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:
Jun. 08, 2010
Filed:
Apr. 05, 2006
Mihaela Balseanu, Sunnyvale, CA (US);
Li-qun Xia, Santa Clara, CA (US);
Vladimir Zubkov, Mountain View, CA (US);
Mei-yee Shek, Mountain View, CA (US);
Isabelita Rolfox, Union City, CA (US);
Hichem M'saad, Santa Clara, CA (US);
Mihaela Balseanu, Sunnyvale, CA (US);
Li-Qun Xia, Santa Clara, CA (US);
Vladimir Zubkov, Mountain View, CA (US);
Mei-Yee Shek, Mountain View, CA (US);
Isabelita Rolfox, Union City, CA (US);
Hichem M'Saad, Santa Clara, CA (US);
Applied Materials, Inc., Santa Clara, CA (US);
Abstract
Compressive stress in a film of a semiconductor device may be controlled utilizing one or more techniques, employed alone or in combination. A first set of embodiments increase silicon nitride compressive stress by adding hydrogen to the deposition chemistry, and reduce defects in a device fabricated with a high compressive stress silicon nitride film formed in the presence of hydrogen gas. A silicon nitride film may comprise an initiation layer formed in the absence of a hydrogen gas flow, underlying a high stress nitride layer formed in the presence of a hydrogen gas flow. A silicon nitride film formed in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention may exhibit a compressive stress of 2.8 GPa or higher.