Isolation Liner Structure for Low-Temperature Interlayer Dielectrics
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Solution Overview
Problem
As semiconductor devices continue to integrate more components into a given area with reduced minimum feature sizes, challenges arise in maintaining the quality of interlayer dielectrics, particularly during low-temperature anneal processes, which affect the performance and reliability of transistors.
Innovation Solution
The formation of a carbon-containing liner before the main dielectric layer in the interlayer dielectric improves film quality by allowing carbon diffusion into the main dielectric, enhancing the performance of transistors such as nano-FETs, FinFETs, and planar transistors.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by stationary object
If low-temperature anneal process is used to form interlayer dielectric, then energy consumption is reduced and dopant deactivation is avoided, but film quality deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
A carbon-containing liner layer is introduced as an intermediary between the substrate and the interlayer dielectric. This liner layer serves as a carbon source that diffuses into the interlayer dielectric during low-temperature anneal, improving film quality without requiring high temperatures. The liner acts as a mediator that enables quality enhancement through controlled carbon diffusion while maintaining the energy benefits of low-temperature processing.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the chemical composition parameters of the interlayer dielectric by introducing carbon through the liner layer. This parameter change (adding carbon) improves the film quality metrics such as etch selectivity and stress control, allowing the process to achieve better film properties at lower temperatures than conventional approaches.
2Productivity
If minimum feature size is reduced to increase integration density, then more components can be integrated into a given area, but maintaining interlayer dielectric quality becomes more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The carbon-containing liner serves as a mediator that improves interlayer dielectric quality through controlled carbon diffusion. This is particularly important at reduced feature sizes where film quality control becomes more critical. The liner enables consistent film properties even as device dimensions shrink and integration density increases.
3Device complexity
If conventional interlayer dielectric formation is used without carbon-containing liner, then process complexity is lower, but film quality and transistor performance are insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The carbon-containing liner is formed in advance before the interlayer dielectric deposition. This preliminary action prepares the substrate surface with a carbon-rich layer that will subsequently diffuse into the dielectric during anneal, pre-establishing the conditions for improved film quality before the main dielectric layer is formed.
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 carbon-containing liner enhances the film quality of interlayer dielectrics, improving the performance and reliability of transistors by diffusing into the main dielectric, thereby addressing the challenges of reduced feature sizes and maintaining device integrity.
Implementation Method 1
carbon in the liner is diffused into the flowable dielectric while curing the flowable dielectric
Data Source
AI summary
In some embodiments, a semiconductor device is provided. The semiconductor device includes a channel over substrate; a gate over the channel and interposed between source/drain regions; an etch stop layer around sidewalls of the gate and over the substrate and source/drain regions; and an interlayer dielectric over the etch stop layer. The interlayer dielectric includes a liner and a main dielectric over the liner. The liner and the main dielectric both include at least silicon, oxygen, and carbon. The main dielectric includes a lower portion and an upper portion, and a first carbon concentration of the main dielectric at the lower portion is greater than a second carbon concentration of the main dielectric at the upper portion.