Method and apparatus for forming a film on a substrate
View Patent ↗This invention relates to a method and apparatus for forming a film on the substrate. The method comprises supplying to the chamber in gaseous or vapor form a silicon containing organic compound and an oxidizing agent in the presence of a plasma to deposit a film on the substrate and setting the film such that carbon containing groups are retained therein. In particular embodiments the setting is achieved by exposing the film to H 2 plasma.
1. A method of forming a film having a dielectric constant of 2.55 or less on a substrate, said method comprising:
(a) positioning the substrate on a D.C. grounded support in a chamber;
(b) supplying to the chamber in gaseous or vapour form a silicon-containing organic compound and an oxidizing agent in the presence of a plasma to deposit a film on the substrate positioned on the grounded support, wherein the plasma is supplied from an RF power source connected to an electrode opposing the grounded support; and
(c) setting the film such that carbon-containing groups and Si—H bonds are contained therein and the film has a dielectric constant of 2.55 or less, wherein the oxidising agent is oxygen.
2. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the silicon-containing organic compound is an alkylsilane.
3. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the silicon containing organic compound is a tetraalkylsilane.
4. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the silicon-containing organic compound is a methylsilane.
5. A method according to claim 2 , wherein the silicon-containing organic compound is cyclohexyldimethoxymethylsilane.
6. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the grounded supported is at a low temperature during deposition of the film.
7. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the grounded support is at a temperature between about 0° C. to about 60° C. during deposition of the film.
8. A method according to claim 4 wherein the grounded support is at about 30° C. during deposition of the film.
9. A method of forming a film having a dielectric constant of 2.55 or less on a substrate, said method comprising:
(a) positioning the substrate on a D.C. grounded support in a chamber;
(b) supplying to the chamber in gaseous or vapour form tetramethylsilane and oxygen in the presence of a plasma to deposit a film on the substrate positioned on the grounded support in the chamber, wherein the plasma is supplied from an RF power source connected to an electrode opposing the grounded support; and
(c) setting the film such that carbon-containing groups and Si—H bonds are contained therein and the film has a dielectric constant of 2.55 or less.
10. A method as claims in claim 9 wherein the film is set by exposing it to an H 2 containing plasma without any prior annealing or heating step.
11. A method as claimed in claim 10 wherein the H 2 containing plasma is substantially only a H 2 plasma.
12. A method as claimed in claim 10 wherein the H 2 containing plasma treatment last for between 30 seconds and 30 minutes.
13. A method as claimed in claim 10 wherein the H 2 containing plasma treatment lasts from 1 to 10 minutes.
14. A method as claimed in claim 10 wherein the H 2 containing plasma treatment step lasts no more than 5 minutes.
15. A method as claimed in claim 10 wherein the H 2 containing plasma treatment step lasts no more than 10 minutes.
16. A method as claimed in claim 10 where the hydrogen containing plasma is applied simultaneously with heating.
17. A method as claimed in claim 16 where the substrate is heated to approximately 400° C.
18. A method as claimed in claim 1 where the setting of the film substantially removes water and/or OH peaks from the FTIR spectra of the as deposited film.
19. A method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said setting includes annealing the film to remove at least one of H 2 O and OH from the film with the carbon-containing groups remaining therein.
20. A method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said setting includes subjecting the film to a hydrogen-containing plasma to remove at least one of H 2 O and OH from the film with the carbon-containing groups remaining therein.
21. A method as claimed in claim 9 , wherein said setting includes annealing the film to remove at least one of H 2 O and OH from the film with the carbon-containing groups remaining therein.
22. A method as claimed in claim 9 , wherein said setting includes subjecting the film to a hydrogen-containing plasma to remove at least one of H 2 O and OH from the film with the carbon-containing groups remaining therein.
23. A method as claimed in claim 9 , wherein said setting includes annealing the film to remove at least one of H 2 O and OH from the film with the carbon-containing groups remaining therein.
24. A method as claimed in claim 9 , wherein said setting includes subjecting the film to a hydrogen-containing plasma to remove at least one of H 2 O and OH from the film with the carbon-containing groups remaining therein.
25. A method according to claim 1 , further comprising depositing a resist on the set film and subsequently stripping the resist using oxygen.
26. A method according to claim 25 , wherein the film is substantially unaffected by the oxygen used in stripping the resist.
27. A method according to claim 9 , further comprising depositing a resist on the set film and subsequently stripping the resist using oxygen.
28. A method according to claim 27 , wherein the film is substantially unaffected by the oxygen used in stripping the resist.