Lam Research Corporation

Novellus Systems Incorporated

Sirish K Reddy

Bhadri N Varadarajan

James Samuel Sims

George Andrew Antonelli

Alice Hollister

Adrien Lavoie

Thorsten B Lill

Dennis Michael Hausmann

Jeffrey S Marks

Artur Kolics

Mandyam Sriram

Richard Alan Gottscho

Thomas Joseph Knisley

Chunhai Ji

Harmeet Singh

Vahid Vahedi

Pramod Subramonium

Thomas W Mountsier

Joydeep Guha

Aaron Eppler

Fayaz A Shaikh

Kaushik Chattopadhyay

Ming Chu Li

Jon Henri

Seshasayee Varadarajan

Haiying Fu

Mohamed Sabri

Nader Shamma

Qingguo Wu

Damien Martin Slevin

Curtis Warren Bailey

Gengwei Jiang

Brad Laird

Saangrut Sangplug

Bart Jan Van Schravendijk

Keith Fox

Nick Ray Linebarger, Jr

Bart K Van Schravendijk

Joe Womack

Eli Jeon

Xinyi Chen

Tuo Wang

Rungthiwa Methaapanon

Vacuum-integrated photoresist-less methods and apparatuses for forming metal hardmasks can provide sub-30 nm patterning resolution. A metal-containing (e.g., metal salt or organometallic compound) film that is sensitive to a patterning agent is deposited on a semiconductor substrate. The metal-containing film is then patterned directly (i.e., without the use of a photoresist) by exposure to the patterning agent in a vacuum ambient to form the metal mask. For example, the metal-containing film is photosensitive and the patterning is conducted using sub-30 nm wavelength optical lithography, such as EUV lithography.

Vacuum-integrated hardmask processes and apparatus

A carrier ring for use in a chamber implemented for depositing films and chambers that use the carrier ring are provided. The carrier ring has an annular disk shape with an outer edge side and a wafer edge side. The carrier ring has a top carrier ring surface that extends between the outer edge side to the wafer edge side. The wafer edge side includes a lower carrier ring surface that is lower than the top carrier ring surface. The wafer edge side also includes a plurality of contact support structures. Each contact support structure is located at an edge of the lower carrier ring surface and has a height that is between the lower carrier ring surface and the top carrier ring surface, and the contact support structure has tapered edges and corners. A step is defined between the top carrier ring surface and the lower carrier ring surface, such that a top facing edge is disposed at a top of the step and a lower inner edge is disposed at the bottom of the step. Each of the top facing edge and the lower inner edge have a rounded non-sharp edge and a top of each of the contact support structures is configured for contact with a bottom edge surface of a wafer for lifting and lowering and moving the wafer.

Carrier ring structure and chamber systems including the same

A method for etching features in an OMOM stack with first layer of silicon oxide, a second layer of a metal containing material over the first layer, a third layer of silicon oxide over the second layer, and a fourth layer of a metal containing material over the third layer is provided. A hardmask is formed over the stack. The hardmask is patterned. The OMOM stack is etched through the hardmask.

High aspect ratio etch of oxide metal oxide metal stack

Methods and apparatuses for multiple patterning using image reversal are provided. The methods may include depositing gap-fill ashable hardmasks using a deposition-etch-ash method to fill gaps in a pattern of a semiconductor substrate and eliminating spacer etching steps using a single-etch planarization method. Such methods may be performed for double patterning, multiple patterning, and two dimensional patterning techniques in semiconductor fabrication.

Image reversal with AHM gap fill for multiple patterning

A method for depositing an amorphous carbon hardmask film includes arranging a substrate in a processing chamber, supplying a carrier gas to the processing chamber, supplying a hydrocarbon precursor to the processing chamber, supplying fluorine precursor from a group consisting of WF, NF, SF, and Fto the processing chamber, one of supplying plasma to the processing chamber or creating plasma in the processing chamber, and depositing an amorphous carbon hardmask film on the substrate. Fluorine from the fluorine precursor combines with hydrogen from the hydrocarbon precursor in gas phase reactions.

Methods for decreasing carbon-hydrogen content of amorphous carbon hardmask films

A system and method for depositing a metal dielectric film includes arranging a substrate in a plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) processing chamber; supplying a carrier gas to the PECVD processing chamber; supplying a dielectric precursor gas to the PECVD processing chamber; supplying a metal precursor gas to the PECVD processing chamber; creating plasma in the PECVD processing chamber; and depositing a metal dielectric film on the substrate at a process temperature that is less than 500&#xb0; C.

Deposition of metal dielectric film for hardmasks

A method for etching features in a stack is provided. A combination hardmask is formed by forming a first hardmask layer comprising carbon or silicon oxide over the stack, forming a second hardmask layer comprising metal over the first hardmask layer, and patterning the first and second hardmask layers. The stack is etched through the combination hardmask.

High aspect ratio etch with combination mask

A method for supplying vapor to a chamber includes providing a first diverter valve that, when open, diverts vapor away from the chamber, and a second diverter valve that, when open, supplies the vapor to the chamber; supplying a carrier gas to the chamber; after supplying the carrier gas, creating plasma in the chamber while a substrate is in the chamber; opening the first diverter valve and closing the second diverter valve; supplying the vapor by vaporizing at least one liquid precursor in a carrier gas; after a first predetermined period sufficient for the vapor to reach steady-state flow, closing the first diverter valve and opening the second diverter valve to supply the vapor to the chamber; and after a second predetermined period following the first predetermined period, opening the first diverter valve and closing the second diverter valve to stop supplying the vapor to the chamber.

Method for supplying vaporized precursor

Methods of forming high etch selectivity, low stress ashable hard masks using plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition are provided. In certain embodiments, the methods involve pulsing low frequency radio frequency power while keeping high frequency radio frequency power constant during deposition of the ashable hard mask using a dual radio frequency plasma source. According to various embodiments, the low frequency radio frequency power can be pulsed between non-zero levels or by switching the power on and off. The resulting deposited highly selective ashable hard mask may have decreased stress due to one or more factors including decreased ion and atom impinging on the ashable hard mask and lower levels of hydrogen trapped in the ashable hard mask.

High selectivity and low stress carbon hardmask by pulsed low frequency RF power

Systems and methods for depositing a metal-doped amorphous carbon hardmask film or a metal-doped amorphous silicon hardmask film includes arranging a substrate in a processing chamber; supplying a carrier gas to the processing chamber; supplying a hydrocarbon precursor gas or a silicon precursor gas to the processing chamber, respectively; supplying a metal-based precursor gas to the processing chamber; one of creating or supplying plasma in the processing chamber; and depositing a metal-doped amorphous carbon hardmask film or a metal-doped amorphous silicon hardmask film on the substrate, respectively.

Metal doping of amorphous carbon and silicon films used as hardmasks in substrate processing systems

Method for forming a mask by etching conformal film on patterned ashable hardmask

A method of forming an oxygen-containing ceramic hard mask film on a semiconductor substrate involves receiving a semiconductor substrate in a plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) process chamber and depositing forming by PEVCD on the substrate an oxygen-containing ceramic hard mask film, the film being etch selective to low-k dielectric and copper, resistant to plasma dry-etch and removable by wet-etch. The method may further involve removing the oxygen-containing ceramic hard mask film from the substrate with a wet etch. Corresponding films and apparatus are also provided.

Oxygen-containing ceramic hard masks and associated wet-cleans

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Hillsboro, OR, United States of America

Sirish K Reddy