Selective Air-Gap Formation in Semiconductor Recesses
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing semiconductor manufacturing techniques face challenges in forming air gaps with desired shapes and sizes in recesses of varying widths, affecting parasitic capacitance and mechanical strength, and result in inefficient material consumption due to non-selective film formation.
Innovation Solution
A method involving the lamination of a thermally decomposable organic material on a substrate with different width recesses, followed by heating to fluidize and remove the material from wider recesses, and subsequent plasma processing to form air gaps between the sealing film and recesses, allowing for selective film formation in narrower recesses.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If a film is formed in all recesses to create air gaps, then parasitic capacitance is reduced, but material consumption increases and manufacturing efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by making different parts of the substrate undergo different processes. Narrow recesses receive film formation to create air gaps for capacitance reduction, while wide recesses are selectively excluded from film formation. This is achieved through controlled heating that removes organic material only from wide recesses before film deposition, ensuring material is consumed only where it provides functional benefit.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If air gaps are formed in wide recesses, then parasitic capacitance is reduced, but mechanical strength deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes structural strength requirements local to each recess type. Wide recesses are identified as structural support regions where mechanical strength is prioritized, so they are selectively deprived of film formation. Narrow recesses are identified as regions where capacitance reduction is prioritized, so they receive film formation. The selective heating process enables this spatial differentiation of functional priorities.
3Ease of manufacture
If film formation is performed on all recesses, then manufacturing process is simple, but manufacturing precision deteriorates due to inability to control air gap shape and size
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by performing selective organic material removal through controlled heating before the film formation step. This pre-treatment creates a substrate surface where wide recesses are cleared of organic material while narrow recesses retain it. Subsequent film formation then naturally follows this prepared state, forming films only in narrow recesses. This preliminary differentiation enables precise control of air gap locations without complicating the overall process flow.
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 the formation of air gaps with tailored shapes and sizes, optimizing parasitic capacitance and mechanical strength while reducing material wastage by selectively forming films in narrower recesses rather than wider ones.
Implementation Method 1
heating the substrate to a first temperature, and fluidizing the organic material laminated on the substrate
Implementation Method 2
heating the substrate to a second temperature which is higher than the first temperature, and removing the organic material laminated in the second recess
Data Source
AI summary
A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device is disclosed. The method includes laminating a thermally decomposable organic material on a substrate by supplying a material gas into a container in which the substrate having a first recess and a second recess, which has a wider width than a width of the first recess, are formed, fluidizing the organic material laminated on the substrate by heating the substrate to a first temperature, and removing the organic material laminated in the second recess.