Polysilazane Film Oxidation via Two-Step Temperature Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing semiconductor device manufacturing processes using hydrogen peroxide for substrate processing face challenges in achieving consistent and high-quality film modification, particularly in preventing liquefaction and ensuring uniform oxidation across the substrate.
Innovation Solution
A two-step substrate processing method involving heating a polysilazane film to different temperatures and supplying hydrogen peroxide-containing gases, where the first step sets a low temperature to prevent liquefaction and achieve deep film modification, and the second step raises the temperature for enhanced oxidation and impurity removal.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If a single high temperature is used for oxidation, then oxidation efficiency is improved, but liquefaction occurs and uniformity deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The oxidation process is divided into two distinct temperature stages: a first oxidation at a lower temperature (400-600°C) and a second oxidation at a higher temperature (600-800°C). This segmentation allows the process to achieve both deep penetration at lower temperature and high oxidation efficiency at higher temperature, while avoiding liquefaction that would occur at uniformly high temperatures.
Solution Approach 2:
The first oxidation step is performed as a preliminary action before the second oxidation step. This preliminary low-temperature oxidation prepares the film structure and prevents liquefaction, creating conditions that enable the subsequent high-temperature oxidation to proceed uniformly and efficiently.
2Productivity
If high temperature is applied directly, then oxidation rate is improved, but surface curing occurs and quality deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
A preliminary low-temperature oxidation step is performed before the high-temperature oxidation. This preliminary action prevents surface curing by initially modifying the film at a temperature that does not cause curing, thereby enabling subsequent high-temperature processing to achieve high oxidation rates while maintaining film quality.
Solution Approach 2:
The processing temperature is changed in two stages rather than applied directly at high temperature. The first stage uses a lower temperature parameter (400-600°C) to prevent surface curing, and the second stage increases the temperature parameter (600-800°C) to achieve high oxidation rate, thereby resolving the contradiction between productivity and manufacturing precision.
3Stability of the object's composition
If low temperature is used, then liquefaction is prevented, but oxidation completeness deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The oxidation process is segmented into two temperature stages: a first oxidation at lower temperature (400-600°C) that prevents liquefaction and maintains film stability, and a second oxidation at higher temperature (600-800°C) that ensures oxidation completeness. This segmentation allows both film stability and oxidation completeness to be achieved.
Solution Approach 2:
The oxidation action continues across both temperature stages without interruption. The first low-temperature oxidation maintains film stability, and the second high-temperature oxidation completes the oxidation process, ensuring both film stability and oxidation completeness through continuous useful action.
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 modifies the polysilazane film to a high-quality silicon oxide film with low impurity concentration across the entire film thickness, improving the substrate processing quality and preventing surface curing issues.
Implementation Method 1
heating a substrate, in which the film containing the silazane bond is formed over a surface of the substrate, to a first temperature
Implementation Method 2
supplying a first processing gas containing hydrogen peroxide to the substrate
Data Source
AI summary
There is provided a technique that includes a first act of modifying a film containing a silazane bond by heating a substrate, in which the film containing the silazane bond is formed over a surface of the substrate, to a first temperature and by supplying a first processing gas containing hydrogen peroxide to the substrate; and after the first act, a second act of modifying the film containing the silazane bond by heating the substrate to a second temperature higher than the first temperature and by supplying a second processing gas containing hydrogen peroxide to the substrate.