Single-Chamber Flowable Film Filling With In-Situ Plasma Densification
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional semiconductor processing methods face challenges in filling high-aspect-ratio features with flowable films, leading to void formation and reduced device performance due to inadequate deposition control and subsequent treatment processes, which often result in stress and incomplete filling.
Innovation Solution
The use of a semiconductor processing system with decoupled high-frequency and low-frequency plasma sources, operating in specific power modes and sequences to generate a low-power, repeatable plasma for controlled deposition and treatment within the same chamber, ensuring complete filling and minimizing voids.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If conventional deposition methods are used to fill high-aspect-ratio features, then material can be deposited on substrate surfaces, but voids form within features and sidewall coverage is inadequate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs periodic pulsing of the plasma source at frequencies between 1 Hz and 1 kHz, creating cyclic deposition and treatment phases. This periodic action allows controlled material deposition followed by immediate densification treatment, preventing void formation while maintaining feature fill quality
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically changes plasma power parameters by applying different power levels during deposition versus treatment phases. Power is reduced during deposition to control film formation, then increased during treatment to densify the film and eliminate voids, achieving both complete filling and high manufacturing precision
2Reliability
If separate chambers are used for deposition and treatment operations, then each process can be optimized independently, but processing time increases and throughput decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines deposition and treatment operations within a single processing chamber, allowing both processes to occur sequentially without chamber transfer. This merging eliminates idle time between operations while maintaining independent process control through parameter modulation, thereby increasing throughput without sacrificing reliability
Solution Approach 2:
The system maintains continuous plasma presence in the chamber by transitioning between deposition and treatment modes without interrupting the plasma source. This continuity eliminates vacuum breakage and chamber repressurization cycles, keeping the system constantly productive while performing both deposition and treatment functions
3Productivity
If high plasma power is used during deposition, then deposition rate increases, but film quality deteriorates and voids form
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses periodic pulsing to alternate between high-power treatment phases and low-power deposition phases. During deposition, power is kept low to ensure film quality, then quickly switched to high power for treatment, maintaining both high overall productivity and high film quality through this temporal separation
Solution Approach 2:
A brief high-power plasma pulse is applied before the main deposition phase to prepare the substrate surface and nucleation sites. This preliminary action enhances subsequent deposition rate while maintaining film quality, as the surface is pre-conditioned for optimal material incorporation
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 enhances throughput by integrating curing and deposition in the same chamber, reducing void formation and improving sidewall coverage, thereby maintaining device quality and performance.
Implementation Method 1
forming a plasma of a silicon-containing precursor
Implementation Method 2
depositing a flowable film on a semiconductor substrate with plasma effluents of the silicon-containing precursor
Implementation Method 3
densifying the flowable film within the feature defined within the semiconductor substrate with plasma effluents of the treatment plasma
Data Source
AI summary
Exemplary processing methods may include forming a plasma of a silicon-containing precursor. The methods may include depositing a flowable film on a semiconductor substrate with plasma effluents of the silicon-containing precursor. The semiconductor substrate may be housed in a processing region of a semiconductor processing chamber. The processing region may be defined between a faceplate and a substrate support on which the semiconductor substrate is seated. The methods may include forming a treatment plasma within the processing region of the semiconductor processing chamber. The treatment plasma may be formed at a first power level from a first power source. A second power may be applied to the substrate support from a second power source at a second power level. The methods may include densifying the flowable film within the feature defined within the semiconductor substrate with plasma effluents of the treatment plasma.