Applied Materials, Inc.

Huiyuan Wang

Abhijit Basu Mallick

Bo Qi

Susmit Singha Roy

Takehito Koshizawa

Pramit Manna

Rui Cheng

Jay D Pinson, Ii

Tomohiko Kitajima

Shishi Jiang

Kaushik Comandoor Alayavalli

Harry S Whitesell

Rick Kustra

Nitin K Ingle

Yingli Rao

Methods for forming defect-free gap fill materials comprising germanium oxide are disclosed. In some embodiments, the gap fill material is deposited by exposing a substrate surface to a germane precursor and an oxidant simultaneously. The germane precursor may be flowed intermittently. The substrate may also be exposed to a second oxidant to increase the relative concentration of oxygen within the gap fill material. A process for removal of germanium oxide is also disclosed.

Defect free germanium oxide gap fill

Methods for depositing a silicon-germanium film on a substrate are described. The method comprises exposing a substrate to a silicon precursor and a germanium precursor to form a conformal silicon-germanium film. The substrate comprises at least one film stack and at least one feature, the film stack comprising alternating layers of silicon and silicon-germanium. The silicon-germanium film has a conformality greater than 50%.

Conformal silicon-germanium film deposition

Methods for forming coating films comprising germanium oxide are disclosed. In some embodiments, the films are super-conformal to a feature on the surface of a substrate. The films are deposited by exposing a substrate surface to a germane precursor and an oxidant simultaneously. The germane precursor may be flowed intermittently. The substrate may also be exposed to a second oxidant to increase the relative concentration of oxygen within the super-conformal film.

Super-conformal germanium oxide films

Exemplary methods of semiconductor processing may include providing a silicon-containing precursor to a processing region of a semiconductor processing chamber. A substrate may be disposed within the processing region of the semiconductor processing chamber. The methods may include depositing a silicon-containing material on the substrate. Subsequent a first period of time, the methods may include providing a germanium-containing precursor to the processing region of the semiconductor processing chamber. The methods may include thermally reacting the silicon-containing precursor and the germanium-containing precursor at a temperature greater than or about 400&#xb0; C. The methods may include forming a silicon-and-germanium-containing layer on the substrate.

Thermal deposition of silicon-germanium

Examples of the present technology include semiconductor processing methods to form diffusion barriers for germanium in a semiconductor structure. The methods may include forming a semiconductor layer stack from pairs of Si-and-SiGe layers. The Si-and-SiGe layer pairs may be formed by forming a silicon layer, and then forming the germanium barrier layer of the silicon layer. In some embodiments, the germanium-barrier layer may be less than or about 20 &#x212b;. A silicon-germanium layer may be formed on the germanium-barrier layer to complete the formation of the Si-and-SiGe layer pair. In some embodiments, the silicon layer may be an amorphous silicon layer, and the SiGe layer may be characterized by greater than or about 5 atom % germanium. Examples of the present technology also include semiconductor structures that include a silicon-germanium layer, a germanium-barrier layer, and a silicon layer.

Diffusion barriers for germanium

Methods for forming defect-free gap fill materials comprising germanium oxide are disclosed. In some embodiments, the gap fill material is deposited by exposing a substrate surface to a germane precursor and an oxidant simultaneously. The germane precursor may be flowed intermittently. The substrate may also be exposed to a second oxidant to increase the relative concentration of oxygen within the gap fill material.

A non-conformal, highly selective liner for etch methods in semiconductor devices is described. A method comprises forming a film stack on a substrate; etching the film stack to form an opening; depositing a non-conformal liner in the opening; etching the non-conformal liner from the bottom of the opening; and selectively etching the film stack relative to the non-conformal liner to form a logic or memory hole. The non-conformal liner comprises one or more of boron, carbon, or nitrogen.

Non-conformal high selectivity film for etch critical dimension control

Methods of etching film stacks to form gaps of uniform width are described. A film stack is etched through a hardmask. A conformal liner is deposited in the gap. The bottom of the liner is removed. The film stack is selectively etched relative to the liner. The liner is removed. The method may be repeated to a predetermined depth.

3D NAND etch

Examples of the present technology include semiconductor processing methods to form boron-containing materials on substrates. Exemplary processing methods may include delivering a deposition precursor that includes a boron-containing precursor to a processing region of a semiconductor processing chamber. A plasma may be formed from the deposition precursor within the processing region of the semiconductor processing chamber. The methods may further include depositing a boron-containing material on a substrate disposed within the processing region of the semiconductor processing chamber, where the substrate is characterized by a temperature of less than or about 50&#xb0; C. The as-deposited boron-containing material may be characterized by a surface roughness of less than or about 2 nm, and a stress level of less-than or about &#x2212;500 MPa. In some embodiments, a layer of the boron-containing material may function as a hardmask.

Deposition of low-stress boron-containing layers

Examples of the present technology include semiconductor processing methods that provide a substrate in a substrate processing region of a substrate processing chamber, where the substrate is maintained at a temperature less than or about 50&#xb0; C. An inert precursor and a hydrocarbon-containing precursor may be flowed into the substrate processing region of the substrate processing chamber, where a flow rate ratio of the inert precursor to the hydrocarbon-containing precursor may be greater than or about 10:1. A plasma may be generated from the inert precursor and the hydrocarbon-containing precursor, and a carbon-containing material may be deposited from the plasma on the substrate. The carbon-containing material may include diamond-like-carbon, and may have greater than or about 60% of the carbon atoms with sphybridized bonds.

Deposition of low-stress carbon-containing layers

Methods of etching film stacks to from gaps of uniform width are described. A film stack is etched through a hardmask. A conformal liner is deposited in the gap. The bottom of the liner is removed. The film stack is selectively etched relative to the liner. The liner is removed. The method may be repeated to a predetermined depth.

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Santa Clara, CA, United States of America

Huiyuan Wang