Method for making semiconductor devices including reactant treatment of residual surface portion
A method for making semiconductor devices may include forming a phosphosilicate glass (PSG) layer on a semiconductor wafer, with the PSG layer having a phosphine residual surface portion. The method may further include exposing the phosphine residual surface portion to a reactant plasma to integrate at least some of the phosphine residual surface portion into the PSG layer. The method may additionally include forming a mask layer on the PSG layer after the exposing.
1. A method for making semiconductor devices comprising:
forming a phosphosilicate glass (PSG) layer on a semiconductor wafer, the PSG layer having a phosphine residual surface portion on an upper surface of the PSG layer opposite the semiconductor wafer;
exposing the phosphine residual surface portion to a reactant plasma to integrate at least some of the phosphine residual surface portion from the upper surface into the PSG layer; and
forming a mask layer on the PSG layer after the exposing.
2. The method according to claim 1 wherein the reactant plasma comprises oxygen.
3. The method according to claim 1 wherein the forming of the mask layer is performed after the exposing without an intervening scrubbing operation.
4. The method according to claim 1 wherein forming the PSG layer comprises deposition at a first radio frequency (RF) power; and wherein exposing the phosphine residual surface portion to the reactant plasma is at a second RF power less than the first RF power.
5. The method according to claim 1 wherein forming the PSG layer and exposing the phosphine residual surface portion are performed in a radio frequency (RF) plasma chamber.
6. The method according to claim 1 wherein forming the PSG layer and exposing the phosphine residual surface portion are performed at a pressure in a range of 3 to 5 Torr.
7. The method according to claim 1 wherein forming the PSG layer and exposing the phosphine residual surface portion are performed at a temperature in a range of 300 to 500° C.
8. The method according to claim 1 wherein forming the PSG layer and exposing the phosphine residual surface portion are performed with an N 2 O flow rate in a range of 1000-1200 scc.
9. A method for making semiconductor devices comprising:
forming a phosphosilicate glass (PSG) layer on a semiconductor wafer within a radio frequency (RF) plasma processing chamber, the PSG layer having a phosphine residual surface portion on an upper surface of the PSG layer opposite the semiconductor wafer;
exposing the phosphine residual surface portion to a reactant plasma within the RF plasma processing chamber; and
forming a mask layer on the PSG layer after the exposing and without an intervening scrubbing operation.
10. The method according to claim 9 wherein the reactant plasma comprises oxygen.
11. The method according to claim 9 wherein forming the PSG layer comprises deposition at a first radio frequency (RF) power; and wherein exposing the phosphine residual surface portion to the reactant plasma is at a second RF power less than the first RF power.
12. The method according to claim 9 wherein exposing of the phosphine residual surface portion is performed at a pressure in a range of 3 to 5 Torr.
13. The method according to claim 9 wherein forming the PSG layer and exposing the phosphine residual surface portion are performed at a temperature in a range of 300 to 500° C.
14. The method according to claim 9 wherein forming the PSG layer and exposing the phosphine residual surface portion are performed with an N 2 O flow rate in a range of 1000-1200 scc.