Organic Mandrel Protection via DCS Plasma Deposition
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Solution Overview
Problem
In multi-patterning schemes, the use of organic mandrels in substrate processing leads to initial top mandrel material loss due to oxygen-containing plasma, resulting in trapezoidal mandrel shapes and subsequent spacer leaning, which negatively affects pattern fidelity and edge placement, causing increased line width roughness and edge placement errors.
Innovation Solution
A direct current superposition (DCS) plasma treatment process is applied to deposit a protective layer on the organic mandrel before atomic layer conformal deposition, followed by a spacer etch mandrel pull process, concurrently controlling operating variables to maintain a target final sidewall angle and reduce spacer leaning.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If oxygen-containing plasma is used in PEALD film deposition, then deposition can proceed at room temperature preserving organic materials, but initial top mandrel material is removed causing trapezoidal mandrel shape and spacer leaning
Solution Approach 1:
A protective coating is deposited on the organic mandrel before the PEALD process to prevent plasma-induced material removal. This preliminary protective action allows the subsequent oxygen-containing plasma deposition to proceed without damaging the mandrel shape, enabling both room temperature operation and shape fidelity preservation.
Solution Approach 2:
A protective coating layer is introduced as an intermediary between the oxygen-containing plasma and the organic mandrel. This intermediary layer allows the plasma to perform its deposition function while preventing direct interaction that would cause mandrel material removal and shape distortion.
2Device complexity
If conventional PEALD is used without protective coating, then process is simpler, but spacer leaning occurs affecting pattern fidelity and edge placement
Solution Approach 1:
The protective coating is applied as a preliminary step before spacer deposition. Although this adds a process step, it prevents spacer leaning and maintains pattern fidelity, ensuring that the additional complexity is justified by the significant improvement in manufacturing precision.
3Manufacturing precision
If no protective measure is taken, then initial plasma damage occurs, but adding protective coating prevents mandrel material loss and spacer leaning
Solution Approach 1:
The protective coating serves as an intermediary layer that enables the integration scheme to maintain spacer alignment precision. By introducing this intermediary protective element, the system achieves better spacer alignment without direct plasma-mandrel interaction, justifying the increased integration complexity through superior manufacturing precision.
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 prevents initial mandrel damage, reduces spacer leaning, and improves pattern fidelity and edge placement accuracy, enhancing the overall fidelity of pattern transfer and reducing line width roughness and edge placement errors.
Implementation Method 1
exposing the initial patterned structure in a direct current superposition (DCS) plasma treatment process, the DCS plasma treatment process depositing a layer of a first material on the initial patterned structure
Implementation Method 2
performing an atomic layer conformal deposition process using a second material
Implementation Method 3
performing a spacer etch mandrel pull (SEMP) process, the SEMP process creating a final patterned structure
Data Source
AI summary
Provided is a method of patterning spacers, the method comprising: providing an initial patterned structure in a substrate in a processing chamber, the initial patterned structure comprising an organic mandrel and an underlying layer; exposing the patterned structure in a direct current superposition (DCS) plasma treatment process, the process depositing a layer of a first material on the initial patterned structure; performing an atomic layer conformal deposition process using a second material, the first material providing protection to the organic mandrel at the beginning of the atomic layer conformal deposition process; performing a spacer etch mandrel pull process, the process creating a final patterned structure with a target final sidewall angle; concurrently controlling integration operating variables in the DCS plasma treatment process, the atomic layer conformal deposition process, and the spacer etch mandrel pull process in order to meet the target final sidewall angle and other integration objectives.