Silicon dioxide deposition method using a magnetic field and both sputter deposition and plasma-enhanced cvd

Claim 1

A method for making integrated circuits comprising the steps of: forming a first conductive pattern over a semiconductor substrate, cross-sectional areas of component conductors of the pattern each having two upper corners; placing the substrate on a first electrode of a first chamber, the chamber including a second electrode; introducing into the first chamber inert gas and gas including silicon and oxygen components; causing first silicon dioxide to deposit on a first surface of the substrate comprising the step of producing a first rf electric field between the first and second electrodes; during the first silicon dioxide deposition, causing the sputtering of certain silicon dioxide predominantly from the upper corners of component conductors comprising the step of producing, along the first surface of the substrate, a magnetic field that is substantially perpendicular to the rf field; withdrawing the substrate from the first chamber and placing it on a first electrode of a second chamber, the second chamber including a second electrode; introducing into the second reaction chamber gas including silicon and oxygen components; causing second silicon dioxide to deposit over the first silicon dioxide comprising the step of producing a second rf electric field between the first and second electrodes of the second chamber, said last mentioned deposition being in the absence of any magnetic field and at a higher deposition rate than the first silicon dioxide deposition.

Claim 2

A method for making integrated circuits comprising the steps of: forming a first conductive pattern over a semiconductor substrate, cross-sectional areas of component conductors of the pattern each having two upper corners; placing the substrate on a first electrode of a first chamber, the chamber including a second electrode; introducing into the first chamber inert gas and gas including silicon and oxygen components; causing first silicon dioxide to deposit on a first surface of the substrate comprising the step of producing a first rf electric field between the first and second electrodes; during the first silicon dioxide deposition, causing the sputtering of certain silicon dioxide predominantly from the upper corners of component conductors comprising the step of producing, along the first surface of the substrate, a magnetic field that is substantially perpendicular to the rf field; withdrawing the substrate from the first chamber and placing it on a first electrode of a second chamber, the second chamber including a second electrode; introducing into the second reaction chamber gas including silicon and oxygen components; causing second silicon dioxide to deposit over the first silicon dioxide comprising the step of producing a second rf electric field between the first and second electrodes of the second chamber, said last mentioned deposition being in the absence of any magnetic field and at a higher deposition rate than the first silicon dioxide deposition.

Claim 10

A method for making an integrated circuit comprising the steps of: forming a first conductor pattern on a substrate, at least part of the conductor pattern being defined by conductors each having exposed corners, adjacent conductors having an aspect ratio greater than about 1.0; forming over the first conductor pattern a first layer of silicon dioxide; said first layer of silicon dioxide being formed by deposition from a first rf plasma containing silicon, a group VIII gas and oxygen components; the rf power and other parameters of the first rf plasma being selected to give significant preferential sputtering of silicon dioxide from exposed corners of conductors of first conductor pattern as the first silicon dioxide layer is being deposited, thereby leading to substantially V-shaped silicon dioxide surfaces between adjacent conductors of the conductor pattern; forming over the first silicon dioxide layer a second silicon dioxide layer; said second silicon dioxide layer being formed by depositing silicon dioxide from a second rf plasma containing silicon and oxygen components; the rf power and other parameters of the second rf plasma being selected so as to give insignificant sputtering of silicon dioxide material during deposition of the second silicon dioxide layer, whereby the upper surface of the second silicon dioxide layer generally conforms to the upper surface of the first silicon dioxide layer.

Claim 11

A method for making an integrated circuit comprising the steps of: forming a first conductor pattern on a substrate, at least part of the conductor pattern being defined by conductors each having exposed corners, adjacent conductors having an aspect ratio greater than about 1.0; forming over the first conductor pattern a first layer of silicon dioxide; said first layer of silicon dioxide being formed by deposition from a first rf plasma containing silicon, a group VIII gas and oxygen components; the rf power and other parameters of the first rf plasma being selected to give significant preferential sputtering of silicon dioxide from exposed corners of conductors of first conductor pattern as the first silicon dioxide layer is being deposited, thereby leading to substantially V-shaped silicon dioxide surfaces between adjacent conductors of the conductor pattern; forming over the first silicon dioxide layer a second silicon dioxide layer; said second silicon dioxide layer being formed by depositing silicon dioxide from a second rf plasma containing silicon and oxygen components; the rf power and other parameters of the second rf plasma being selected so as to give insignificant sputtering of silicon dioxide material during deposition of the second silicon dioxide layer, whereby the upper surface of the second silicon dioxide layer generally conforms to the upper surface of the first silicon dioxide layer.