Low Temperature Silicon Oxide Conversion via Radical CVD
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Solution Overview
Problem
The challenge in semiconductor manufacturing is filling narrow gaps with dielectric material without clogging, as existing techniques often result in voids or seams due to high temperature oxidation treatments that can damage underlying films and cause volume shrinkage, leading to poor material quality and yield issues.
Innovation Solution
A method involving radical-component chemical vapor deposition (CVD) to form a silicon-nitrogen-and-hydrogen-containing film, followed by ozone treatment and exposure to humidity, allowing conversion to silicon oxide at low temperatures without high-temperature oxidation, ensuring gap filling without voids and minimizing material shrinkage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If high temperature oxidation treatment is used to convert silicon-nitrogen-and-hydrogen-containing film to silicon oxide, then complete conversion to silicon oxide is achieved, but underlying films are damaged and thermal budget is exceeded
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the temperature parameter from high temperature (conventional oxidation) to low temperature (below 400°C) conversion process. This parameter change allows complete conversion to silicon oxide while avoiding damage to underlying films and staying within thermal budget constraints.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses ozone (O3) as a strong oxidant to accelerate the conversion of silicon-nitrogen-and-hydrogen-containing film to silicon oxide at low temperatures. The ozone provides highly reactive oxygen species that enable complete conversion without requiring high temperature thermal energy.
2Reliability
If conventional high temperature oxidation is used, then silicon oxide is formed, but volume shrinkage of 40% or more occurs causing cracks and spaces
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the temperature parameter to low temperature conversion, which prevents the severe volume shrinkage (40% or more) that occurs in conventional high temperature oxidation. This maintains dielectric volume and prevents cracks and spaces at interfaces.
3Reliability
If high temperature oxidation treatment is applied, then silicon oxide conversion is complete, but manufacturing time and energy consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses ozone as a strong oxidant to accelerate the conversion reaction, enabling complete silicon oxide formation at low temperatures in reduced time. The high reactivity of ozone compensates for the lower thermal energy, maintaining conversion completeness while reducing processing time and energy consumption.
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 effectively forms high-quality silicon oxide layers with minimal porosity and volume reduction, improving yield and performance by avoiding high-temperature treatments that could damage underlying layers.
Implementation Method 1
curing the silicon-nitrogen-and-hydrogen-containing layer in an ozone-containing atmosphere to convert the silicon-nitrogen-and-hydrogen-containing layer to a silicon-and-oxygen-containing layer
Implementation Method 2
exposing the silicon-and-oxygen-containing layer to a humid atmosphere having at least 50% relative humidity to convert the silicon-and-oxygen-containing layer to the silicon oxide layer
Implementation Method 3
forming a silicon-nitrogen-and-hydrogen-containing layer. Forming the silicon-nitrogen-and-hydrogen-containing layer includes flowing an unexcited precursor into a remote plasma region to produce a radical-precursor, combining a silicon-containing precursor with the radical-precursor in the plasma-free substrate processing region, and depositing the silicon-nitrogen-and-hydrogen-containing layer on the substrate
Data Source
AI summary
A method of forming a silicon oxide layer is described. The method first deposits a silicon-nitrogen-and-hydrogen-containing (polysilazane) film by radical-component chemical vapor deposition (CVD). The polysilazane film is converted to silicon oxide by exposing the polysilazane film to humidity at low substrate temperature. The polysilazane film may also be dipped in a liquid having both oxygen and hydrogen, such as water, hydrogen peroxide and or ammonium hydroxide. These conversion techniques may be used separately or in a sequential combination. Conversion techniques described herein hasten conversion, produce manufacturing-worthy films and remove the requirement of a high temperature oxidation treatment. An ozone treatment may precede the conversion technique(s).