Low-Stress Boron Hardmask Deposition via Plasma Parameter Control
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional methods for forming boron-containing hardmasks in semiconductor processing result in high surface roughness and stress, leading to distorted patterning, poor critical dimension uniformity, and increased complexity and cost due to the need for post-deposition treatments like CMP and thermal annealing.
Innovation Solution
The method involves depositing boron-containing materials with low surface roughness and stress by controlling process parameters such as substrate temperature, inert precursor flow rates, and bias power to slow crystal growth, reduce hydrogen incorporation, and improve carbon bonding, thereby forming boron-containing layers suitable for use as hardmasks without the need for complex post-deposition treatments.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If conventional methods are used to deposit boron-containing layers, then the deposition process is simple and fast, but the resulting layers have high surface roughness and high stress
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by modifying deposition conditions including using substrate temperatures below 50°C, controlling precursor flow rates with inert gas dilution (greater than 10:1 ratio), and applying high bias power (greater than 2000 Watts) to achieve low surface roughness and low stress boron-containing layers without post-deposition treatments
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses composite precursor formulations combining boron-containing precursors with inert precursors (helium or argon) at specific flow rate ratios greater than 10:1, creating a composite deposition environment that produces layers with improved surface roughness and stress characteristics
2Reliability
If conventional deposition parameters are used, then deposition speed is high, but hydrogen incorporation is excessive and carbon bonding is poor
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes deposition parameters by applying high bias power (greater than 2000 Watts), maintaining low substrate temperatures (below 50°C), and using diluted precursor flows (inert to boron-containing ratio greater than 10:1) to improve material quality through reduced hydrogen incorporation and enhanced carbon bonding, while maintaining acceptable deposition rates
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces inert precursors (helium or argon) as intermediary substances that dilute the boron-containing precursor flow (ratio greater than 10:1), acting as a mediator to control deposition conditions and improve material quality by reducing hydrogen incorporation and improving carbon bonding
3Device complexity
If no post-deposition treatments are applied, then fabrication complexity and cost are reduced, but layer stress and surface roughness remain high
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary action by optimizing deposition parameters during the deposition process itself (substrate temperature below 50°C, bias power greater than 2000 Watts, precursor dilution ratio greater than 10:1) to achieve low surface roughness and low stress layers directly, eliminating the need for subsequent post-deposition treatment operations
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach produces boron-containing layers with low surface roughness and stress, eliminating the need for additional treatment operations, enhancing patterning accuracy and reducing fabrication complexity and costs while maintaining the etch selectivity and integrity of underlying substrate features.
Implementation Method 1
A plasma may be formed from the deposition precursor within the processing region of the semiconductor processing chamber
Implementation Method 2
depositing a boron-containing material on a substrate disposed within the processing region of the semiconductor processing chamber
Data Source
AI summary
Examples of the present technology include semiconductor processing methods to form boron-containing materials on substrates. Exemplary processing methods may include delivering a deposition precursor that includes a boron-containing precursor to a processing region of a semiconductor processing chamber. A plasma may be formed from the deposition precursor within the processing region of the semiconductor processing chamber. The methods may further include depositing a boron-containing material on a substrate disposed within the processing region of the semiconductor processing chamber, where the substrate is characterized by a temperature of less than or about 50° C. The as-deposited boron-containing material may be characterized by a surface roughness of less than or about 2 nm, and a stress level of less-than or about −500 MPa. In some embodiments, a layer of the boron-containing material may function as a hardmask.