Initiation modulation for plasma deposition

1. A deposition method comprising:

forming a plasma of an oxygen-containing precursor within a processing region of a semiconductor processing chamber, wherein the processing region houses a semiconductor substrate on a substrate support;

while maintaining the plasma of the oxygen-containing precursor, flowing a silicon-containing precursor into the processing region of the semiconductor processing chamber at a first flow rate;

ramping the first flow rate of the silicon-containing precursor over a period of time to a second flow rate greater than the first flow rate; and

depositing a silicon-containing material on the semiconductor substrate.

2. The deposition method of claim 1 , wherein the silicon-containing precursor comprises tetraethyl orthosilicate.

3. The deposition method of claim 1 , wherein the period of time is less than or about 10 seconds.

4. The deposition method of claim 1 , wherein ramping the first flow rate occurs at a constant increase of from about 2 grams per second of the silicon-containing precursor to about 5 grams per second of the silicon-containing precursor.

5. The deposition method of claim 1 , wherein the depositing is performed at a temperature of less than or about 450° C.

6. The deposition method of claim 1 , wherein the processing region of the semiconductor processing chamber is maintained free of the silicon-containing precursor while forming the plasma of the oxygen-containing precursor.

7. The deposition method of claim 1 , wherein the semiconductor substrate comprises silicon, and wherein forming the plasma of the oxygen-containing precursor produces an oxygen-radicalized surface termination of the silicon of the semiconductor substrate.

8. The deposition method of claim 1 , further comprising:

subsequent depositing a first amount of the silicon-containing material, halting delivery of the silicon-containing precursor while maintaining a flow rate of the oxygen-containing precursor.

9. The deposition method of claim 8 , further comprising:

extinguishing a plasma within the processing region of the semiconductor processing chamber while maintaining a flow rate of the oxygen-containing precursor.

10. The deposition method of claim 9 , further comprising:

reforming a plasma of the oxygen-containing precursor, and

reflowing the silicon-containing precursor into the processing region of the semiconductor processing chamber.

11. A deposition method comprising:

flowing an oxygen-containing precursor into a processing region of a semiconductor processing chamber, wherein the processing region houses a semiconductor substrate on a substrate support;

forming a plasma of the oxygen-containing precursor;

flowing a silicon-containing precursor into the processing region of the semiconductor processing chamber;

increasing a flow rate of the silicon-containing precursor over a period of time;

depositing a first amount of a silicon-containing material on the semiconductor substrate; and

halting a flow of the silicon-containing precursor and formation of the plasma, while maintaining a flow rate of the oxygen-containing precursor.

12. The deposition method of claim 11 , wherein the oxygen-containing precursor comprises diatomic oxygen.

13. The deposition method of claim 11 , further comprising:

reforming the plasma of the oxygen-containing precursor,

reflowing the silicon-containing precursor into the processing region of the semiconductor processing chamber; and

increasing the flow rate of the silicon-containing precursor over the period of time.

14. The deposition method of claim 13 , wherein the method is repeated at least five times.

15. The deposition method of claim 11 , wherein the semiconductor substrate is characterized by a recessed feature, and wherein sidewall coverage proximate a bottom of the recessed feature is greater than or about 75% a thickness of sidewall coverage proximate a top of the recessed feature.

16. A deposition method comprising:

forming a plasma of an oxygen-containing precursor within a processing region of a semiconductor processing chamber, wherein the processing region houses a semiconductor substrate on a substrate support;

while maintaining the plasma of the oxygen-containing precursor, flowing a silicon-containing precursor into the processing region of the semiconductor processing chamber at a first flow rate;

ramping the first flow rate of the silicon-containing precursor over a first period of time to a second flow rate greater than the first flow rate;

depositing a first amount of silicon-containing material on the semiconductor substrate, wherein the first amount of silicon-containing material is characterized by a tensile stress;

ramping the first flow rate of the silicon-containing precursor over a second period of time from the second flow rate to the first flow rate; and

depositing a second amount of silicon-containing material on the semiconductor substrate, wherein the second amount of silicon-containing material is characterized by a compressive stress.

17. The deposition method of claim 16 , wherein a stack of silicon-containing material deposited is characterized by a substantially neutral stress.

18. The deposition method of claim 16 , wherein the first amount of silicon-containing material is characterized by a different thickness than the second amount of silicon-containing material on the semiconductor substrate.

19. The deposition method of claim 16 , wherein the method is repeated at least five times.

20. The deposition method of claim 16 , wherein the silicon-containing precursor is tetraethyl orthosilicate, and wherein the oxygen-containing precursor is diatomic oxygen.