Methods for depositing gap-filling fluids and related systems and devices
Methods and systems for manufacturing a structure comprising a substrate. The substrate comprises plurality of recesses. The recesses are at least partially filled with a gap filling fluid. The gap filling fluid comprises a Si—H bond.
1 . A method of filling a gap comprising:
introducing a substrate in a reaction chamber, the substrate being provided with a gap;
depositing a gap filling fluid on the substrate with a plurality of super cycles, a super cycle consisting of a deposition process cycle, a curing cycle, and a purge between the deposition process cycle and the curing cycle, wherein the deposition process cycle comprises:
introducing a silicon precursor into the reaction chamber, the silicon precursor comprising silicon and a halogen,
generating a direct plasma in the reaction chamber, and
introducing a reactant into the reaction chamber, wherein the reactant consists of one or more of He, Ne, Ar, and Kr;
wherein the curing cycle comprises, after depositing a gap filling fluid, curing the gap filling fluid, wherein curing the gap filled fluid comprises generating a plasma from a gas consisting of Ar,
whereby the silicon precursor and the reactant react in the presence of the plasma to form a gap filling fluid that at least partially fills the gap, wherein the gap filling fluid consists of silicon, the halogen, and hydrogen,
wherein the step of introducing the silicon precursor and the step of generating the plasma are separated by an intra-cycle purge, and
wherein the step of curing the gap filling fluid comprises generating a direct micro pulsed plasma with a flow rate of at least 10.0 slm of the gas consisting of Ar thereby minimizing redeposition of volatile by-products released during the formation of the gap filling fluid, wherein a RF on time of a pulse of the micro pulsed plasma lasts from at least 1 ps to at most 250 ms and a RF off time of the pulse of the micro pulsed plasma lasts from at least 1.0 μs to at most 500 ms.
2 . The method according to claim 1 wherein the silicon precursor consists of compounds having a general formula of Si n H 2n+2−m X m , wherein X is the halogen, n is from at least 1 to at most 3, and m is from at least 1 to at most 2n+2.
3 . The method according to claim 2 , wherein the only gases provided to the reaction chamber during the method are the silicon precursor, and one or more of He, Ar, Ne, and Kr.
4 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein a plasma frequency during the deposition cycle is between 1000 MHz and 2.45 GHz.
5 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the silicon precursor comprises SiI 2 H 2.
6 . The method according to claim 5 , wherein the deposition process cycle is carried out at a temperature of at least −25° C. to at most 90° C. and a pressure of 500 Pa to 1500 Pa.
7 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the RF on time of the pulse of the micro pulsed plasma lasts at most 2.5 ms.
8 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein a plasma frequency during the deposition cycle is between about 50 MHz and about 2.45 GHz.
9 . The method according to claim 1 , further comprising, after depositing the gap filling fluid, depositing a cap layer on the gap filling fluid, wherein the cap layer comprises a silicon nitride or silicon carbide.
10 . The method according to claim 9 , wherein the cap layer comprises silicon nitride, wherein the step of forming a cap layer on the gap filling fluid comprises a cyclical process comprising a plurality of cycles, a cycle comprising a cap layer precursor pulse and a cap layer plasma pulse, the cap layer precursor pulse comprising providing a cap layer precursor to the reaction chamber, the cap layer plasma pulse comprising providing a cap layer reactant to the reaction chamber, and the cap layer plasma pulse comprising generating a cap layer plasma in the reaction chamber, wherein the cap layer precursor comprises a silane and the cap layer reactant comprises ammonia.
11 . The method according to claim 9 , wherein the cap layer comprises silicon carbide, wherein the step of forming a cap layer on the gap filling fluid comprises a cyclical process comprising a plurality of cycles, a cycle comprising a cap layer precursor pulse and a cap layer plasma pulse, the cap layer precursor pulse comprising providing a cap layer precursor to the reaction chamber, the cap layer plasma pulse comprising providing a cap layer reactant to the reaction chamber, and the cap layer plasma pulse comprising generating a cap layer plasma in the reaction chamber, wherein the cap layer precursor comprises hexamethyldisilane.
12 . The method according to claim 1 , further comprising repeating the plurality of super cycles until a predetermined thickness of gap filling fluid is achieved, and wherein subsequent cycles of the plurality of super cycles are separated by an inter-cycle purge.
13 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the reactant consists of Kr.
14 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the RF off time of the pulse of the micro pulsed plasma lasts at most 2.0 ms.
15 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the deposition cycle consists of introducing the silicon precursor, generating the plasma, introducing the reactant, and the intra-cycle purge.
16 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the reactant is flowed continuously into the reaction chamber during the deposition process cycle.
17 . A method of filling a gap comprising:
introducing a substrate in a reaction chamber, the substrate being provided with a gap;
depositing a gap filling fluid by executing a cyclical deposition process comprising a plurality of super cycles, wherein a super cycle comprises a deposition cycle and a curing cycle,
wherein the deposition cycle comprises a precursor pulse and a plasma pulse,
wherein a curing cycle comprises curing the gap filling fluid, wherein curing the gap filled fluid comprises generating a plasma from a gas consisting of He,
wherein the precursor pulse comprises introducing a silicon precursor into the reaction chamber, the silicon precursor comprising silicon and a halogen,
wherein the plasma pulse comprises generating a plasma in the reaction chamber and introducing a reactant into the reaction chamber, wherein the reactant comprises a noble gas,
whereby the silicon precursor and the reactant react in the presence of the plasma to form a gap filling fluid that at least partially fills the gap, the gap filling fluid comprising silicon and hydrogen; and
wherein the precursor pulse and the plasma pulse are separated by an intra-cycle purge, and
wherein the step of curing the gap filling fluid comprises generating a direct micro pulsed plasma with a flow rate of at least 10.0 slm of the gas consisting of He, thereby minimizing redeposition of volatile by-products released during the formation of the gap filling fluid, wherein a RF on time of a pulse of the micro pulsed plasma lasts from at least 1 ps to at most 250 ms and a RF off time of the pulse of the micro pulsed plasma lasts from at least 1.0 μs to at most 500 ms, and wherein an RF power during generating a direct micro pulsed plasma is 200 W.