EP0478174A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
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Silicon dioxide deposition method and apparatus
Assignee: AT&T Inc
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Filing: 1991-09-11
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2011-09-11
Abstract
Abstract In plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) of silicon dioxide on a substrate, voids and discontinuities are reduced by first depositing silicon dioxide in a sputter etch chamber (22) in which a magnetic field is produced within the rf plasma for depositing the silicon dioxide. Simultaneous sputter etch and deposition occurs which inhibits net deposition at the corners of metal conductors over which the silicon dioxide is deposited. The substrate is then removed and transferred through a load lock (27) to a conventional PECVD deposition chamber (23).
Inventors
- 👤 Leonard J. Olmer
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 02:57
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10P; H10P14/00; H10P14/60; H10P14/69; H10P14/692; H10P14/6921; H10P14/69215; C; C23; C23C; C23C16/00; C23C16/02; C23C16/0272; C23C16/22; C23C16/30; C23C16/40; C23C16/401; C23C16/402; C23C16/44; C23C16/50; C23C16/505; C23C16/509; C23C16/5096; H10P14/66; H10P14/662; H10P14/668; H10P14/6681; H10P14/6682; H10W; H10W20/00; H10W20/01; H10W20/071; H10W20/092; H10P14/63; H10P14/6326; H10P14/6328; H10P14/6334; H10P14/6336
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim
114 words
A method for making an integrated circuit device comprising the steps of depositing a first layer (18) of silicon dioxide on a substrate (12) surface by exposing the substrate surface to an rf plasma in an atmosphere including silicon and oxygen components, characterized by: forming a magnetic field (B) that extends through the substrate and through the plasma contiguous to the surface in a direction substantially parallel to the surface; the rf plasma is formed by subjecting the atmosphere to rf power in excess of one hundred watts; and the plasma contains an inert gas component, the magnetic field, rf power and inert gas cooperating to cause sputtering preferentially at discontinuities of the substrate..
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method of claim 1 further characterized in that: during deposition, the magnetic field is caused to rotate in a plane substantially parallel to the substrate surface.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
80 words
The method of claim 1 or 2 further characterized in that: the substrate has a generally planar configuration and is supported such that its exposed surface is a relatively large-area surface of the substrate and is located in a substantially horizontal plane; and the substrate surface contains a plurality of relatively closely spaced conductive elements (13) having adjacent vertical wall portions (14), whereby the electric and magnetic fields cause a sputtering phenomenon primarily at exposed corners of the conductive elements.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method of claim 3 further characterized in that: the magnetic field has a value at the substrate surface of more than about one hundred gauss.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
41 words
The method of claim 1, 2 or 4 further characterized in that: the magnetic field is defined by a magnetic field vector of substantially constant value that rotates at a frequency of between about 0.5 and one hundred rotations per second.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
47 words
The method of claim 1, 2 or 5 further characterized in that: a second layer (19) of silicon dioxide is deposited on the first layer by exposing the substrate surface to an rf plasma in an atmosphere containing silicon and oxygen components, but without a magnetic field.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
39 words
The method of claim 6 further characterized in that: during formation of the first layer, the substrate is supported on an rf excited electrode, and during formation of the second layer, the substrate is supported on a grounded electrode.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
63 words
The method of claim 6 or 7 further characterized in that: during formation of the first layer, the atmosphere contains an inert gas component, and during formation of the second layer, the atmosphere contains substantially no inert gas component and the total gas pressure of the atmosphere is much higher during formation of the second layer than during formation of the first layer.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
52 words
The method of claim 6, 7 or 8 further characterized in that: during formation of the first layer, the silicon component in the atmosphere comprises silane and the oxygen component comprises nitrogen oxide, and, during formation of the second layer, the silicon component comprises tetraethoxysilane and the oxygen component comprises pure oxygen.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
36 words
The method of claim 6, 8 or 9 further comprising the step of: planarizing an upper surface of the deposited second silicon dioxide; and forming a second conductive pattern on the planarized second silicon dioxide surface.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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