| Patent application number | Description | Published |
|---|
| 20110034035 | STRESS MANAGEMENT FOR TENSILE FILMS - The formation of a gap-filling silicon oxide layer with reduced tendency towards cracking is described. The deposition involves the formation of a flowable silicon-containing layer which facilitates the filling of trenches. Subsequent processing at high substrate temperature causes less cracking in the dielectric film than flowable films formed in accordance with methods in the prior art. A compressive liner layer deposited prior to the formation of the gap-filling silicon oxide layer is described and reduces the tendency for the subsequently deposited film to crack. A compressive capping layer deposited after a flowable silicon-containing layer has also been determined to reduce cracking. Compressive liner layers and compressive capping layers can be used alone or in combination to reduce and often eliminate cracking. Compressive capping layers in disclosed embodiments have additionally been determined to enable an underlying layer of silicon nitride to be transformed into a silicon oxide layer. | 02-10-2011 |
| 20110034039 | FORMATION OF SILICON OXIDE USING NON-CARBON FLOWABLE CVD PROCESSES - A method of forming a silicon oxide layer is described. The method may include the steps of mixing a carbon-free silicon-and-nitrogen containing precursor with a radical precursor, and depositing a silicon-and-nitrogen containing layer on a substrate. The silicon-and-nitrogen containing layer is then converted to the silicon oxide layer. | 02-10-2011 |
| 20110081782 | POST-PLANARIZATION DENSIFICATION - Processes for forming high density gap-filling silicon oxide on a patterned substrate are described. The processes increase the density of gap-filling silicon oxide particularly in narrow trenches. The density may also be increased in wide trenches and recessed open areas. The densities of the gap-filling silicon oxide in the narrow and wide trenches/open areas become more similar following the treatment which allows the etch rates to match more closely. This effect may also be described as a reduction in the pattern loading effect. The process involves forming then planarizing silicon oxide. Planarization exposes a new dielectric interface disposed closer to the narrow trenches. The newly exposed interface facilitates a densification treatment by annealing and/or exposing the planarized surface to a plasma. | 04-07-2011 |
| 20110111137 | CURING NON-CARBON FLOWABLE CVD FILMS - A method of forming a silicon oxide layer is described. The method may include the steps of mixing a carbon-free silicon-containing precursor with a radical-nitrogen-and/or-hydrogen precursor, and depositing a silicon-nitrogen-and-hydrogen-containing layer on a substrate. The conversion of the silicon-nitrogen-and-hydrogen-containing layer to a silicon-and-oxygen-containing layer is then initiated by a low temperature anneal (a “cure”) in an ozone-containing atmosphere. The conversion of the silicon-and-nitrogen film to silicon oxide in the ozone-containing atmosphere may be incomplete and augmented by a higher temperature anneal in an oxygen-containing environment. | 05-12-2011 |
| 20110159703 | DIELECTRIC FILM GROWTH WITH RADICALS PRODUCED USING FLEXIBLE NITROGEN/HYDROGEN RATIO - Methods of forming dielectric layers are described. The method may include the steps of mixing a silicon-containing precursor with a radical-nitrogen precursor, and depositing a dielectric layer on a substrate. The radical-nitrogen precursor is formed in a remote plasma by flowing hydrogen (H | 06-30-2011 |
| 20110165781 | FLOWABLE DIELECTRIC USING OXIDE LINER - Methods of forming silicon oxide layers are described. The methods include mixing a carbon-free silicon-containing precursor with a radical-nitrogen precursor, and depositing a silicon-and-nitrogen-containing layer on a substrate. The radical-nitrogen precursor is formed in a plasma by flowing a hydrogen-and-nitrogen-containing precursor into the plasma. Prior to depositing the silicon-and-nitrogen-containing layer, a silicon oxide liner layer is formed to improve adhesion, smoothness and flowability of the silicon-and-nitrogen-containing layer. The silicon-and-nitrogen-containing layer may be converted to a silicon-and-oxygen-containing layer by curing and annealing the film. Methods also include forming a silicon oxide liner layer before applying a spin-on silicon-containing material. | 07-07-2011 |
| 20110212620 | POST-PLANARIZATION DENSIFICATION - Processes for forming high density gap-filling silicon oxide on a patterned substrate are described. The processes increase the density of gap-filling silicon oxide particularly in narrow trenches. The density may also be increased in wide trenches and recessed open areas. The densities of the gap-filling silicon oxide in the narrow and wide trenches/open areas become more similar following the treatment which allows the etch rates to match more closely. This effect may also be described as a reduction in the pattern loading effect. The process involves forming then planarizing silicon oxide. Planarization exposes a new dielectric interface disposed closer to the narrow trenches. The newly exposed interface facilitates a densification treatment by annealing and/or exposing the planarized surface to a plasma. | 09-01-2011 |
| 20110217851 | CONFORMAL LAYERS BY RADICAL-COMPONENT CVD - Methods, materials, and systems are described for forming conformal dielectric layers containing silicon and nitrogen (e.g., a silicon-nitrogen-hydrogen (Si—N—H) film) from a carbon-free silicon-and-nitrogen precursor and radical-nitrogen precursor. The carbon-free silicon-and-nitrogen precursor is predominantly excited by contact with the radical-nitrogen precursor. Because the silicon-and-nitrogen film is formed without carbon, the conversion of the film into hardened silicon oxide is done with less pore formation and less volume shrinkage. The deposited silicon-and-nitrogen-containing film may be wholly or partially converted to silicon oxide which allows the optical properties of the conformal dielectric layer to be selectable. The deposition of a thin silicon-and-nitrogen-containing film may be performed at low temperature to form a liner layer in a substrate trench. The low temperature liner layer has been found to improve the wetting properties and allows flowable films to more completely fill the trench. | 09-08-2011 |
