Method for preventing or reducing delamination of deposited insulating layers

Abstract

The method disclosed herein provides a semiconducting substrate, positioning the substrate in a high density plasma process chamber, and forming a layer of silicon-rich silicon dioxide above the substrate using a high density plasma process with an oxygen/silane flowrate ratio that is less than or equal to 0.625. In another embodiment, the method provides a semiconducting substrate having a partially formed integrated circuit device formed thereabove, the integrated circuit device having a plurality of conductive interconnections, e.g., conductive lines or conductive plugs, formed thereon, and positioning the substrate in a high density plasma process chamber. The method further includes forming a first layer of silicon dioxide between the plurality of conductive interconnections using a high density plasma process with an oxygen/silane flowrate ratio less than 1.0, and forming a layer of insulating material above the first layer between the conductive interconnections. In another aspect of the present invention, an integrated circuit device has of a plurality of conductive interconnections, e.g., conductive lines, formed above a semiconducting substrate, a layer of silicon dioxide having a silicon content ranging from approximately 50-75 weight percent positioned between the conductive inter-connections, and a layer of insulating material positioned above the layer of silicon dioxide between the conductive interconnections.