Methods of forming amorphous carbon hard mask layers and hard mask layers formed therefrom
Embodiments described herein provide for post deposition anneal of a substrate, having an amorphous carbon layer deposited thereon, to desirably reduce variations in local stresses thereacross. In one embodiment, a method of processing a substrate includes positioning a substrate, having an amorphous carbon layer deposited thereon, in a first processing volume, flowing an anneal gas into the first processing volume, heating the substrate to an anneal temperature of not more than about 450° C., and maintaining the substrate at the anneal temperature for about 30 seconds or more. Herein, the amorphous carbon layer was deposited on the substrate using a method which included positioning the substrate on a substrate support disposed in a second processing volume, flowing a processing gas into the second processing volume, applying pulsed DC power to a carbon target disposed in the second processing volume, forming a plasma of the processing gas, and depositing the amorphous carbon layer on the substrate.
1. A method of processing a substrate, comprising:
positioning a substrate, having an amorphous carbon layer deposited thereon, in a first processing volume, wherein the first processing volume is a processing volume of a first processing chamber;
flowing an anneal gas into the first processing volume;
heating the substrate to an anneal temperature, wherein the anneal temperature is between about 50° C. and about 250° C.; and
maintaining the substrate at the anneal temperature for less than about 30 minutes, wherein the amorphous carbon layer was deposited on the substrate using a method comprising:
positioning the substrate on a substrate support disposed in a second processing volume, wherein the second processing volume is a processing volume of a second processing chamber;
flowing a processing gas into the second processing volume;
applying a pulsed DC power to a carbon target disposed in the second processing volume;
forming a plasma of the processing gas; and
depositing the amorphous carbon layer on the substrate.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first processing chamber is coupled to the second processing chamber by a transfer chamber disposed therebetween.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the anneal gas comprises Ar, He, Kr, H 2 , N 2 , O 2 , CO, CO 2 , or a combination thereof.
4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising maintaining the first processing volume at a processing pressure between about 0.1 bar and about 10 bar.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein depositing the amorphous carbon layer further comprises maintaining the substrate at a temperature less than about 200° C.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the processing gas comprises an inert gas and a reactive gas comprising hydrogen, nitrogen, or a combination thereof.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second processing chamber comprises a chamber lid assembly, comprising:
the carbon target bonded to a metallic backing plate;
a magnetron housing coupled to the metallic backing plate, wherein the metallic backing plate and the magnetron housing define a housing volume;
a magnetron assembly disposed in the housing volume; and
a motor coupled to the magnetron assembly by a rotatable shaft.
8. The method of claim 7 , wherein an average pulse active time of the pulsed DC power is between about 10 μs and about 200 μs.
9. The method of claim 7 , wherein the pulsed DC power cycles between a first voltage between about −100 V and about −1400 V and a second voltage of about 0 V or more.
10. The method of claim 9 , wherein an average DC power applied to the carbon target during a pulse active time is between about 1 W/cm 2 and about 20 W/cm 2 .
11. A method of processing a substrate, comprising:
depositing an amorphous carbon layer, comprising:
positioning a substrate on a substrate support disposed in a first processing volume, wherein the first processing volume is a processing volume of a first processing chamber;
flowing a processing gas into the first processing volume, wherein the processing gas comprises an inert gas and a reactive gas comprising hydrogen, nitrogen, or a combination thereof;
maintaining the substrate at a deposition temperature of about 200° C. or less;
applying pulsed DC power to a carbon target disposed in the first processing volume;
forming a plasma of the processing gas; and
depositing the amorphous carbon layer on the substrate; and
annealing the substrate, comprising:
positioning the substrate, having the amorphous carbon layer deposited thereon, in a second processing volume, wherein the second processing volume is a processing volume a second processing chamber;
heating the substrate to an anneal temperature, wherein the anneal temperature is between about 50° C. and about 250° C.; and
maintaining the substrate at the anneal temperature for less than about 30 minutes.
12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the first processing chamber is coupled to the second processing chamber by a transfer chamber disposed therebetween.
13. The method of claim 11 , wherein the first processing chamber comprises a chamber lid assembly, comprising:
the carbon target bonded to a metallic backing plate;
a magnetron housing coupled to the metallic backing plate, wherein the metallic backing plate and the magnetron housing define a housing volume;
a magnetron assembly disposed in the housing volume; and
a motor coupled to the magnetron assembly by a rotatable shaft.
14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the pulsed DC power cycles between a first voltage between about −100 V and about −1400 V and a second voltage of about 0 V or more.
15. The method of claim 14 , wherein an average pulse active time of the pulsed DC power is between about 10 μs and about 200 μs.
16. The method of claim 15 , wherein an average DC power applied to the carbon target during a pulse active time is between about 1 W/cm 2 and about 20 W/cm 2 .
17. The method of claim 1 , wherein a local shape curvature (LSC) nonuniformity across the substrate is less than about 2 nm/mm 2 after the substrate has been maintained at the anneal temperature for about 30 seconds or more.