Seam-free gapfill deposition using hydrogen plasma
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional semiconductor processing technologies face challenges in producing high-quality silicon-containing films for advanced devices, particularly in maintaining material properties and achieving seamless gapfill in high-aspect ratio structures, as device sizes shrink and material layers become more intricate, leading to issues like air gaps, voids, and seam formation.
Innovation Solution
The method involves coating the semiconductor processing chamber surfaces with a silicon-containing layer, followed by forming a hydrogen-containing plasma to drive directional deposition, which preferentially fills substrate features in a bottom-up manner, reducing seam and void formation by controlling plasma power and pressure conditions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If conventional deposition methods are used to fill high-aspect ratio structures, then deposition speed may be improved, but seam formation and void creation occur reducing fill quality
Solution Approach 1:
The chamber surfaces are pre-coated with a silicon-containing layer before substrate deposition. This preliminary action creates a reservoir of depositable material on the chamber walls, enabling sustained material supply during deposition without requiring continuous precursor delivery to the substrate, thereby preventing seams and voids while maintaining high deposition speed
Solution Approach 2:
The process utilizes plasma power modulation between two distinct levels: a first plasma power during chamber coating and a second plasma power during substrate deposition. This parameter change enables control over deposition rate and material quality, achieving both high productivity and manufacturing precision by optimizing plasma conditions for each process stage
2Productivity
If device sizes are reduced to continue scaling, then device density is improved, but aspect ratios of structures grow making dimension control more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The process achieves uniform conformal deposition across surfaces with varying geometries by utilizing plasma-enhanced deposition from chamber wall reservoirs. This provides locally optimized material supply to high-aspect ratio structures, ensuring consistent film thickness and composition even in deep, narrow features where conventional methods fail to maintain dimensional control
3Device complexity
If more material layers are patterned during processing, then device complexity is improved, but removal selectivity to other exposed materials becomes more challenging
Solution Approach 1:
The silicon-containing films are deposited with controlled plasma power and precursor delivery parameters that create distinct material properties. The use of plasma-enhanced deposition at specific power levels and the sequential process steps produce films with tailored composition and structure, enabling improved removal selectivity for subsequent processing of multiple material layers
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 enables seamless gapfill and deposition in high-aspect ratio structures, maintaining material properties and improving the quality of semiconductor devices by ensuring complete filling without seams or voids, accommodating various semiconductor structures.
Implementation Method 1
The silicon-containing layer may be deposited by plasma-enhanced deposition performed at a first plasma power
Implementation Method 2
forming a plasma of a hydrogen-containing precursor within the processing region of the semiconductor processing chamber
Implementation Method 3
depositing a silicon-containing material on a substrate disposed within the processing region... Forming the plasma of the hydrogen-containing precursor may be performed at a second plasma power greater than the first plasma power
Data Source
AI summary
Exemplary methods of semiconductor processing may include providing a silicon-containing precursor to a processing region of a semiconductor processing chamber. The methods may include depositing a silicon-containing layer on surfaces defining the processing region of the semiconductor processing chamber. The methods may include forming a plasma of a hydrogen-containing precursor within the processing region of the semiconductor processing chamber. The methods may include depositing a silicon-containing material on a substrate disposed within the processing region of the semiconductor processing chamber.