Soft landing nanolaminates for advanced patterning
Methods for depositing nanolaminate protective layers over a core layer to enable deposition of high quality conformal films over the core layer for use in advanced multiple patterning schemes are provided. In certain embodiments, the methods involve depositing a thin silicon oxide or titanium oxide film using plasma-based atomic layer deposition techniques with a low high frequency radio frequency (HFRF) plasma power, followed by depositing a conformal titanium oxide film or spacer with a high HFRF plasma power.
1. A method of processing a substrate, the method comprising:
depositing a core layer;
depositing a nanolaminate layer on the core layer; and
depositing a metal nitride or metal oxide layer on the nanolaminate layer, wherein the nanolaminate layer comprises silicon oxide or titanium oxide.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the core layer is a patterned layer.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the core layer comprises amorphous carbon or a photoresist.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the thickness of the deposited nanolaminate layer is between about 15 Å and about 200 Å.
5. A method of processing a substrate, the method comprising:
depositing a core layer;
depositing a nanolaminate layer on the core layer; and
depositing a metal nitride or metal oxide layer on the nanolaminate layer, wherein the nanolaminate layer is deposited using PEALD by:
exposing the substrate to a titanium-containing precursor or a silicon-containing precursor;
exposing the substrate to an oxidant; and
initiating a plasma while the substrate is exposed to the oxidant.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the nanolaminate layer is deposited using PEALD by:
exposing the substrate to a titanium-containing precursor or a silicon-containing precursor;
exposing the substrate to an oxidant; and
initiating a plasma while the substrate is exposed to the oxidant.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the metal nitride or metal oxide layer comprises titanium oxide or silicon oxide.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the metal nitride or metal oxide layer has etch selectivity to the core layer.
9. A method of processing a substrate, the method comprising:
depositing a core layer;
depositing a nanolaminate layer on the core layer; and
depositing a metal nitride or metal oxide layer on the nanolaminate layer,
wherein the metal nitride or metal oxide layer is deposited using PEALD by:
exposing the substrate to a metal-containing precursor;
exposing the substrate to an oxidant; and
initiating a plasma while the substrate is exposed to the oxidant at a HFRF power per square millimeter of substrate area of at least about 1.768×10 −3 W per mm 2 .
10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the oxidant comprises nitrous oxide or oxygen or carbon dioxide or a mixture thereof.
11. The method of claim 9 , wherein the metal nitride or metal oxide layer is deposited at a pressure between about 3 Torr and about 3.5 Torr.
12. The method of claim 9 , wherein the metal nitride or metal oxide layer is deposited at a temperature between about 50° C. and about 400° C.
13. The method of claim 5 , wherein the nanolaminate layer is deposited at a temperature between about 50° C. and about 150° C. and the plasma is initiated with HFRF power per square millimeter of substrate area between about 1.768×10 −4 W per mm 2 and about 1.768×10 −3 W per mm 2 .
14. The method of claim 5 , wherein the nanolaminate layer is deposited at a temperature less than about 100° C.