Axcelis Technologies, Inc.

Other

Intel Corporation

Lam Research Corporation

Dow Corning Corporation

Axcelis Technology, Inc.

Orlando Escorcia

Carlo Waldfried

Qingyuan Han

Ivan L Berry, Iii

Ivan Berry

Palani Sakthivel

Ralph Albano

Ebrahim Andideh

Atsushi Shiota

Alan C Janos

Shijian Luo

Thomas James Buckley

Christopher Garmer

Han Qingyuan

Gary Dahrooge

Keping Han

Ian Ball

Jeff Jang

Jianan Hou

Cory Bargeron

Jeff Bremmer

Phil Dembowski

Nick Sbrockey

A method for processing a substrate includes arranging a substrate including masked portions and unmasked portions in a process chamber; creating plasma in a process chamber; supplying a passivation gas mixture that includes nitrogen or carbon to create a plasma passivation gas mixture; exposing a substrate to the plasma passivation gas mixture to create a passivation layer on the unmasked portions of the substrate; supplying a stripping gas mixture that includes oxygen to the plasma to create a plasma stripping gas mixture; exposing the substrate to the plasma stripping gas mixture to strip at least part of the masked portions and at least part of the unmasked portions; and repeating creating the passivation layer and the stripping to remove a predetermined amount of the masked portions.

Plasma mediated ashing processes that include formation of a protective layer before and/or during the plasma mediated ashing process

Apparatuses and processes for treating dielectric materials such as low k dielectric materials, premetal dielectric materials, barrier layers, and the like, generally comprise a radiation source module, a process chamber module coupled to the radiation source module; and a loadlock chamber module in operative communication with the process chamber and a wafer handler. The atmosphere of each one of the modules can be controlled as may be desired for different types of dielectric materials. The radiation source module includes a reflector, an ultraviolet radiation source, and a plate transmissive to the wavelengths of about 150 nm to about 300 nm, to define a sealed interior region, wherein the sealed interior region is in fluid communication with a fluid source.

Apparatus and process for treating dielectric materials

Processes for sealing porous low k dielectric film generally comprises exposing the porous surface of the porous low k dielectric film to ultraviolet (UV) radiation at intensities, times, wavelengths and in an atmosphere effective to seal the porous dielectric surface by means of carbonization, oxidation, and/or film densification. The surface of the surface of the porous low k material is sealed to a depth less than or equal to about 20 nanometers, wherein the surface is substantially free of pores after the UV exposure.

Ultraviolet assisted pore sealing of porous low k dielectric films

Processes for forming porous low k dielectric materials from low k dielectric films containing a porogen material include exposing the low k dielectric film to ultraviolet radiation. In one embodiment, the film is exposed to broadband ultraviolet radiation of less than 240 nm for a period of time and intensity effective to remove the porogen material. In other embodiments, the low k dielectric film is exposed to a first ultraviolet radiation pattern effective to increase a crosslinking density of the film matrix while maintaining a concentration of the porogen material substantially the same before and after exposure to the first ultraviolet radiation pattern. The low k dielectric film can be then be processed to form a metal interconnect structure therein and subsequently exposed to a second ultraviolet radiation pattern effective to remove the porogen material from the low k dielectrics film and form a porous low k dielectric film.

Ultraviolet assisted porogen removal and/or curing processes for forming porous low k dielectrics

A low temperature plasma ashing process for use with substrates comprising a ferroelectric material. The process generally includes plasma ashing the photoresist and residues at a temperature of about room temperature to about 140&#xb0; C., wherein the plasma is generated from a gas mixture consisting essentially of hydrogen and an inert gas, and wherein the ferroelectric material is exposed to the plasma.

Plasma ashing process for removing photoresist and residues during ferroelectric device fabrication

Low dielectric constant porous materials with improved elastic modulus and material hardness. The process of making such porous materials involves providing a porous dielectric material and plasma curing the porous dielectric material with a fluorine-free plasma gas to produce a fluorine-free plasma cured porous dielectric material. Fluorine-free plasma curing of the porous dielectric material yields a material with improved modulus and material hardness, and with comparable dielectric constant. The improvement in elastic modulus is typically greater than or about 50%, and more typically greater than or about 100%. The improvement in material hardness is typically greater than or about 50%. It is emphasized that this abstract is provided to comply with the rules requiring an abstract which will allow a searcher or other reader to quickly ascertain the subject matter of the technical disclosure. It is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims 37 CFR &#xa7;1.72(b).

Fluorine-free plasma curing process for porous low-k materials

A substantially oxygen-free and nitrogen-free plasma ashing process for removing photoresist in the presence of a low k material from a semiconductor substrate includes forming reactive species by exposing a plasma gas composition to an energy source to form plasma. The plasma gas composition is substantially free from oxygen-bearing and nitrogen-bearing gases. The plasma selectively removes the photoresist from the underlying substrate containing low k material by exposing the photoresist to substantially oxygen and nitrogen free reactive species. The process can be used with carbon containing low k dielectric materials.

Plasma ashing process

Low dielectric constant porous materials with improved elastic modulus and hardness. The process of making such porous materials involves providing a porous dielectric material and plasma curing the porous dielectric material to produce a plasma cured porous dielectric material. Plasma curing of the porous dielectric material yields a material with improved modulus and hardness. The improvement in elastic modulus is typically greater than or about 50%, more typically greater than or about 100%, and more typically greater than or about 200%. The improvement in hardness is typically greater than or about 50%. The plasma cured porous dielectric material can optionally be post-plasma treated. The post-plasma treatment of the plasma cured porous dielectric material reduces the dielectric constant of the material while maintaining an improved elastic modulus and hardness as compared to the plasma cured porous dielectric material. The post-plasma treated, plasma cured porous dielectric material has a dielectric constant between about 1.1 and about 3.5 and an improved elastic modulus and hardness.

Plasma curing process for porous low-k materials

A process for removing polymers formed during etching and etch residues from a semiconductor substrate by exposing the substrate to plasmas of neutral chemistry. The plasma generates atomic hydrogen species and atomic oxygen species in about equal amounts that react with and remove the polymers and etch residues from the substrate. The process is especially suitable for use with semiconductor substrates comprising low k dielectric materials and/or copper interconnects.

Plasma process for removing polymer and residues from substrates

Low dielectric constant film materials with improved elastic modulus. The method of making such film materials involves providing a porous methyl silsesquioxane based dielectric film material produced from a resin molecule containing at least 2 Si&mdash;CH groups and plasma curing the porous film material to convert the film into porous silica. Plasma curing of the porous film material yields a film with improved modulus and outgassing properties. The improvement in elastic modulus is typically greater than or about 100%, and more typically greater than or about 200%. The plasma cured porous film material can optionally be annealed. The annealing of the plasma cured film may reduce the dielectric constant of the film while maintaining an improved elastic modulus as compared to the plasma cured porous film material. The annealed, plasma cured film has a dielectric constant between about 1.1 and about 2.4 and an improved elastic modulus.

Plasma curing of MSQ-based porous low-k film materials

Low dielectric constant materials with improved elastic modulus and material hardness. The process of making such materials involves providing a dielectric material and ultraviolet (UV) curing the material to produce a UV cured dielectric material. UV curing yields a material with improved modulus and material hardness. The improvement is each typically greater than or about 50%. The UV cured dielectric material can optionally be post-UV treated. The post-UV treatment reduces the dielectric constant of the material while maintaining an improved elastic modulus and material hardness as compared to the UV cured dielectric material. UV cured dielectrics can additionally exhibit a lower total thermal budget for curing than for furnace curing processes.

Ultraviolet curing processes for advanced low-k materials

An oxygen-free and nitrogen-free plasma ashing process for removing photoresist in the presence of a low k material from a semiconductor substrate. The process includes forming reactive species by exposing a plasma gas composition to an energy source to form plasma. The plasma gas composition is free from oxygen-bearing and nitrogen-bearing gases. The plasma selectively removes the photoresist from the underlying substrate containing low k material by exposing the photoresist to the reactive species. The process can be used with carbon and/or hydrogen based low k dielectric materials.

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Orlando Escorcia