The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Mar. 09, 2004
Filed:
Mar. 30, 2001
Fabrice Geiger, Meylan, FR;
Frederic Gaillard, Voiron, FR;
Applied Materials Inc., Santa Clara, CA (US);
Abstract
The present invention provides exemplary methods, apparatus and systems for planarizing an insulating layer, such as a borophosphosilicate glass (BPSG) layer, deposited over a substrate. In one embodiment, a substrate ( ) is inserted into a substrate processing chamber and a BPSG layer ( ) is deposited thereover. The BPSG layer has an upper surface that is generally non-planar, due in part to the underlying nonplanar substrate surface ( ). The substrate is exposed to an ultraviolet (UV) light ( ) at conditions sufficient to cause a reflow of the BPSG layer so that the BPSG layer upper surface ( ) is generally planar. In this manner, photonic energy is used to promote BPSG reflow, thereby reducing the thermal budget requirements for such a process.