Applied Materials, Inc.

Joseph D'Souza

Padmanabhan Krishnaraj

Alan W Collins

Nasreen Gazala Chopra

Robert Duncan

Kimberly Branshaw

Ashish V Shrotriya

Nam Le

Bok Heon Kim

Methods and apparatus of the present invention deposit fluorinated silicate glass (FSG) in such a manner that it strongly adheres to an overlying or underlying barrier layer or etch stop layer, and has a lower dielectric constant, among other benefits. In one embodiment, silicon tetrafluoride (SiF ), oxygen (O ), and argon (Ar) are used as the reactant gases, with the ratio of oxygen to silicon controlled to be at between about 2:1 to 6:1. Such O levels help reduce the amount of degradation of ceramic chamber components otherwise caused by the elimination of silane from the process recipe.

Methods and apparatus for producing stable low k FSG film for HDP-CVD

A method and device for removing film from a substrate are provided that take advantage of a remote plasma source to etch away undesired portions of films, such as dielectric films formed on a substrate. To that end, the method includes forming a plasma remotely with respect to the process chamber, from which a flow is created that is directed toward the substrate. The substrate is of a type having opposed major surfaces with a peripheral surface extending therebetween. A film, such as a dielectric film, is disposed on one of the opposed major surfaces and on the peripheral surface. The opposed major surface having the film thereon is shielded from the flow of reactive radicals while the peripheral surface is left exposed. In this fashion, the flow is maintained for a sufficient amount of time to remove film present on the peripheral surface.

Film removal employing a remote plasma source

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Sunnyvale, CA, United States of America

Joseph D'Souza