Applied Materials, Inc.

Lester A D'Cruz

Alexandros T Demos

Hichem M'Saad

Derek R Witty

Francimar Campana Schmitt

Sang H Ahn

Khaled A Elsheref

Li-Qun Xia

Juan Carlos Rocha-Alvarez

Takashi Shimizu

Amir Hamed Al-Bayati

Zhenjiang Cui

Kang Sub Yim

Yi Zheng

Dale R Dubois

Dustin Wenpin Ho

Sum-Yee Betty Tang

Ashish Shah

Hichem M'Sadd

May Yuxiang Wang

Naoyuki Iwasaki

Methods and apparatus for electron beam treatment of a substrate are provided. An electron beam apparatus that includes a vacuum chamber, at least one thermocouple assembly in communication with the vacuum chamber, a heating device in communication with the vacuum chamber, and combinations thereof are provided. In one embodiment, the vacuum chamber comprises an electron source wherein the electron source comprises a cathode connected to a high voltage source, an anode connected to a low voltage source, and a substrate support. In another embodiment, the vacuum chamber comprises a grid located between the anode and the substrate support. In one embodiment the heating device comprises a first parallel light array and a second light array positioned such that the first parallel light array and the second light array intersect. In one embodiment the thermocouple assembly comprises a temperature sensor made of aluminum nitride.

Vacuum reaction chamber with x-lamp heater

Embodiments in accordance with the present invention relate to multi-stage curing processes for chemical vapor deposited low K materials. In certain embodiments, a combination of electron beam irradiation and thermal exposure steps may be employed to control selective outgassing of porogens incorporated into the film, resulting in the formation of nanopores. In accordance with one specific embodiment, a low K layer resulting from reaction between a silicon-containing component and a non-silicon containing component featuring labile groups, may be cured by the initial application of thermal energy, followed by the application of radiation in the form of an electron beam.

Multi-stage curing of low K nano-porous films

Adhesion of a porous low K film to an underlying barrier layer is improved by forming an intermediate layer lower in carbon content, and richer in silicon oxide, than the overlying porous low K film. This adhesion layer can be formed utilizing one of a number of techniques, alone or in combination. In one approach, the adhesion layer can be formed by introduction of a rich oxidizing gas such as O/CO/etc. to oxidize Si precursors immediately prior to deposition of the low K material. In another approach, thermally labile chemicals such as alpha-terpinene, cymene, and any other non-oxygen containing organics are removed prior to low K film deposition. In yet another approach, the hardware or processing parameters, such as the manner of introduction of the non-silicon containing component, may be modified to enable formation of an oxide interface prior to low K film deposition. In still another approach, parameters of ebeam treatment such as dosage, energy, or the use of thermal annealing, may be controlled to remove carbon species at the interface between the barrier and the low K film. In a further approach, a pre-treatment plasma may be introduced prior to low k deposition to enhance heating of the barrier interface, such that a thin oxide interface is formed when low K deposition gases are introduced and the low K film is deposited.

Techniques promoting adhesion of porous low K film to underlying barrier layer

A mixed-frequency, high temperature PECVD process is utilized to create a high quality silicon nitride layer having highly conformal properties. Deposition in an ammonia rich ambient at high temperature reduces microloading between dense and isolated features by improving surface mobility of precursors. High quality nitride films formed by the instant process are particularly suited for front-end applications such as the formation of spacer structures and the formation of contact etch stop layers.

Mixed frequency high temperature nitride CVD process

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San Jose, CA, United States of America

Lester A D'Cruz