9:10), up to about 100% (1:1). In certain embodiments, the terms "conformal," "conformity," or "conformally" refer to a layer that adheres to and uniformly covers an exposed surface at a thickness that varies by less than 1% relative to the average thickness of the film. For example, a 1,000 Å thick film will have a thickness that varies by less than 10 Å.

[0033]

[0036] Some embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to a process for depositing a spacer material in a substrate processing chamber. FIG. 3 shows a cross-section of a processing chamber 300 including a gas distribution assembly 320 (also called an injector or injector assembly) and a susceptor assembly 340. The gas distribution assembly 320 is any type of gas delivery device used in a processing chamber. The gas distribution assembly 320 includes a front surface 321 that faces the susceptor assembly 340. The front surface 321 can have any number or variety of openings for delivering a flow of gas toward the susceptor assembly 340. The gas distribution assembly 320 also includes an outer edge 324 that is substantially rounded in the illustrated embodiment.

[0034]

[0037] The specific type of gas distribution assembly 320 used can vary depending on the particular process being used. Embodiments of the present disclosure can be used with any type of processing system in which the gap between the susceptor and the gas distribution assembly is controlled. Various types of gas distribution assemblies can be used, such as a showerhead. In some embodiments, the gas distribution assembly 320 is a rigid, stationary body made of a single injector unit. In one or more embodiments, the gas distribution assembly 320 is composed of multiple individual sectors. Either a one-piece body or a multi-sector body can be used in one or more embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0035]

[0038] The susceptor assembly 340 is positioned below the gas distribution assembly 320. The susceptor assembly 340 includes a top surface 341 and at least one recess 342 disposed in the top surface 341. The susceptor assembly 340 also has a bottom surface 343 and an edge 144. The recess 342 can be any suitable shape and size, depending on the shape and size of the substrate 60 being processed. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 3, the recess 342 has a flat bottom to support the bottom of the substrate. However, the bottom of the recess can vary. In some embodiments, the recess has a stepped region around the outer periphery of the recess sized to support the outer periphery of the substrate. The amount of the outer periphery of the substrate that is supported by the step can vary depending on, for example, the thickness of the substrate and the presence of pre-existing features on the backside of the substrate.

[0036]

[0039] 3, the recess 342 in the top surface 341 of the susceptor assembly 340 is sized so that a substrate 60 supported in the recess 342 has a top surface 261 that is substantially coplanar with the top surface 341 of the susceptor 340. As used herein and in the appended claims, the term "substantially coplanar" means that the top surfaces of the substrate and the susceptor assembly are coplanar within ±0.2 mm. In some embodiments, the top surfaces are coplanar within ±0.15 mm, ±0.10 mm, or ±0.05 mm.

[0037]

[0040] 3 includes a support column 360 that can raise, lower, and rotate the susceptor assembly 340. The susceptor assembly may include a heater, gas line, or electrical component within the center of the support column 360. The support column 360 may be the primary means for increasing or decreasing the gap between the susceptor assembly 340 and the gas distribution assembly 320 and moving the susceptor assembly 340 into the appropriate position. The susceptor assembly 340 may also include a fine adjustment actuator 362 that can make micro-adjustments to the susceptor assembly 340 to form a predetermined gap 370 between the susceptor assembly 340 and the gas distribution assembly 320.

[0038]

[0041] In some embodiments, the distance of gap 370 is in the range of about 4.5 mm to about 25.0 mm, or in the range of about 4.5 mm to about 20.0 mm, or in the range of about 4.5 mm to about 15 mm, or in the range of about 4.5 mm to about 10 mm, or in the range of about 5 mm to about 25 mm, or in the range of about 5 mm to about 20 mm, or in the range of about 5 mm to about 15 mm, or in the range of about 5 mm to about 10 mm.

[0039]

[0042] The illustrated processing chamber 300 according to one or more embodiments is a carousel-type chamber in which a susceptor assembly 340 can hold multiple substrates 60 .

[0040]

[0043] Embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to processing methods for forming a film on a substrate. In a first embodiment, the method for forming a film on a substrate includes, in a first cycle, depositing a SiB layer on a substrate in a chamber using a chemical vapor deposition process, the substrate having at least one feature thereon, the at least one feature including a top surface, a bottom surface, and a sidewall, and the SiB layer is formed on the top surface, the bottom surface, and the sidewall. The method further includes, in a second cycle, treating the SiB layer with a plasma including a nitrogen-containing gas to form a conformal SiBN film. In some embodiments, the feature is formed at a depth D from the top surface. f and a sidewall extending from the top surface to the bottom surface to a width W of the feature. f In a particular embodiment, the chemical vapor deposition process includes flowing silane and diborane into the chamber. In another embodiment, the feature includes a mesa having two sidewalls on either side of the mesa, a height defined by an upper surface and a lower surface, and a width defined by the distance between the sidewalls.

[0041]

[0044] One or more embodiments further include terminating the chemical vapor deposition process, purging the chamber with an inert gas, and treating the SiB layer with a plasma after purging the chamber. In some embodiments, the plasma includes N2 and Ar. In some embodiments, the plasma includes N2 and He. In some embodiments, the plasma includes NH3. In some embodiments, the plasma further includes H2. In some embodiments, flowing H2 can improve film properties such as dielectric constant. In some embodiments, the method is performed at a temperature ranging from 300°C to 550°C. In some embodiments, the chemical vapor deposition process includes flowing silane and diborane into the chamber, terminating the chemical vapor deposition process, purging the chamber with an inert gas, and treating the SiB layer with a plasma after purging the chamber. In one or more embodiments, the plasma is a radio frequency RF plasma ranging from 100 W to 2 kW, and in certain embodiments, ranging from 100 W to 1 kW. In one or more embodiments, the distance of the gap 370 is in the range of about 4.5 mm to about 25.0 mm, and in certain embodiments, in the range of 5 mm to 15 mm. In one or more embodiments, the pressure in the processing chamber during plasma processing is in the range of 2 Torr to 50 Torr, and in certain embodiments, in the range of 3 Torr to 25 Torr.

[0042]

[0045] According to one or more embodiments, the substrate is subjected to processing before and / or after forming a layer. This processing can occur in the same chamber or in one or more separate processing chambers. In some embodiments, the substrate is transferred from the first chamber to a separate second chamber for further processing. The substrate can be transferred directly from the first chamber to the separate processing chamber, or from the first chamber to one or more transfer chambers and then to the separate processing chambers. Thus, the processing equipment can include multiple chambers in communication with a transfer station. This type of equipment can be referred to as a "cluster tool" or "cluster system," among other terms.

[0043]

[0046] Cluster tools are generally modular systems containing multiple chambers that perform various functions, including substrate centering and orientation, annealing, deposition, and / or etching. According to one or more embodiments, a cluster tool includes at least a first chamber and a central transfer chamber. The central transfer chamber may house a robot that shuttles substrates between processing chambers and load lock chambers. The transfer chamber is typically maintained under vacuum and provides an intermediate stage for shuttle-moving substrates from one chamber to another and / or to a load lock chamber located at the front end of the cluster tool. Two well-known cluster tools applicable to the present disclosure are the Centura® and Endura®, both available from Applied Materials, Inc., Santa Clara, California. However, the exact arrangement and combination of chambers may be varied for the purpose of performing specific steps of the processes described herein. Other process chambers that can be used include, but are not limited to, cyclic layer deposition (CLD), atomic layer deposition (ALD), chemical vapor deposition (CVD), physical vapor deposition (PVD), etching, pre-cleaning, chemical cleaning, thermal treatments such as RTP, plasma nitridation, annealing, alignment, hydroxylation, and other substrate processes. Processing in a cluster tool chamber avoids contamination of the substrate surface with atmospheric impurities by not oxidizing the substrate prior to depositing the subsequent film.

[0044]

[0047] According to one or more embodiments, the substrate is continuously under vacuum or "load-lock" conditions and is not exposed to ambient air as it moves from one chamber to the next. Therefore, the transfer chamber is under vacuum and "pumped down" under vacuum pressure. An inert gas may be present in the processing chamber or the transfer chamber. In some embodiments, the inert gas is used as a purge gas to remove some or all of the reactants. According to one or more embodiments, a purge gas is injected at the exit of the deposition chamber to prevent the transfer of reactants from the deposition chamber to the transfer chamber and / or additional processing chambers. The flow of inert gas thus forms a curtain at the exit of the chamber.

[0045]

[0048] Substrate processing can occur within a single substrate deposition chamber, where one substrate is loaded, processed, and unloaded before processing another. Substrates can also be processed continuously, similar to a conveyor system, where multiple substrates are individually loaded into a first portion of the chamber, moved through the chamber, and unloaded from a second portion of the chamber. The geometry of the chamber and associated conveyor system can form a linear or curved path. Additionally, the processing chamber can be a carousel, where multiple substrates move about a central axis and are subjected to processes such as deposition, etching, annealing, and cleaning along the entire carousel path.

[0046]

[0049] During processing, the substrate can be heated or cooled. Such heating or cooling can be achieved by any suitable means, including, but not limited to, changing the temperature of the substrate support and flowing heated or cooled gas through the substrate. In some embodiments, the substrate support includes a controllable heater / cooler to conductively change the substrate temperature. In one or more embodiments, the gas used (either reactive or inert gas) can be heated or cooled to locally change the substrate temperature. In some embodiments, the heater / cooler is located in the chamber adjacent to the substrate to change the substrate temperature by convection.

[0047]

[0050] The substrate can also be stationary or rotated during processing. A rotating substrate can be rotated continuously or in careful steps. For example, the substrate can be rotated throughout the entire process, or the substrate can be rotated only a small amount between exposures to various reactant or purge gases. Rotating the substrate during processing (either continuously or in steps) can help minimize the effects of local variations in gas flow geometry, for example, resulting in more uniform deposition or etching.

[0048]

[0051] Throughout this specification, references to "one embodiment," "a particular embodiment," "one or more embodiments," or "an embodiment" mean that a particular feature, structure, material, or characteristic described in connection with an embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the present disclosure. Thus, the appearances of the phrases "in one or more embodiments," "a particular embodiment," "in one embodiment," or "an embodiment" in various places throughout this specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment of the present disclosure. Furthermore, particular features, structures, materials, or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments.

[0049]

[0052] Although the disclosure herein has been described with reference to particular embodiments, it is to be understood that these embodiments are merely illustrative of the principles and applications of the disclosure. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made to the disclosed method and apparatus without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure. Thus, the disclosure is intended to cover such modifications and variations provided they come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. 1. A method for forming a film on a substrate, comprising: In a first cycle, depositing a SiB layer on the substrate on the susceptor assembly below a gas distribution assembly at a distance from the susceptor assembly in a chamber using a chemical vapor deposition process, the substrate having at least one feature thereon, the at least one feature having a top surface, a bottom surface, and a sidewall including a first sidewall and a second sidewall, the SiB layer being formed on the top surface, the bottom surface, and the sidewall; in a second cycle, treating the SiB layer with a radio frequency (RF) plasma containing a nitrogen-containing gas to form a conformal SiBN film; Including, the process is carried out at a temperature in the range of 300°C to 550°C; The method, wherein the film has an average thickness deposited on the first sidewall and the second sidewall of the feature relative to an average thickness of the same film on the top surface that is greater than 90%.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein a single cycle of the chemical vapor deposition process deposits a film having a thickness in the range of 10 Å to 30 Å.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein a single cycle of the chemical vapor deposition process deposits a film having a thickness in the range of 10 Å to 25 Å.

4. 10. The method of claim 1, wherein a single cycle of the chemical vapor deposition process deposits a film having a thickness in the range of 15 Å to 30 Å.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein a single cycle of the chemical vapor deposition process deposits a film having a thickness in the range of 15 Å to 25 Å.

6. The feature is located on the top surface at a depth D ｆ an opening extending to the bottom surface to a width W of the feature; ｆ The method of claim 2 , wherein the first sidewall and the second sidewall define:

7. 7. The method of claim 6, wherein the film has an average thickness deposited on the first sidewall and the second sidewall of the feature that is greater than 95% of the average thickness of the same film on the top surface.

8. 8. The method of claim 7, wherein the chemical vapor deposition process includes flowing silane and diborane into the chamber through a gas distribution assembly, and the distance from the susceptor assembly is in the range of 4.5 mm to 15 mm.

9. 10. The method of claim 8, further comprising terminating the chemical vapor deposition process, purging the chamber with an inert gas, and treating the SiB layer with a plasma after purging the chamber.

10. The plasma is N ２ , Ar, He and NH ３ 10. The method of claim 9, comprising one or more of:

11. The plasma further comprises H ２ The method of claim 10, comprising:

12. 3. The method of claim 2, wherein the feature has a mesa having the first sidewall and the second sidewall on either side of the mesa, a height defined by the top surface and the bottom surface, and a width defined by the distance between the sidewalls.

13. 13. The method of claim 12, wherein the film has an average thickness deposited on the first sidewall and the second sidewall of the feature that is greater than 95% of the average thickness of the same film on the top surface.

14. 14. The method of claim 13, wherein the chemical vapor deposition process includes flowing silane and diborane into the chamber, terminating the chemical vapor deposition process, purging the chamber with an inert gas, and treating the SiB layer with a radio frequency (RF) plasma having an ion concentration of 10 10 / cm 3 or greater after purging the chamber.

15. The plasma is N ２ , Ar, He and NH ３ 15. The method of claim 14, comprising one or more of:

16. 1. A method of forming a film on a substrate, the method comprising: In a first cycle, depositing a SiB layer on the substrate on the susceptor assembly below a gas distribution assembly at a distance from the susceptor assembly in a chamber using a chemical vapor deposition process, the substrate having at least one feature thereon, the at least one feature having a top surface, a bottom surface, and a sidewall, the SiB layer being formed on the top surface, the bottom surface, and the sidewall; In a second cycle, treating the SiB layer with a radio frequency (RF) plasma having an ion concentration of 10 10 / cm 3 or more and containing a nitrogen-containing gas to form a conformal SiBN film; wherein a single cycle of the chemical vapor deposition process deposits a film having a thickness in the range of 10 Å to 30 Å, the method is performed at a temperature in the range of 300°C to 550°C, and the film has an average thickness deposited on the sidewalls of the feature relative to an average thickness of the same film on the top surface that is greater than 90%.

17. 1. A method of forming a film on a substrate, the method comprising: In a first cycle, depositing a SiB layer on the substrate on the susceptor assembly below a gas distribution assembly at a distance from the susceptor assembly in a chamber using a chemical vapor deposition process, the substrate having at least one feature thereon, the at least one feature having a top surface, a bottom surface, and a sidewall, the SiB layer being formed on the top surface, the bottom surface, and the sidewall; purging the chamber with an inert gas; In the second cycle, the SiB layer is ion-treated with an ion concentration of 10 10 / cm 3 or more and containing Ar, N ２ , He, NH ３ and H 2 to form a conformal SiBN film; and wherein a single cycle of the chemical vapor deposition process deposits a film having a thickness in the range of 10 Å to 30 Å, the method is performed at a temperature in the range of 300°C to 550°C, and the film has an average thickness deposited on the sidewalls of the feature relative to an average thickness of the same film on the top surface that is greater than 90%.

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