US4960656A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Devices and process for producing devices containing silicon nitride films
Assignee: Nokia Bell Labs
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Filing: 1989-12-12
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Granted: 1990-10-02
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Expires: 2009-12-12
Abstract
Abstract Silicon nitride regions suitable for applications such as capping layers in integrated circuit fabrication are produced by an advantageous plasma deposition process. This process utilizes a combination of gases, including a silicon-containing gas, a nitrogen-containing gas, a fluorine-containing gas, and a hydrogen-containing gas. Silicon nitride having a low density of defect states and thus having excellent dielectric properties is produced.
Inventors
- 👤 Chorng-Ping Chang
- 👤 Daniel L. Flamm
- 👤 Dale E. Ibbotson
- 👤 John A. Mucha
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-03 01:29
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10P; H10P14/00; H10P14/60; H10P14/69; H10P14/694; H10P14/6943; H10P14/69433; H10P14/63; H10P14/6326; H10P14/6328; H10P14/6334; H10P14/6336; H10P14/66; H10P14/668; H10P14/6681; H10P14/6682
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 26
Claim 1
Independent Claim
116 words
A process for fabricating a device including an insulating material, said process comprising the steps of forming a region of said device and depositing a silicon nitride insulating material on said region by maintaining a discharge in a gas comprising (1) a source of reactive nitrogen, (2) a source of reactive fluorine, (3) a source of silicon including at least one silicon-containing compound having less than half the silicon bonding orbitals satisfied by fluorine moieties, and (4) a source of a substantial level of reactive hydrogen, while interacting the species from said discharge with said region to deposit a silicon nitride layer having a resistivity in the range of 10 14 to 10 16 ohm centimeters.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
116 words
A process for fabricating a device including an insulating material, said process comprising the steps of forming a region of said device and depositing a silicon nitride insulating material on said region by maintaining a discharge in a gas comprising (1) a source of reactive nitrogen, (2) a source of reactive fluorine, (3) a source of silicon including at least one silicon-containing compound having less than half the silicon bonding orbitals satisfied by fluorine moieties, and (4) a source of a substantial level of reactive hydrogen, while interacting the species from said discharge with said region to deposit a silicon nitride layer having a resistivity in the range of 10 14 to 10 16 ohm centimeters.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
12 words
The process of claim 1 wherein said device comprises a semiconductor device.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
29 words
The process of claim 1 wherein said source of reactive nitrogen comprises a member chosen from the group consisting of N 2 , NF 3 , hydrazine, and ammonia.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
30 words
The process of claim 3 wherein said source of fluorine comprises a member chosen from the group consisting of NF 3 , HF, CIF 3 , and F 2 .
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
26 words
The process of claim 4 wherein said source of silicon comprises a member chosen from the group of SiH 4 and Si 2 H 6 .
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
30 words
The process of claim 1 wherein said source of fluorine comprises a member chosen from the group consisting of NF 3 , HF, CIF 3 , and F 2 .
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
27 words
The process of claim 1 wherein said source of silicon comprises a member chosen from the group consisting of SiH 4 and Si 2 H 6 .
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
19 words
The process of claim 1 wherein said gas comprises NF 3 , SiH 4 , and NH 3 .
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
19 words
The process of claim 1 wherein said gas comprises N 2 , NF 3 , and SiH 4 .
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
17 words
The process of claim 1 wherein said gas comprises N 2 , HF, and SiH 4 .
Claim 12
Independent Claim
110 words
A device formed by the process comprising the steps of forming a region of said device and depositing a silicon nitride insulating material on said region by maintaining a discharge in a gas comprising (1) a source of reactive nitrogen, (2) a source of reactive fluorine, (3) a source of silicon including at least one silicon-containing compound having less than half the silicon bonding orbitals satisfied by fluorine moieties, and (4) a source of a substantial level of reactive hydrogen, while interacting the species from said discharge with said region to deposit a silicon nitride layer having a resistivity in the range of 10 14 to 10 16 ohm centimeters.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
110 words
A device formed by the process comprising the steps of forming a region of said device and depositing a silicon nitride insulating material on said region by maintaining a discharge in a gas comprising (1) a source of reactive nitrogen, (2) a source of reactive fluorine, (3) a source of silicon including at least one silicon-containing compound having less than half the silicon bonding orbitals satisfied by fluorine moieties, and (4) a source of a substantial level of reactive hydrogen, while interacting the species from said discharge with said region to deposit a silicon nitride layer having a resistivity in the range of 10 14 to 10 16 ohm centimeters.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
12 words
The device of claim 11 wherein said device comprises a semiconductor device.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
29 words
The device of claim 11 wherein said source of reactive nitrogen comprises a member chosen from the group consisting of N 2 , NF 3 , hydrazine, and ammonia.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
30 words
The device of claim 13 wherein said source of fluorine comprises a member chosen from the group consisting of NF 3 , HF, CIF 3 , and F 2 .
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
27 words
The device of claim 14 wherein said source of silicon comprises a member chosen from the group consisting of SiH 4 and Si 2 H 6 .
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
30 words
The device of claim 11 wherein said source of fluorine comprises a member chosen from the group consisting of NF 3 , HF, CIF 3 , and F 2 .
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
27 words
The device of claim 11 wherein said source of silicon comprises a member chosen from the group consisting of SiH 4 and Si 2 H 6 .
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
19 words
The device of claim 11 wherein said gas comprises NF 3 , SiH 4 , and NH 3 .
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
19 words
The device of claim 11 wherein said gas comprises N 2 , NF 3 , and SiH 4 .
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
17 words
The device of claim 11 wherein said gas comprises N 2 , HF, and SiH 4 .
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
128 words
A process for fabricating a device comprising the steps of forming a region of said device and depositing a silicon nitride layer on said region by maintaining a discharge in a gas comprising (1) a source of reactive nitrogen, (2) a source of reactive fluorine, (3) a source of silicon including at least one silicon-containing compound having less than half the silicon bonding orbitals satisfied by fluorine moieties, and (4) a source of a substantial level of reactive hydrogen, the process comprising the further step of formulating said gas comprising the aforesaid (1), (2), (3), and (4) ingredients in proportions to so as to produce an electrically insulating silicon nitride layer having a resistivity in the range of 10 14 to 10 16 ohm centimeters on said region.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
128 words
A process for fabricating a device comprising the steps of forming a region of said device and depositing a silicon nitride layer on said region by maintaining a discharge in a gas comprising (1) a source of reactive nitrogen, (2) a source of reactive fluorine, (3) a source of silicon including at least one silicon-containing compound having less than half the silicon bonding orbitals satisfied by fluorine moieties, and (4) a source of a substantial level of reactive hydrogen, the process comprising the further step of formulating said gas comprising the aforesaid (1), (2), (3), and (4) ingredients in proportions to so as to produce an electrically insulating silicon nitride layer having a resistivity in the range of 10 14 to 10 16 ohm centimeters on said region.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
36 words
The process of claim 21 in which the ingredients (1), (2), (3), and (4) are gasses consisting essentially of one or more constituent elements selected from the group consisting of F, Cl, N, H and Si.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
21 words
The process of claim 22 wherein the gas consists of elemental or combined species of F, Cl, N, H, and Si.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US4464415A
Cited
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