公开(公告)号：US20170103914A1

公开(公告)日：2017-04-13

申请号：US14949533

申请日：2015-11-23

Applicant: Lam Research Corporation

Inventor： Daniel Damjanovic ,  Pramod Subramonium ,  Nagraj Shankar

IPC: H01L21/768 ,  H01L21/311 ,  H01L21/02

CPC classification number: H01L21/76831 ,  H01L21/02178 ,  H01L21/02274 ,  H01L21/0228 ,  H01L21/31116 ,  H01L21/31144 ,  H01L21/76802 ,  H01L21/76834 ,  H01L23/481

Abstract: Dielectric AlO, AlOC, AlON and AlOCN films characterized by a dielectric constant (k) of less than about 10 and having a density of at least about 2.5 g/cm3 are deposited on partially fabricated semiconductor devices to serve as etch stop layers and/or diffusion barriers. In one implementation, a substrate containing an exposed dielectric layer (e.g., a ULK dielectric) and an exposed metal layer is contacted with an aluminum-containing compound (such as trimethylaluminum) in an iALD process chamber and the aluminum-containing compound is allowed to adsorb onto the surface of the substrate. This step is performed in an absence of plasma. Next, the unadsorbed aluminum-containing compound is removed from the process chamber, and the substrate is treated with a process gas containing CO2 or N2O, and an inert gas in a plasma to form an AlO, AlOC, or AlON layer. These steps are then repeated.

公开(公告)号：US20170309514A1

公开(公告)日：2017-10-26

申请号：US15195539

申请日：2016-06-28

Applicant: Lam Research Corporation

Inventor： Meliha Gozde Rainville ,  Nagraj Shankar ,  Daniel Damjanovic ,  Kapu Sirish Reddy

IPC: H01L21/768 ,  H01L21/02 ,  H01L21/311 ,  H01L21/027 ,  H01L21/033 ,  H01L23/532

CPC classification number: H01L21/76834 ,  H01L21/02178 ,  H01L21/0223 ,  H01L21/02252 ,  H01L21/02326 ,  H01L21/0234 ,  H01L21/0274 ,  H01L21/0332 ,  H01L21/0337 ,  H01L21/31144 ,  H01L21/76826

Abstract: Thin AlN films are oxidatively treated in a plasma to form AlO and AlON films without causing damage to underlying layers of a partially fabricated semiconductor device (e.g., to underlying metal and/or dielectric layers). The resulting AlO and AlON films are characterized by improved leakage current compared to the AlN film and are suitable for use as etch stop layers. The oxidative treatment involves contacting the substrate having an exposed AlN layer with a plasma formed in a process gas comprising an oxygen-containing gas and a hydrogen-containing gas. In some implementations oxidative treatment is performed with a plasma formed in a process gas including CO2 as an oxygen-containing gas, H2 as a hydrogen-containing gas, and further including a diluent gas. The use of a hydrogen-containing gas in the plasma eliminates the oxidative damage to the underlying layers.

公开(公告)号：US10651080B2

公开(公告)日：2020-05-12

申请号：US15195539

申请日：2016-06-28

Applicant: Lam Research Corporation

Inventor： Meliha Gozde Rainville ,  Nagraj Shankar ,  Daniel Damjanovic ,  Kapu Sirish Reddy

IPC: H01L21/00 ,  H01L21/768 ,  H01L21/02 ,  H01L21/027 ,  H01L21/311 ,  H01L21/033

Abstract: Thin AlN films are oxidatively treated in a plasma to form AlO and AlON films without causing damage to underlying layers of a partially fabricated semiconductor device (e.g., to underlying metal and/or dielectric layers). The resulting AlO and AlON films are characterized by improved leakage current compared to the AlN film and are suitable for use as etch stop layers. The oxidative treatment involves contacting the substrate having an exposed AlN layer with a plasma formed in a process gas comprising an oxygen-containing gas and a hydrogen-containing gas. In some implementations oxidative treatment is performed with a plasma formed in a process gas including CO2 as an oxygen-containing gas, H2 as a hydrogen-containing gas, and further including a diluent gas. The use of a hydrogen-containing gas in the plasma eliminates the oxidative damage to the underlying layers.

公开(公告)号：US09633896B1

公开(公告)日：2017-04-25

申请号：US14949533

申请日：2015-11-23

Applicant: Lam Research Corporation

Inventor： Daniel Damjanovic ,  Pramod Subramonium ,  Nagraj Shankar

IPC: H01L21/768 ,  H01L21/02 ,  H01L21/31 ,  H01L21/311

CPC classification number: H01L21/76831 ,  H01L21/02178 ,  H01L21/02274 ,  H01L21/0228 ,  H01L21/31116 ,  H01L21/31144 ,  H01L21/76802 ,  H01L21/76834 ,  H01L23/481

Abstract: Dielectric AlO, AlOC, AlON and AlOCN films characterized by a dielectric constant (k) of less than about 10 and having a density of at least about 2.5 g/cm3 are deposited on partially fabricated semiconductor devices to serve as etch stop layers and/or diffusion barriers. In one implementation, a substrate containing an exposed dielectric layer (e.g., a ULK dielectric) and an exposed metal layer is contacted with an aluminum-containing compound (such as trimethylaluminum) in an iALD process chamber and the aluminum-containing compound is allowed to adsorb onto the surface of the substrate. This step is performed in an absence of plasma. Next, the unadsorbed aluminum-containing compound is removed from the process chamber, and the substrate is treated with a process gas containing CO2 or N2O, and an inert gas in a plasma to form an AlO, AlOC, or AlON layer. These steps are then repeated.