Selective Silicon Deposition for Patterned Feature Protection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional semiconductor processing technologies face challenges in maintaining structural integrity and preventing unwanted side effects during the etching of recesses in patterned features, leading to issues like undercut and angled sidewalls, and often require separate chambers for etching and deposition, which can cause contamination.
Innovation Solution
The method involves depositing a silicon-containing material selectively on patterned features within the same chamber as etching, using a silicon-containing precursor and a hydrogen-containing precursor to form a plasma, with controlled power and pressure conditions, to create a protective layer that prevents removal of patterned material and serves as a second mask for recessing, thereby maintaining structural integrity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If etching is performed to form recessed features, then material is removed to create desired structures, but unwanted structures form in the recessed features or near them
Solution Approach 1:
A protective layer is deposited on the patterned features before etching begins. This preliminary action ensures that the patterned features are protected from etching damage, preventing unwanted structures from forming while allowing precise etching of the underlying layers.
Solution Approach 2:
The protective layer acts as an intermediary between the etching process and the patterned features. It selectively protects the patterned features during etching, enabling precise material removal without creating unwanted structures or damaging the patterned features.
2Reliability
If separate chambers are used for etching and deposition, then each process can be optimized independently, but contamination occurs and queue times increase
Solution Approach 1:
The etching and deposition processes are merged into a single chamber. The protective layer is deposited in the same chamber where etching occurs, eliminating contamination risks from chamber transfers and reducing queue times while maintaining process optimization through controlled sequential operations.
3Productivity
If conventional etching is used, then recesses are formed, but undercut and angled sidewalls occur
Solution Approach 1:
The protective layer is deposited beforehand to prevent etching of the patterned features. This preliminary protection maintains vertical sidewalls and prevents undercut, ensuring manufacturing precision while allowing efficient etching of the underlying layers.
Solution Approach 2:
The formation of the protective layer provides feedback control to the etching process. By monitoring the protective layer deposition and adjusting etching parameters accordingly, precise control over sidewall angles and undercut prevention is achieved, maintaining both productivity and 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 ensures the integrity of patterned features during etching, reduces undercut, and allows for improved structural integrity in final devices by performing both deposition and etching in the same chamber, minimizing contamination and queue times.
Implementation Method 1
forming a plasma of the silicon-containing precursor and the hydrogen-containing precursor
Implementation Method 2
forming a plasma of the silicon-containing precursor and the hydrogen-containing precursor... depositing a silicon-containing material on the one or more patterned features
Data Source
AI summary
Exemplary semiconductor processing methods may include providing a silicon-containing precursor to a processing region of a semiconductor processing chamber. A substrate may be disposed within the processing region. The substrate may include one or more patterned features separated by exposed regions of the substrate. The methods may include providing a hydrogen-containing precursor to the processing region of the semiconductor processing chamber. The methods may include forming a plasma of the silicon-containing precursor and the hydrogen-containing precursor. Forming the plasma of the silicon-containing precursor and the hydrogen-containing precursor may be performed at a plasma power of less than or about 1,000 W. The methods may include depositing a silicon-containing material on the one or more patterned features along the substrate. The silicon-containing material may be deposited on the patterned features at a rate of at least 2:1 relative to deposition on the exposed regions of the substrate.