Hydroxylation Gapfill for Seam-Free Semiconductor Features
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Solution Overview
Problem
As semiconductor device sizes decrease and complexity increases, forming high-quality, patterned material layers on substrates becomes increasingly challenging, particularly in features with high aspect ratios, where seams or gaps can form between deposited materials, affecting device performance.
Innovation Solution
A method involving repeated cycles of providing silicon-containing and oxygen-containing precursors in a semiconductor processing chamber, followed by purging and contacting with oxygen-and-hydrogen-containing precursors to form silicon-and-oxygen-containing materials, which helps to fill features and close gaps by bonding the deposited material sides.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If conventional deposition methods are used to fill features, then material can be deposited, but seams or gaps form between deposited materials in high aspect ratio features
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by performing hydroxylation treatment on the feature walls before depositing the final silicon oxide material. This pre-treatment creates hydroxyl groups on the surface that facilitate subsequent bonding, ensuring seamless connections when material is deposited from opposite sides of the feature. The preliminary hydroxylation step prepares the surface in advance to prevent seam formation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the chemical state and surface properties of the feature walls through hydroxylation, transforming the surface from a non-reactive state to a hydroxyl-rich state that enables bonding. This parameter change in surface chemistry allows the deposited material to bond seamlessly with opposing surfaces, resolving the seam formation issue in high aspect ratio features.
2Productivity
If device size is reduced and complexity increased, then device performance improves, but producing high quality patterned material layers becomes increasingly challenging
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the deposition process into distinct sequential steps: hydroxylation treatment followed by silicon oxide deposition. This segmentation allows each step to be optimized independently, ensuring high quality material layers even as device complexity increases. The separated steps prevent defects that would otherwise accumulate in integrated processes.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary hydroxylation of the substrate and feature walls before depositing the silicon oxide material. This pre-treatment ensures that the surface is properly prepared for high-quality deposition, maintaining manufacturing precision even as device dimensions shrink and complexity increases.
3Quantity of substance
If material is deposited in high aspect ratio features, then features can be filled, but seams form between deposited material from opposite sides
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces hydroxyl groups as an intermediary substance on the feature walls that mediates bonding between deposited material from opposite sides. These hydroxyl groups act as a chemical bridge, enabling seamless connection of silicon oxide material deposited from opposing surfaces, thereby closing gaps and eliminating seams in high aspect ratio features.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the surface chemical parameters of the feature walls through hydroxylation, creating a reactive surface state that enables bonding. This parameter change transforms the interface conditions to allow seamless merging of deposited materials, resolving the gap closure problem in high aspect ratio structures.
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 method effectively fills features and closes seams in semiconductor substrates, improving the quality and reliability of semiconductor devices by ensuring seamless bonding of deposited materials, even in high aspect ratio features.
Implementation Method 1
providing a silicon-containing precursor, contacting the substrate with the silicon-containing precursor to form a silicon-containing material within the feature
Implementation Method 2
providing an oxygen-containing precursor, contacting the substrate with the oxygen-containing precursor to form a silicon-and-oxygen-containing material within the feature
Implementation Method 3
providing an oxygen-and-hydrogen-containing precursor, contacting the silicon-and-oxygen-containing material with the oxygen-and-hydrogen-containing precursor. This can cause a gap in the feature to close by causing a first side of the silicon-and-oxygen-containing material within the feature to bond with a second side
Data Source
AI summary
Methods of filling a feature on a semiconductor substrate may include performing a process to fill the feature on the semiconductor substrate by repeatedly performing first operations. First operations can include providing a silicon-containing precursor. First operations can include contacting the substrate with the silicon-containing precursor to form a silicon-containing material within the feature defined on the substrate. First operations can include purging the semiconductor processing chamber. First operations can include providing an oxygen-and-hydrogen-containing precursor. First operations can include contacting the substrate with the oxygen-and-hydrogen-containing precursor to form a silicon-and-oxygen-containing material within the feature defined on the substrate.