Lam Research Corporation

Dustin Zachary Austin

Akhil N Singhal

Nader Shamma

Pei-Chi Liu

Douglas Walter Agnew

Jeongseok Ha

Adrien Lavoie

Bart Jan Van Schravendijk

Pulkit Agarwal

Joseph Abel

Ravi Kumar

Arpan Pravin Mahorowala

Awnish Gupta

Ian John Curtin

Gregory Blachut

Daniel Boatright

Rich Wise

Andrew Liang

Alon Ganany

Jonathan Grant Baker

A method comprising: providing a substrate in a processing station comprising a substrate support and a showerhead, the substrate comprising a gap to be filled; and depositing silicon-containing film in the gap by a plasma-enhanced atomic layer deposition (PEALD) process comprising multiple cycles of operations (a)-(d): (a) a dose operation comprising flowing a silicon-containing precursor into the processing station via the showerhead to allow the silicon-containing precursor to adsorb onto the substrate; (b) after (a), flowing a purge gas into the processing station; (c) after (b), exposing the substrate to plasma species to react with the adsorbed silicon-containing precursor; and (d) after (c), flowing a purge gas into the processing station, wherein the silicon-containing precursor continues to flow into the processing station during at least (b).

Plasma enhanced atomic layer deposition of silicon-containing films

Methods of forming air gaps in hole and trench structures are disclosed. The methods may be used to form buried voids, i.e., voids for which the top is below the top of the adjacent features. The methods include inhibition of the hole or trench structures and selective deposition at the top of the structure forming an air gap within the structures. In some embodiments, the methods are to reduce intra-level capacitance in semiconductor devices.

Reducing intralevel capacitance in semiconductor devices

A method for patterning a substrate includes providing a substrate, and depositing a multi-layer stack including N layers on the substrate. N is an integer greater than one. The N layers include N mean free paths for secondary electrons, respectively. The method includes depositing a photoresist layer on the multi-layer stack, wherein the N mean free paths converge in the photoresist layer. Another method for patterning a substrate includes providing a substrate and depositing a layer on the substrate. The layer includes varying mean free paths for secondary electrons. The method includes depositing a photoresist layer on the layer. The varying mean free paths for secondary electrons converge in the photoresist layer.

Extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography using an intervening layer or a multi-layer stack with varying mean free paths for secondary electron generation

A plasma processing system is provided. The system includes a hydrogen gas supply and a hydrocarbon gas supply and a processing chamber. The system includes a first mass flow controller (MFC) for controlling hydrogen gas flow into the processing chamber and a second MFC for controlling hydrocarbon gas flow into the processing chamber. The system includes a plasma source for generating plasma at the processing chamber. The plasma is for etching SnO. The system includes a controller for regulating the first MFC and the second MFC such that a ratio of hydrocarbon gas flow to the hydrogen gas flow into the processing chamber is between 1% and 60% so that when SnHis produced during said etching SnO. The SnHis configured to react with hydrocarbon gas to produce an organotin compound that is volatilizable in a reaction that is more kinetically favorable than SnHdecomposition into Sn powder. Producing the organotin compound enables suction of Sn out of the processing chamber to prevent Sn powder from being deposited on the surfaces of the processing chamber during said etching SnO.

Method to clean SnOfilm from chamber

Various embodiments include methods and chemistries to etch metal-oxide films. In one embodiment, a method of etching tin oxide (SnO) films includes using thionyl chloride (SOCl) chemistry to produce an etch rate of the SnOfilms of up to 10-times higher as compared with Clchemistry for similar flow-rates and process conditions, and gettering oxygen species from the SnOfilms by using the SOCl, thereby forming volatile SOand volatile SnClto provide human safety and machine safety and operations. Other methods, chemistries, and techniques are disclosed.

Etching metal-oxide and protecting chamber components

A method for improving EUV lithographic patterning of SnOlayers is provided. One method embodiment includes introducing a hydrophobic surface treatment compound into a processing chamber for modifying a surface of an SnOlayer. The modification increases the hydrophobicity of the SnOlayer. The method also provides for depositing a photoresist layer on the surface of the SnOlayer via spin coating. The modification of the surface of the SnOlayer enhances adhesion of contact between the photoresist and the SnOlayer during and after spin coating.

Modification of SNOsurface for EUV lithography

A method for cleaning SnOresidue from a processing chamber is provided as one embodiment. The method embodiment includes introducing hydrocarbon and hydrogen gas at a ratio of 1%-60% into a plasma processing system. The SnOresidue is etched from surfaces the processing chamber using plasma generated by a plasma source, which produces SnHgas. The SnHgas reacts with the hydrocarbon gas to produce an organotin compound that is volatilizable. The method further provides for evacuating the processing chamber of the organotin compound. The introduction of the hydrocarbon gas along with the hydrogen gas at the ratio of 1%-60% reduces a rate of SnHgas decomposition into Sn powder.

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Corvallis, OR, United States of America

Dustin Zachary Austin