Condensed Precursor Gap Fill for Void-Free Substrate Deposition
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Solution Overview
Problem
As electronic device features shrink, filling gaps with material becomes increasingly difficult due to high aspect ratios, leading to significant voids and seams that affect mechanical and electrical properties.
Innovation Solution
A method of depositing material onto a substrate by condensing a precursor gas-phase material onto the substrate surface, allowing it to flow within the gap before curing, which reduces void and seam formation, using a reactor system with controlled temperatures and plasma processing to form cured material with minimal carbon content.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If conventional vapor deposition methods are used to fill gaps, then material can be deposited, but significant voids and seams form in the deposited material
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the temperature parameter during deposition, specifically cooling the substrate below the dew point of the precursor vapor. This causes the precursor to condense as a liquid on the substrate surface rather than depositing as a solid film, enabling the material to flow and fill gaps completely without voids or seams
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes phase transition by controlling the substrate temperature to be below the dew point of the precursor vapor, causing condensation from gas phase to liquid phase. The liquid precursor then flows to fill the gap before solidifying, ensuring complete gap filling without defects
2Quantity of substance
If polymerization of precursor in gas phase is used, then material can be formed, but carbon content in deposited material increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts or removes the harmful gas-phase polymerization step from the deposition process. By cooling the substrate below the dew point, the precursor condenses directly as liquid on the surface without undergoing gas-phase polymerization, thereby eliminating the source of excess carbon incorporation in the deposited material
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
The method effectively fills gaps with reduced void and seam formation, achieving desirable material properties and composition, particularly suitable for dielectric, conducting, and semiconductive materials.
Implementation Method 1
condensing the precursor onto the surface of the substrate to form condensed material
Implementation Method 2
The step of curing can include, for example, forming excited species that react with the condensed (e.g., liquid) material. The step of curing includes forming a (e.g., direct) plasma using the plasma gas
Data Source
AI summary
Methods of depositing material onto a surface of a substrate. Exemplary methods include flowing a gas-phase precursor within the reaction chamber, condensing the precursor onto the surface of the substrate to form condensed material, and curing the condensed material to transform the condensed material to cured material. The step of curing can be a plasma process and can include use of a reactant.