US6245690B1
Expired / Lapsed
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Method of improving moisture resistance of low dielectric constant films
Assignee: Applied Materials Inc
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Filing: 1998-11-04
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Granted: 2001-06-12
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Expires: 2018-11-04
Abstract
Abstract A method and apparatus for depositing a low dielectric constant film includes depositing a silicon oxide based film, preferably by reaction of an organosilicon compound and an oxidizing gas at a low RF power level from about 10 W to about 500 W, exposing the silicon oxide based film to water or a hydrophobic-imparting surfactant such as hexamethyldisilazane, and curing the silicon oxide based film at an elevated temperature. Dissociation of the oxidizing gas can be increased in a separate microwave chamber to assist in controlling the carbon content of the deposited film. The moisture resistance of the silicon oxide based films is enhanced.
Inventors
- 👤 Wai-Fan Yau
- 👤 David Cheung
- 👤 Nasreen Gazala Chopra
- 👤 Yung-Cheng Lu
- 👤 Robert Mandal
- 👤 Farhad Moghadam
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 09:29
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10P; H10P14/00; H10P14/60; H10P14/66; H10P14/668; H10P14/6681; H10P14/6682; C; C23; C23C; C23C16/00; C23C16/22; C23C16/30; C23C16/40; C23C16/401; C23C16/56; H10P14/63; H10P14/6326; H10P14/6328; H10P14/6334; H10P14/65; H10P14/6516; H10P14/6529; H10P14/6534; H10P14/6546; H10P14/662; H10P14/6336; H10P14/6342; H10P14/6502; H10P14/6506; H10P14/6684; H10P14/6686; H10P14/69; H10P14/692; H10P14/6921; H10P14/69215; H10P14/6922; H10W; H10W20/00; H10W20/01; H10W20/071; H10W20/081; H10W20/084
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 22
Claim 1
Independent Claim
68 words
A method for depositing a low dielectric constant film, comprising: depositing a silicon oxide based film comprising carbon-silicon bonds and a carbon content of between about 1% and about 50% by atomic weight on a substrate wherein the silicon oxide based film is located between conductive interconnects or conductive contacts/vias; exposing the silicon oxide based film to a hydrophobic-imparting surfactant; and then curing the silicon oxide based film.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
68 words
A method for depositing a low dielectric constant film, comprising: depositing a silicon oxide based film comprising carbon-silicon bonds and a carbon content of between about 1% and about 50% by atomic weight on a substrate wherein the silicon oxide based film is located between conductive interconnects or conductive contacts/vias; exposing the silicon oxide based film to a hydrophobic-imparting surfactant; and then curing the silicon oxide based film.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
41 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein the silicon oxide based film is deposited by reacting one or more silicon compounds that contain carbon with an oxidizing gas at an RF power level between about 10 W and about 500 W.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
43 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more silicon compounds are selected from the group consisting of methylsilane, dimethylsilane, trimethylsilane, disilanomethane, bis(methylsilano)methane, 1,2-disilanoethane, 1,2-bis(methylsilano)ethane, 2,2-disilano-propane, 1,3,5-trisilano-2,4,6-trimethylene, 1,3-dimethyldisiloxane, 1,3-bis(silanomethylene)disiloxane, bis(1-methyldisiloxanyl)methane, 2,2-bis(1-methyldisiloxanyl)-propane, 2,4,6,8-tetramethyl-cyclotetrasiloxane, 2,4,6,8,10-pentamethylcyclopentasiloxane, 1,3,5,7-tetrasilano-2,6-dioxy4,8-dimethylene, fluorinated carbon derivatives thereof, and combinations thereof.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
49 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein the hydrophobic-imparting surfactant is selected from the group consisting of hexamethyldisilazane, trimethyl-silyldiethylamine, phenyldimethylsilyldimethylamine, trimethoxysilyldimethylamine, tris(trifluoromethyl)-silyldimethylamine, bis(trimethyl-silyl)hydrazine, 1-phenyldimethyl-silyl-2-methyl-hydrazine, 1-trimethoxysilyl-2-methyl-hydrazine, 1-tris(trifluoromethyl-silyl)-2-methyl-hydrazine, trimethylchlorosilane, and combinations thereof, and the silicon oxide based film is cured at a temperature between about 100° C. and about 450° C.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 4 , wherein the silicon oxide-based film is cured at a temperature at or above about 400° C.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein the silicon oxide based film has a carbon content between about 5% and about 30% by atomic weight.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein the silicon oxide-based film is exposed to the hydrophobic-imparting surfactant and heated to a temperature between about 10° C. and about 100° C.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein the oxidizing gas is N 2 O or O 2 .
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein the silicon oxide based film is deposited at a chamber pressure from about 0.2 Torr to about 2 Torr.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein the silicon oxide based film is deposited at a substrate temperature from about −20° C. to about 400° C.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein the silicon oxide based film has a dielectric constant of about 3 or less.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
122 words
A method for depositing a low dielectric constant film, comprising: depositing a silicon oxide based film comprising carbon-silicon bonds and a carbon content of between about 1% and about 50% by atomic weight on a substrate by reacting one or more silicon compounds that contain carbon with an oxidizing gas at an RF power level between about 10 W and about 250 W, wherein the silicon oxide based film is located between conductive interconnects or conductive contacts/vias; exposing the silicon oxide-based film to a hydrophobic-imparting surfactant and heating the silicon oxide-based film to a temperature between about 10° C. and about 100° C.; and then curing the silicon oxide based film at a temperature between about 100° C. and about 400° C.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
122 words
A method for depositing a low dielectric constant film, comprising: depositing a silicon oxide based film comprising carbon-silicon bonds and a carbon content of between about 1% and about 50% by atomic weight on a substrate by reacting one or more silicon compounds that contain carbon with an oxidizing gas at an RF power level between about 10 W and about 250 W, wherein the silicon oxide based film is located between conductive interconnects or conductive contacts/vias; exposing the silicon oxide-based film to a hydrophobic-imparting surfactant and heating the silicon oxide-based film to a temperature between about 10° C. and about 100° C.; and then curing the silicon oxide based film at a temperature between about 100° C. and about 400° C.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
43 words
The method of claim 12 , wherein the one or more silicon compounds are selected from the group consisting of methylsilane, dimethylsilane, trimethylsilane, disilanomethane, bis(methylsilano)methane, 1,2-disilanoethane, 1,2-bis(methylsilano)ethane, 2,2-disilanopropane, 1,3,5-trisilano-2,4,6-trimethylene, 1,3-dimethyldisiloxane, 1,3-bis(silanomethylene)disiloxane, bis(1-methyldi-siloxanyl)methane, 2,2-bis(1-methyldisiloxanyl)propane, 2,4,6,8-tetra-methylcyclotetra-siloxane, 2,4,6,8,10-pentamethylcyclopentasiloxane, 1,3,5,7-tetrasilano-2,6-dioxy-4,8-dimethylene, fluorinated carbon derivatives thereof, and combinations thereof.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
31 words
The method process of claim 12 , wherein the hydrophobic-imparting surfactant is selected from the group consisting of hexamethyldisilazane, trimethylsilyldiethylamine, phenyldimethylsilyldimethylamine, trimethoxysilyldimethylamine, tris(trifluoromethyl)-silyldimethylamine, bis(trimethyl-silyl)hydrazine, 1-phenyldimethylsilyl-2-methyl-hydrazine, 1-trimethoxysilyl-2-methyl-hydrazine, 1-tris(trifluoromethylsilyl)-2-methyl-hydrazine, trimethylchlorosilane and combinations thereof.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
12 words
The method of claim 14 , wherein the hydrophobic-imparting surfactant is hexamethyldisilazane.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 12 , wherein the silicon oxide based film has a carbon content between about 5% and 30% by atomic weight.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 12 , wherein the oxidizing gas is N 2 O or O 2 .
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method of claim 12 , wherein the silicon oxide based film is deposited at a chamber pressure of between about 0.2 Torr and about 2 Torr.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method of claim 12 , wherein the silicon oxide based film is deposited at a substrate temperature of between about −20° C. and about 400° C.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 12 , wherein the silicon oxide based film has a dielectric constant of about 3 or less.
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