Abstract:
Methods and apparatus for depositing an amorphous carbon layer on a substrate are provided. In one embodiment, a deposition process includes positioning a substrate in a substrate processing chamber, introducing a hydrocarbon source having a carbon to hydrogen atom ratio of greater than 1:2 into the processing chamber, introducing a plasma initiating gas selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, helium, argon, nitrogen, and combinations thereof into the processing chamber, with the hydrocarbon source having a volumetric flow rate to plasma initiating gas volumetric flow rate ratio of 1:2 or greater, generating a plasma in the processing chamber, and forming a conformal amorphous carbon layer on the substrate.
Abstract:
Methods for cleaning semiconductor processing chambers used to process carbon-containing films, such as amorphous carbon films, barrier films comprising silicon and carbon, and low dielectric constant films including silicon, oxygen, and carbon are provided. The methods include using a remote plasma source to generate reactive species that clean interior surfaces of a processing chamber in the absence of RF power in the chamber. The reactive species are generated from an oxygen-containing gas, such as O2, and/or a halogen-containing gas, such as NF3. An oxygen-based ashing process may also be used to remove carbon deposits from the interior surfaces of the chamber before the chamber is exposed to the reactive species from the remote plasma source.
Abstract:
Methods for high temperature deposition an amorphous carbon film with improved step coverage are provided. In one embodiment, a method for of depositing an amorphous carbon film includes providing a substrate in a process chamber, heating the substrate at a temperature greater than 500 degrees Celsius, supplying a gas mixture comprising a hydrocarbon compound and an inert gas into the process chamber containing the heated substrate, and depositing an amorphous carbon film on the heated substrate having a stress of between 100 mega-pascal (MPa) tensile and about 100 mega-pascal (MPa) compressive.
Abstract:
A method of forming a device using a graded anti-reflective coating is provided. One or more amorphous carbon layers are formed on a substrate. An anti-reflective coating (ARC) is formed on the one or more amorphous carbon layers wherein the ARC layer has an absorption coefficient that varies across the thickness of the ARC layer. An energy sensitive resist material is formed on the ARC layer. An image of a pattern is introduced into the layer of energy sensitive resist material by exposing the energy sensitive resist material to patterned radiation. The image of the pattern introduced into the layer of energy sensitive resist material is developed.
Abstract:
Embodiments of the invention generally relate to methods of dry stripping boron-carbon films. In one embodiment, alternating plasmas of hydrogen and oxygen are used to remove a boron-carbon film. In another embodiment, co-flowed oxygen and hydrogen plasma is used to remove a boron-carbon containing film. A nitrous oxide plasma may be used in addition to or as an alternative to either of the above oxygen plasmas. In another embodiment, a plasma generated from water vapor is used to remove a boron-carbon film. The boron-carbon removal processes may also include an optional polymer removal process prior to removal of the boron-carbon films. The polymer removal process includes exposing the boron-carbon film to NF3 to remove from the surface of the boron-carbon film any carbon-based polymers generated during a substrate etching process.
Abstract:
Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to the fabrication of integrated circuits and particularly to the deposition of a boron containing amorphous carbon layer on a semiconductor substrate. In one embodiment, a method of processing a substrate in a processing chamber is provided. The method comprises providing a substrate in a processing volume, flowing a hydrocarbon containing gas mixture into the processing volume, generating a plasma of the hydrocarbon containing gas mixture by applying power from an RF source, flowing a boron containing gas mixture into the processing volume, and depositing a boron containing amorphous carbon film on the substrate in the presence of the plasma, wherein the boron containing amorphous carbon film contains from about 30 to about 60 atomic percentage of boron.
Abstract:
Methods for manufacturing a semiconductor device in a processing chamber are provided. In one embodiment, a method includes depositing over a substrate a first base material having a first set of interconnect features, filling an upper portion of the first set of interconnect features with an ashable material to an extent capable of protecting the first set of interconnect features from subsequent processes while being easily removable when desired, planarizing an upper surface of the first base material such that an upper surface of the ashable material filled in the first set of interconnect features is at the same level with the upper surface of the first base material, providing a substantial planar outer surface of the first base material, depositing a first film stack comprising a second base material on the substantial planar outer surface of the first base material, forming a second set of interconnect features in the second base material, wherein the second set of interconnect features are aligned with the first set of interconnect features, and removing the ashable material from the first base material, thereby extending a feature depth of the semiconductor device by connecting the second set of interconnect features to the first set of interconnect features. In another embodiment, a method includes providing a base material having a first film stack deposited thereon, wherein the base material is formed over the substrate and having a first set of interconnect features filled with an amorphous carbon material, the first film stack comprising a first amorphous carbon layer deposited on a surface of the base material, a first anti-reflective coating layer deposited on the first amorphous carbon layer, and a first photoresist layer deposited on the first anti-reflective coating layer, and patterning a portion of the first photoresist layer by shifting laterally a projection of a mask on the first photoresist layer relative to the substrate a desired distance, thereby introducing into the first photoresist layer a first feature pattern to be transferred to the underlying base material, wherein the first feature pattern is not aligned with the first set of interconnect features.
Abstract:
A method of forming an amorphous carbon layer on a substrate in a substrate processing chamber, includes introducing a hydrocarbon source into the processing chamber, introducing argon, alone or in combination with helium, hydrogen, nitrogen, and combinations thereof, into the processing chamber, wherein the argon has a volumetric flow rate to hydrocarbon source volumetric flow rate ratio of about 10:1 to about 20:1, generating a plasma in the processing chamber at a substantially lower pressure of about 2 Torr to 10 Torr, and forming a conformal amorphous carbon layer on the substrate.
Abstract:
A method of forming a device using a graded anti-reflective coating is provided. One or more amorphous carbon layers are formed on a substrate. An anti-reflective coating (ARC) is formed on the one or more amorphous carbon layers wherein the ARC layer has an absorption coefficient that varies across the thickness of the ARC layer. An energy sensitive resist material is formed on the ARC layer. An image of a pattern is introduced into the layer of energy sensitive resist material by exposing the energy sensitive resist material to patterned radiation. The image of the pattern introduced into the layer of energy sensitive resist material is developed.
Abstract:
Embodiments of the invention generally relate to methods of dry stripping boron-carbon films. In one embodiment, alternating plasmas of hydrogen and oxygen are used to remove a boron-carbon film. In another embodiment, co-flowed oxygen and hydrogen plasma is used to remove a boron-carbon containing film. A nitrous oxide plasma may be used in addition to or as an alternative to either of the above oxygen plasmas. In another embodiment, a plasma generated from water vapor is used to remove a boron-carbon film. The boron-carbon removal processes may also include an optional polymer removal process prior to removal of the boron-carbon films. The polymer removal process includes exposing the boron-carbon film to NF3 to remove from the surface of the boron-carbon film any carbon-based polymers generated during a substrate etching process.