Shielding Compound for Uniform Silicon Thin-Film Step Coverage
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing thin film deposition methods struggle with achieving 100% step coverage and thickness uniformity, particularly on complex semiconductor structures, while also dealing with impurity residues and process by-products that degrade film quality.
Innovation Solution
A shielding compound is used to form a silicon-based thin film with a reduced deposition rate, comprising a saturated compound represented by Chemical Formula 1, which creates a shielding area on the substrate to control the thin film growth rate and reduce impurities, improving step coverage and thickness uniformity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the deposition temperature is reduced to reduce the growth rate of a thin film, then the thin film growth rate is reduced, but the film quality significantly deteriorates due to an increase in the residual amount of impurities
Solution Approach 1:
A shielding layer is formed on the substrate before depositing the thin film. This preliminary action creates a controlled environment that allows high-quality film deposition even at reduced temperatures by preventing impurity incorporation during the deposition process
Solution Approach 2:
The shielding layer acts as an intermediary between the substrate and the thin film deposition process. It mediates the interaction by providing a controlled interface that reduces impurity incorporation while maintaining film quality during low-temperature deposition
2Productivity
If the deposition temperature is reduced to reduce the growth rate of a thin film, then the thin film growth rate is reduced, but impurity residues increase causing corrosion of metals
Solution Approach 1:
The shielding layer is deposited beforehand to create a protective barrier that prevents impurity incorporation during subsequent thin film deposition, enabling low-temperature processing without generating harmful impurity residues
Solution Approach 2:
The shielding layer converts the potentially harmful low-temperature deposition process into a beneficial outcome by preventing impurity incorporation, thus eliminating corrosion risks while maintaining reduced growth rates
3Productivity
If the deposition temperature is reduced to reduce the growth rate of a thin film, then the thin film growth rate is reduced, but the film quality deteriorates due to nonvolatile by-products
Solution Approach 1:
Forming a shielding layer before thin film deposition creates a controlled environment that prevents nonvolatile by-product incorporation, enabling quality film formation at reduced temperatures
4Manufacturing precision
If atomic layer deposition (ALD) process is used to achieve high step coverage, then step coverage is improved, but 100% step coverage cannot be achieved
Solution Approach 1:
The shielding layer is deposited in advance to modify the substrate surface morphology and create favorable conditions for subsequent ALD deposition, enabling complete step coverage that cannot be achieved by ALD alone
Solution Approach 2:
The final structure combines the shielding layer with the thin film to create a composite system where the shielding layer provides the foundation necessary for achieving 100% step coverage of the subsequent film 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
The method enhances step coverage and thickness uniformity of thin films on complex structures, reduces impurity residues, and improves film quality by minimizing process by-products, thereby enhancing the crystallinity and electrical properties of the thin film.
Implementation Method 1
by forming a shielding area for a silicon-based thin film on a substrate to reduce the deposition rate of a silicon-based thin film
Implementation Method 2
reduces the residual amount of impurities, and greatly improves step coverage and the thickness uniformity of a thin film
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to a shielding compound, a method of forming a thin film using the shielding compound, and a semiconductor substrate and semiconductor device fabricated using the method. According to the present invention, by providing a compound having a predetermined structure as a shielding compound and forming a shielding area for a silicon-based thin film on a substrate, the deposition rate of a silicon-based thin film may be reduced, and the thin film growth rate may be appropriately reduced. Thus, even when forming a thin film on a substrate with a complex structure, step coverage and the thickness uniformity of the thin film may be greatly improved, corrosion or deterioration may be reduced, the crystallinity of the thin film may be improved, and the electrical properties of the thin film may be improved.