Semiconductor Thin Film Etching Tolerance via Composite Gas Cycling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current semiconductor manufacturing processes lack a thin film that simultaneously achieves low dielectric constant, high etching tolerance, and high leak tolerance.
Innovation Solution
A method involving a cycle of gas supply to form a film containing oxygen, carbon, and nitrogen on a substrate, using specific reactive gases such as chlorosilane-based, amine-based, oxygen-containing, nitriding, and hydrogen-containing gases in a substrate processing apparatus to create a silicon oxycarbonitride or silicon oxycarbide film.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If carbon is added to insulating films to improve etching tolerance, then etching tolerance is improved, but dielectric constant increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses composite materials strategy by creating a multi-element film system where oxygen and carbon work together to maintain low dielectric constant even at optimized carbon concentrations for etching tolerance. The composite nature of the film allows carbon to provide etching resistance while oxygen preserves the low-k property, resolving the contradiction between etching tolerance improvement and dielectric constant control
2Manufacturing precision
If a thin film with low dielectric constant is formed, then dielectric constant is reduced, but etching tolerance and leak tolerance deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies composite materials by incorporating carbon and nitrogen elements into the silicon oxide matrix to create a composite film structure. This composite composition provides etching tolerance (through C and N) and leak tolerance (through Si-O network) while maintaining low dielectric constant (through O and C), simultaneously achieving all three properties that are contradictory in conventional low-k films
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs parameter changes by optimizing the compositional parameters of the film, specifically controlling the atomic percentages of C (10-40 at%), N (5-30 at%), and O (50-80 at%). By adjusting these parameters within specific ranges, the film achieves the triple objective of low dielectric constant, high etching tolerance, and high leak tolerance, resolving the contradiction between low dielectric constant and adequate etching/leak tolerance
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
The method enables the formation of thin films with adjusted composition ratios, improving etching tolerance and leak tolerance while controlling the dielectric constant, thereby enhancing semiconductor device performance.
Implementation Method 1
forming a film containing a predetermined element, oxygen, carbon and nitrogen on a substrate by repeating a cycle, the cycle including: (a) supplying a source gas containing the predetermined element and a halogen element to the substrate; (b) supplying a first reactive gas containing three elements including carbon, nitrogen and hydrogen to the substrate; (c) supplying a nitriding gas as a second reactive gas to the substrate; (d) supplying an oxidizing gas as a third reactive gas to the substrate
Data Source
AI summary
A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device is provided. The method includes: forming a film containing a predetermined element, oxygen, carbon and nitrogen on a substrate by repeating a cycle. The cycle includes: (a) supplying a source gas containing the predetermined element and a halogen element to the substrate; (b) supplying a first reactive gas containing three elements including carbon, nitrogen and hydrogen to the substrate; (c) supplying a nitriding gas as a second reactive gas to the substrate; (d) supplying an oxidizing gas as a third reactive gas to the substrate; and (e) supplying an hydrogen-containing gas as a fourth reactive gas to the substrate, wherein (a) through (e) are non-simultanelously performed.