Selective Silicon Oxide Deposition at Low Temperature
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Solution Overview
Problem
There is a need for a low-temperature, radical-free silicon oxide deposition process that allows for selective deposition on specific areas of a substrate, avoiding the drawbacks of existing methods such as high temperature requirements, need for separate oxygen reactants, and inefficiencies in patterning.
Innovation Solution
The method involves providing a substrate in a reaction chamber with a silicon precursor and a reactant containing hydrogen atoms to form silicon oxide. The silicon precursor includes a silicon atom connected to at least one oxygen atom, with the oxygen atom connected to a carbon atom, allowing for selective deposition at lower temperatures without the use of radicals.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional silicon oxide deposition methods are used (requiring separate oxygen reactants or high temperature), then silicon oxide layers can be deposited, but the process complexity increases and/or substrate materials may be damaged
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the silicon source and oxygen source into a single precursor molecule (silicon oxide precursor). This eliminates the need for separate oxygen reactant delivery systems and simplifies the deposition process while maintaining reliable silicon oxide layer formation without damaging substrate materials.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the oxygen component from the traditional separate reactant system and incorporates it directly into the silicon precursor molecule. This extraction of oxygen from the external reactant system eliminates the need for complex oxygen delivery mechanisms and reduces overall process complexity.
2Manufacturing precision
If selective deposition is achieved through lithography and etching patterning, then area selectivity is obtained, but manufacturing time and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent incorporates the patterning function into the deposition process itself through the use of a photoresist-reactive precursor. The precursor automatically reacts only with exposed photoresist areas during deposition, eliminating the need for separate patterning steps and reducing manufacturing time while maintaining precise area selectivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses a photoresist layer as an intermediary that mediates between the deposition process and the desired pattern. The photoresist serves as both a protective layer and a reactive template, enabling selective deposition without requiring additional patterning steps.
3Ease of manufacture
If high deposition temperature is used, then silicon oxide can be deposited thermally, but pre-deposited materials on the substrate may be damaged
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical form of the silicon source from elemental or simple compound form to a silicon oxide precursor molecule. This parameter change in the precursor structure enables deposition at lower temperatures, eliminating thermal damage to substrate materials while maintaining process simplicity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the thermal energy-driven deposition mechanism with a chemically-driven deposition mechanism. Instead of relying on high temperature to drive the deposition reaction, the reactive silicon oxide precursor undergoes chemical reactions at lower temperatures, substituting chemical reactivity for thermal energy.
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 process enables the selective deposition of silicon oxide at lower temperatures, reducing the risk of damaging pre-deposited materials and improving efficiency by eliminating the need for subsequent patterning steps.
Implementation Method 1
a silicon precursor and a reactant comprising hydrogen atoms are provided in the reaction chamber to form silicon oxide on the substrate
Data Source
AI summary
The current disclosure relates to methods of depositing silicon oxide on a substrate, methods of forming a semiconductor device and a method of forming a structure. The method comprises providing a substrate in a reaction chamber, providing a silicon precursor in the reaction chamber, the silicon precursor comprising a silicon atom connected to at least one oxygen atom, the at least one oxygen atom being connected to a carbon atom, and providing a reactant comprising hydrogen atoms in the reaction chamber to form silicon oxide on the substrate.