Void free interlayer dielectric
View Patent ↗A method of manufacturing a non-volatile memory device includes forming a number of memory cells. The method also includes depositing a first dielectric layer over the memory cells, where the first dielectric layer is a conformal layer having a substantially uniform thickness. The method further includes depositing a second dielectric layer over the first dielectric layer. Together, the first and second dielectric layers form an interlayer dielectric without voids.
1. A memory device comprising:
a plurality of memory cells formed on a substrate of the memory device;
a dielectric layer deposited over a control gate of each memory cell, of the plurality of memory cells, and the substrate,
the dielectric layer being deposited using an atomic layer deposition process,
the dielectric layer, deposited using the atomic layer deposition process, filling spaces between adjacent memory cells of the plurality of memory cells, and
the dielectric layer, deposited using the atomic layer deposition process, having a substantially uniform thickness that prevents re-entrant angles; and
an interlayer dielectric deposited over the dielectric layer,
the interlayer dielectric being deposited to fill, based on the substantially uniform thickness that prevents the re-entrant angles, the spaces between the adjacent memory cells,
voids, in the interlayer dielectric, being eliminated based on the interlayer dielectric being deposited to fill the spaces between the adjacent memory cells.
2. The device of claim 1 , where the dielectric layer comprises a silicon nitride.
3. The device of claim 1 , where the dielectric layer comprises silicon dioxide.
4. The device of claim 1 , where the interlayer dielectric is deposited to a thickness ranging from about 2,000 Å to about 11,000 Å.
5. The device of claim 1 , where the dielectric layer acts as a liner for the interlayer dielectric.
6. The device of claim 1 , where the dielectric layer contacts at least a portion of the substrate.
7. The device of claim 1 , where the dielectric layer is deposited, using the atomic layer deposition process, to a thickness ranging from about 50 Å to about 500 Å.
8. The device of claim 1 , where the interlayer dielectric comprises:
a boro-phosphosilicate glass, or
a phosphosilicate glass material.
9. A device comprising:
a plurality of memory cells formed on a substrate of the device;
a dielectric layer deposited over the plurality of memory cells and over the substrate,
the dielectric layer being deposited using an atomic layer deposition process,
the dielectric layer, deposited using the atomic layer deposition process, filling spaces between adjacent memory cells of the plurality of memory cells, and
the dielectric layer, deposited using the atomic layer deposition process, having a substantially uniform thickness that prevents re-entrant angles; and
an interlayer dielectric deposited over the dielectric layer,
the interlayer dielectric being deposited to fill, based on the substantially uniform thickness that prevents the re-entrant angles, the spaces between the adjacent memory cells,
voids, in the interlayer dielectric, being eliminated based on the interlayer dielectric being deposited to fill the spaces between the adjacent memory cells.
10. The device of claim 9 , where the interlayer dielectric comprises:
a boro-phosphosilicate glass material, or
a phosphosilicate glass material.
11. The device of claim 9 , where the dielectric layer comprises silicon dioxide.
12. The device of claim 9 , where the interlayer dielectric is deposited to a thickness that ranges from about 2,000 Å to about 11,000 Å.
13. The device of claim 12 , where the dielectric layer is deposited, using the atomic layer deposition process, to a thickness that ranges from about 50 Å to about 500 Å.
14. The device of claim 9 , where the dielectric layer comprises a silicon nitride.
15. The device of claim 9 , where the dielectric layer is deposited over a control gate of each memory cell of the plurality of memory cells.
16. A semiconductor device comprising:
a first memory cell and a second memory cell,
the first memory cell and the second memory cell being adjacent memory cells;
a dielectric layer deposited over the first memory cell and the second memory cell,
the dielectric layer being deposited using a deposition process,
the dielectric layer, deposited using the deposition process, filling spaces between the first memory cell and the second memory cell, and
the dielectric layer, deposited using the deposition process, having a substantially uniform thickness that prevents re-entrant angles; and
an interlayer dielectric deposited over the dielectric layer,
the interlayer dielectric being deposited to fill, based on the substantially uniform thickness that prevents the re-entrant angles, the spaces between the first memory cell and the second memory cell,
voids, in the interlayer dielectric, being eliminated based on the interlayer dielectric being deposited to fill the spaces between the first memory cell and the second memory cell.
17. The semiconductor device of claim 16 , where the dielectric layer deposited using the deposition process includes:
a silicon nitride deposited at a flow rate,
the flow rate ranging from about 8,000 standard cubic centimeters per minute to about 15,000 standard cubic centimeters per minute.
18. The semiconductor device of claim 17 , where the dielectric layer deposited using the deposition process further includes:
the silicon nitride deposited further using radio frequency power of one or more radio frequency sources,
the radio frequency power ranging from about 700 watts to about 1,500 watts.
19. The semiconductor device of claim 18 , where the flow rate is greater than about 10,000 standard cubic centimeters per minute, and
where the radio frequency power is greater than 800 watts.
20. The semiconductor device of claim 16 , where the interlayer dielectric comprises:
a boro-phosphosilicate glass material, or
a phosphosilicate glass material, and
where the interlayer dielectric is deposited to a thickness that ranges from about 2,000 Å to about 11,000 Å.