US4681653A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Planarized dielectric deposited using plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition
Assignee: Texas Instruments Inc
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Filing: 1986-03-06
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Granted: 1987-07-21
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Expires: 2006-03-06
Abstract
Abstract Deposition in an RIE type plasma reactor of interlevel oxide at high power and low pressure yielding a topography similar to reflowed PSG is disclosed. Deposition rates and film purity are limited by purity and the rate of flow of reactant gases through the plasma reactor and not by the thermal conductivity and expansion properties of quartz as in bias sputtering.
Inventors
- 👤 Andrew J. Purdes
- 👤 Gregory C. Smith
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-30 11:35
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10P; H10P14/00; H10P14/60; H10P14/69; H10P14/692; H10P14/6921; H10P14/69215; C; C23; C23C; C23C16/00; C23C16/22; C23C16/30; C23C16/40; C23C16/401; C23C16/402; C23C16/44; C23C16/50; C23C16/505; H10P14/66; H10P14/668; H10P14/6681; H10P14/6682; H10P14/63; H10P14/6326; H10P14/6328; H10P14/6334; H10P14/6336
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 9
Claim 1
Independent Claim
158 words
A method of smooth topography deposition of a material onto a substrate, comprising the steps of: (a) providing a substrate, (b) providing a mixture of gases which react in a plasma to provide a dielectric material for deposit, (c) flowing said mixture of gases over said substrate, (d) exciting said mixture of gases into a plasma over said substrate to deposit said material onto said substrate, and (e) simultaneously backsputtering a portion of said deposited material to provide a backsputtering rate of said deposited material sufficient to obtain a sidewall slope of no more than about sixty degrees, (f) wherein said material is silicon dioxide and said gases include silane and nitrous oxide, and (g) wherein the pressure of said gases is less than 1000 mTorr; said plasma is excited by an RF power density exceeding 0.1 watt per square centimeter; and the ratio of the flow of nitrous oxide to the flow of silane is about ten.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
158 words
A method of smooth topography deposition of a material onto a substrate, comprising the steps of: (a) providing a substrate, (b) providing a mixture of gases which react in a plasma to provide a dielectric material for deposit, (c) flowing said mixture of gases over said substrate, (d) exciting said mixture of gases into a plasma over said substrate to deposit said material onto said substrate, and (e) simultaneously backsputtering a portion of said deposited material to provide a backsputtering rate of said deposited material sufficient to obtain a sidewall slope of no more than about sixty degrees, (f) wherein said material is silicon dioxide and said gases include silane and nitrous oxide, and (g) wherein the pressure of said gases is less than 1000 mTorr; said plasma is excited by an RF power density exceeding 0.1 watt per square centimeter; and the ratio of the flow of nitrous oxide to the flow of silane is about ten.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
11 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said gas includes an etchant.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 2 wherein said etchant is taken from the class consisting of chlorine compounds and fluorine compounds.
Claim 5
Independent Claim
177 words
A method of smooth topography deposition of a material onto a substrate, comprising the steps of; (a) providing a substrate, (b) providing a mixture of gases which react in a plasma to provide a dielectric material for deposit, (c) flowing said mixture of gases over said substrate, (d) exciting said mixture of gases into a plasma over said substrate to deposit said material onto said substrate, and (e) simultaneously backsputtering a portion of said deposited material to provide a backsputtering rate of said deposited material sufficient to obtain a sidewall slope of no more than about sixty degrees, (f) wherein said material is silicon dioxide and said gases include silane, nitrous oxide and a diluent, and (g) wherein the pressure of said gases is less than 1000 mTorr; said plasma is excited by an RF power density exceeding 0.1 watt per square centimeter; and the ratio of the flow of nitrous oxide to the flow of silane is above five, and the ratio of the flow of nitrous oxide to the flow of diluent is about one.
Claim 6
Independent Claim
177 words
A method of smooth topography deposition of a material onto a substrate, comprising the steps of; (a) providing a substrate, (b) providing a mixture of gases which react in a plasma to provide a dielectric material for deposit, (c) flowing said mixture of gases over said substrate, (d) exciting said mixture of gases into a plasma over said substrate to deposit said material onto said substrate, and (e) simultaneously backsputtering a portion of said deposited material to provide a backsputtering rate of said deposited material sufficient to obtain a sidewall slope of no more than about sixty degrees, (f) wherein said material is silicon dioxide and said gases include silane, nitrous oxide and a diluent, and (g) wherein the pressure of said gases is less than 1000 mTorr; said plasma is excited by an RF power density exceeding 0.1 watt per square centimeter; and the ratio of the flow of nitrous oxide to the flow of silane is above five, and the ratio of the flow of nitrous oxide to the flow of diluent is about one.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 4 wherein said diluent is taken from the class consisting of argon and helium.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
11 words
The method of claim 4 wherein said gas includes an etchant.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 6 wherein said etchant is taken from the class consisting of chlorine compounds and fluorine compounds.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1990-07-20 | 1991-01-19 | 1991-07-21 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1994-07-20 | 1995-01-19 | 1995-07-21 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1998-07-20 | 1999-01-19 | 1999-07-21 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |