Patent US6335288B1 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US6335288B1
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Gas chemistry cycling to achieve high aspect ratio gapfill with HDP-CVD
Assignee: Applied Materials Inc
•
Filing: 2000-08-24
•
Granted: 2002-01-01
•
Expires: 2020-08-24
Abstract
Abstract A method and apparatus are disclosed for depositing a dielectric film in a gap having an aspect ratio at least as large as 6:1. By cycling the gas chemistry of a high-density-plasma chemical-vapor-deposition system between deposition and etching conditions, the gap may be substantially 100% filled. Such filling is achieved by adjusting the flow rates of the precursor gases such that the deposition to sputtering ratio during the deposition phases is within certain predetermined limits.
Inventors
- 👤 Michael Kwan
- 👤 Eric Liu
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 09:49
CPC Classifications
C; C23; C23C; C23C16/00; C23C16/44; C23C16/455; C23C16/45523; C23C16/04; C23C16/045; C23C16/4401; C23C16/4405; C23C16/46; C23C16/463; C23C16/50; C23C16/517; C23C16/52; H; H01; H01J; H01J37/00; H01J37/32; H01J37/32009; H01J37/32082; H01J37/321; H01J37/32431; H01J37/3244; H10; H10P; H10P50/00; H10P50/20; H10P50/24; H10P50/242; H10P50/244; H01J2237/00; H01J2237/32; H01J2237/33; H01J2237/332; H01J2237/3322; H01J2237/3327; H01J2237/334; H01J2237/3343; H01J2237/3347; H10P14/00; H10P14/60; H10P14/63; H10P14/6326; H10P14/6328; H10P14/6334; H10P14/6336; H10P14/69; H10P14/692; H10P14/6921; H10P14/69215; H10P14/6922; H10P14/6924; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S438/00; Y10S438/911
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 16
Claim 1
Independent Claim
221 words
A method for depositing a dielectric film on a substrate in a process chamber, the method comprising: (a) providing a first gaseous mixture to the process chamber, the first gaseous mixture comprising a first deposition gas and a first inert gas source; (b) generating a first high-density plasma from the first gaseous mixture to deposit a first portion of the film on the substrate with a first deposition/sputter ratio within the range of 5-20, wherein the first deposition/sputter ratio is defined as a ratio of a sum of a first net deposition rate and a first blanket sputtering rate to the first blanket sputtering rate; (c) thereafter, cooling the substrate; (d) thereafter, flowing an etchant gas into the process chamber; (e) thereafter, providing a second gaseous mixture to the process chamber, the second gaseous mixture comprising a second deposition gas and a second inert gas source; and (f) generating a second high-density plasma from the second gaseous mixture to deposit a second portion of the film on the substrate, wherein the step of generating a second high-density plasma is performed with a second deposition/sputter ratio within the range of 5-20, wherein the second deposition/sputter ratio is defined as a ratio of a sum of a second net deposition rate and a second blanket sputtering rate to the second blanket sputtering rate.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
221 words
A method for depositing a dielectric film on a substrate in a process chamber, the method comprising: (a) providing a first gaseous mixture to the process chamber, the first gaseous mixture comprising a first deposition gas and a first inert gas source; (b) generating a first high-density plasma from the first gaseous mixture to deposit a first portion of the film on the substrate with a first deposition/sputter ratio within the range of 5-20, wherein the first deposition/sputter ratio is defined as a ratio of a sum of a first net deposition rate and a first blanket sputtering rate to the first blanket sputtering rate; (c) thereafter, cooling the substrate; (d) thereafter, flowing an etchant gas into the process chamber; (e) thereafter, providing a second gaseous mixture to the process chamber, the second gaseous mixture comprising a second deposition gas and a second inert gas source; and (f) generating a second high-density plasma from the second gaseous mixture to deposit a second portion of the film on the substrate, wherein the step of generating a second high-density plasma is performed with a second deposition/sputter ratio within the range of 5-20, wherein the second deposition/sputter ratio is defined as a ratio of a sum of a second net deposition rate and a second blanket sputtering rate to the second blanket sputtering rate.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method according to claim 1 wherein the second gaseous mixture is substantially the same as the first gaseous mixture.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method according to claim 1 wherein the first deposition/sputter ratio is in the range of 9-15.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method according to claim 1 wherein the second deposition/sputter ratio is less than the first deposition/sputter ratio.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method according to claim 1 wherein the etchant gas comprises remotely dissociated etchant atoms.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method according to claim 5 wherein the remotely dissociated etchant atoms comprise fluorine atoms.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method according to claim 6 wherein the fluorine atoms are provided by NF 3 .
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method according to claim 1 further comprising the step of dissociating the etchant gas into dissociated etchant atoms within the process chamber.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method according to claim 8 wherein the etchant gas is a fluorine-containing gas.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method according to claim 8 wherein the etchant gas is NF 3 .
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method according to claim 1 wherein the dielectric film is a silicon oxide film.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method according to claim 1 wherein the dielectric film is a fluorinated silicon oxide film.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
44 words
The method according to claim 1 wherein the dielectric film is deposited over a plurality of stepped surfaces formed on the substrate having gaps formed between adjacent ones of the stepped surfaces and wherein the first portion of the film partially fills the gaps.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method according to claim 13 wherein the second portion of the film completes filling the gaps.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method according to claim 1 wherein the step of cooling the substrate is performed external to the process chamber.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US4468413A
Cited
JPS61276977A
Cited
US4960488A
Cited
US4872947A
Cited
US4892753A
Cited
US5000113A
Cited
US5385763A
Cited
US5156881A
Cited
US4851370A
Cited
US4894352A
Cited
US5013691A
Cited
US5275977A
Cited
US5089442A
Cited
US5319247A
Cited
US5474589A
Cited
US5314724A
Cited
US5215787A
Cited
JPH04239750A
Cited
JPH04341568A
Cited
US5413967A
Cited
WO1992020833A1
Cited
US5288518A
Cited
US5279865A
Cited
US5334552A
Cited
US5420075A
Cited
US5399529A
Cited
US5429995A
Cited
US5271972A
Cited
US5302233A
Cited
US5416048A
Cited
US5563105A
Cited
US5571576A
Cited
US5719085A
Cited
US5599740A
Cited
US6191026B1
Cited
US5872052A
Cited
US5648175A
Cited
US5661093A
Cited
US5939831A
Cited
US5944902A
Cited
US5850105A
Cited
US6204200B1
Cited
US5937323A
Cited
US6136685A
Cited
US6030881A
Cited
US6037018A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2004-12-31 | 2005-07-02 | 2006-01-01 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2008-12-31 | 2009-07-02 | 2010-01-01 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2012-12-31 | 2013-07-02 | 2014-01-01 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |