Applied Materials, Inc.

Sang H Ahn

Hichem M'Saad

Sudha S Rathi

Christopher Dennis Bencher

Anchuan Wang

Alexandros T Demos

Wendy H Yeh

Wei Liu

Bok Hoen Kim

Kang Sub Yim

Meihua Shen

Derek R Witty

Yi Zheng

Yuxiang May Wang

Mario Dave Silvetti

Francimar Campana Schmitt

Jim Zhongyi He

Lester A D'Cruz

Heraldo L Bothelho

Li-Qun Xia

Kelvin Chan

Zhenjiang Cui

Lee Luo

Shulin Wang

Nagarajan Rajagopalan

Kegang Huang

Steven Aihua Chen

Dustin Wenpin Ho

Xianzhi Tao

Khaled A Elsheref

Vu Ngoc Tran Nguyen

Sang In Yi

Miguel S Fung

Lei Zhu

Hichem M'Sadd

Josephine Ju-Hwei Chang Liu

Chistopher D Bencher

Keebum Jung

We have determined that it is necessary to remove hydroxyl groups from the surface of a DARC over which a CAR photoresist is applied, to reduce poisoning of the photoresist during imaging. The poisoning is reduced by treating the surface of the DARC film with a hydrogen or helium-containing plasma which is capable of removing the hydroxyl groups.

Maintenance of photoresist activity on the surface of dielectric arcs for 90 nm feature sizes

We have traced the detachment of photoresist during development of patterned features in the range of about 90 nm and smaller to a combination of the reduced 'foot print' of the pattern on the underlying substrate and to the contact angle between the underlying substrate surface and the developing reagent. By maintaining a contact angle of about 30 degrees or greater, the detachment of the photoresist from the underlying substrate can be avoided for photoresists including feature sizes in the range of about 90 nm. We have achieved an increased contact angle between the DARC surface and a water-based CAR photoresist developer while simultaneously reducing CAR poisoning by treating the surface of the DARC after film formation.

Reduction in photoresist footing undercut during development of feature sizes of 120NM or less

A method of etching a substrate is provided. The method of etching a substrate includes transferring a pattern into the substrate using a double patterned amorphous carbon layer on the substrate as a hardmask. Optionally, a non-carbon based layer is deposited on the amorphous carbon layer as a capping layer before the pattern is transferred into the substrate.

Techniques for the use of amorphous carbon (APF) for various etch and litho integration schemes

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

Embodiments of the present invention provide a highly uniform low cost production worthy solution for manufacturing low propagation loss optical waveguides on a substrate. In one embodiment, the present invention provides a method of forming a PSG optical waveguide on an undercladding layer of a substrate that includes forming at least one silicate glass optical core on said undercladding layer using a plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition process including a silicon source gas, an oxygen source gas, and a phosphorus source gas, wherein the oxygen source gas and silicon source gas have a ratio of oxygen atoms to silicon atoms greater than 20:1.

Method of forming a phosphorus doped optical core using a PECVD process

A method for depositing a low dielectric constant film is provided by positioning a substrate within a processing chamber having a powered electrode, and flowing into the processing chamber an initiation gas mixture of a flow rate of one or more organosilicon compounds and a flow rate of one or more oxidizing gases to deposit an initiation layer by applying an RF power to the electrode. The organosilicon compound flow rate is then ramped-up to a final flow rate to deposit a first transition layer, upon which one or more porogen compounds is introduced and the flow rate porogen compound is ramped up to a final deposition rate while depositing a second transition layer. A porogen doped silicon oxide layer is then deposited by flowing the final porogen and organosilicon flow rates until the RF power is turned off.

Method to reduce gas-phase reactions in a PECVD process with silicon and organic precursors to deposit defect-free initial layers

Methods are provided for depositing a dielectric material. The dielectric material may be used for an anti-reflective coating or as a hardmask. In one aspect, a method is provided for processing a substrate including introducing a processing gas comprising a silane-based compound and an organosilicon compound to the processing chamber and reacting the processing gas to deposit a nitrogen-free dielectric material on the substrate. The dielectric material comprises silicon and oxygen.

Nitrogen-free dielectric anti-reflective coating and hardmask

Techniques for the use of amorphous carbon (APF) for various etch and litho integration scheme

Methods are provided for depositing a dielectric material. The dielectric material may be used for an anti-reflective coating or as a hardmask. In one aspect, a method is provided for processing a substrate including introducing a processing gas comprising a silane-based compound and an oxygen and carbon containing compound to the processing chamber and reacting the processing gas to deposit a nitrogen-free dielectric material on the substrate. The dielectric material comprises silicon and oxygen. In another aspect, the dielectric material forms one or both layers in a dual layer anti-reflective coating.

A layer of antireflective coating (ARC) material for use in photolithographic processing. In one embodiment the ARC material has the formula SiOH:C, where w, x, y and z represent the atomic percentage of silicon, oxygen, hydrogen and carbon, respectively, in the material and where w is between 35 and 55, x is between 35 and 55, y is between 4 and 15, z is between 0 and 3 and the atomic percentage of nitrogen in the material is less than or equal to 1 atomic percent.

Nitrogen-free antireflective coating for use with photolithographic patterning

A silicon nitride layer is formed over transistor gates while the processing temperature is relatively high, typically at least 500&deg; C., and the pressure is relatively high, typically at least 50 Torr, to obtain a relatively high rate of formation of the silicon nitride layer. Processing conditions are controlled so as to more uniformly form the silicon nitride layer. Generally, the ratio of the NH gas to the silicon-containing gas by volume is selected sufficiently high so that, should the surface have a low region between transistor gates which is less than 0.15 microns wide and have a height-to-width ratio of at least 1.0, as well as an entirely flat area of at least 5 microns by 5 microns, the layer forms at a rate of not more than 25% faster on the flat area than on a base of the low region.

Method of forming a silicon nitride layer on a substrate

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Foster City, CA, United States of America

Sang H Ahn