Methods of forming phosphosilicate glass layers, structures formed using the methods and systems for performing the methods
Methods for forming phosphosilicate glass layers are disclosed. Exemplary methods include forming a silicon-containing layer overlying the substrate and depositing a phosphorus-containing layer overlying the substrate. The deposited phosphorus-containing layer can include P 2 O 3 and/or exhibit a melting temperature less than or equal to 500° C. The deposited phosphorus-containing layer can be heated to flow and oxidized to provide desired properties.
1. A method of forming a phosphosilicate glass layer, the method comprising the steps of:
providing a substrate within a reaction chamber;
forming a silicon-containing layer overlying the substrate using a cyclical process comprising providing only a silicon precursor and an inert gas to the reaction chamber and forming an inert gas plasma using the inert gas;
repeating the cyclical process;
after the step of repeating the cyclical process, depositing a phosphorus-containing layer overlying the substrate, wherein the steps of depositing a silicon-containing layer and depositing a phosphorus-containing layer form a deposited phosphosilicate glass layer;
heating the substrate in a non-oxidizing environment to cause the deposited phosphosilicate glass layer to flow to form a flowed phosphosilicate glass layer; and
oxidizing the flowed phosphosilicate glass layer,
wherein the step of depositing the phosphorus-containing layer comprises flowing a phosphorus-containing precursor and the inert gas to the reaction chamber,
wherein an additional oxidant is not flowed to the reaction chamber during the step of forming the silicon-containing layer,
wherein the silicon precursor is selected from one or more of the group consisting of bis(diethylamino)silane (BDEAS), (dimethylamino)silane (DMAS), bis(dimethylamino)silane (BDMAS), bis(ethylmethylamino)silane (BEMAS), bis(tertbutylamino)silane (BTBAS), tris(dimethylamino)silane (TDMAS), tetrakis(dimethylamino)silane (TKDMAS), and di-isopropylaminosilane (DIPAS),
wherein an additional oxidant is not flowed to the reaction chamber during the step of depositing the phosphorus-containing layer, and
wherein the deposited phosphorus-containing layer comprises P 2 O 3 .
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the steps of forming the silicon-containing layer and depositing the phosphorus-containing layer are each repeated to form the deposited phosphosilicate glass layer.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of forming the silicon-containing layer comprises providing a pulse of the silicon precursor followed by a plasma power pulse.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the silicon precursor is selected from the group consisting of bis(diethylamino) silane (BDEAS) and di-isopropylaminosilane (DIPAS).
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein each step of forming the silicon-containing layer comprises exposing the silicon precursor to the inert gas plasma after a flow of a silicon precursor to the reaction chamber has ceased.
6. The method of claim 5 , wherein each step of flowing the silicon precursor to the reaction chamber and each step of exposing the silicon precursor to the inert gas plasma do not overlap.
7. The method of claim 5 , wherein the inert gas plasma is formed using an inert gas comprising nitrogen.
8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the inert gas is continuously provided to the reaction chamber during the steps of forming the silicon-containing layer and depositing the phosphorus-containing layer.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of depositing the phosphorus-containing layer further comprises exposing the phosphorus-containing precursor to an inert gas plasma.
10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the step of flowing the phosphorus-containing precursor to the reaction chamber and the step of exposing the phosphorus-containing precursor to the inert gas plasma are repeated prior to proceeding to a subsequent deposition or heating step and wherein the steps of exposing the phosphorus-containing precursor to the inert gas plasma do not overlap.
11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of flowing the phosphorus-containing precursor to the reaction chamber comprises flowing one or more of triethylphosphate (TEPO) or triethylphosphite (TEPI) to the reaction chamber.
12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of depositing the phosphorus-containing layer comprises one or more of CVD, ALD, PEALD, or PECVD.
13. The method of claim 1 , wherein, wherein the inert gas plasma is formed using an inert gas comprising nitrogen and one or more of argon and helium.
14. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of oxidizing the flowed phosphosilicate glass layer comprises providing one or more of N 2 O and N 2 to the reaction chamber.
15. The method of claim 1 , wherein a temperature during the step of heating is less than or equal to 500° C., or less than 400° C., or less than 300° C.
16. The method of claim 1 , wherein the non-oxidizing environment comprises argon and helium.
17. A method of forming a phosphosilicate glass layer, the method comprising the steps of:
providing a substrate within a reaction chamber;
using repeated cycles of a cyclic deposition process, forming a silicon-containing layer overlying the substrate, wherein each cycle consists essentially of providing only a silicon-containing precursor and an inert gas and exposing the silicon precursor to an inert gas plasma formed using the inert gas, wherein an additional oxidant is not flowed to the reaction chamber during the step of forming the silicon-containing layer;
using another cyclic deposition process, depositing a phosphorus-containing layer overlying the silicon-containing layer using a plasma formed from the inert gas;
heating the substrate in a non-oxidizing environment to cause the deposited phosphosilicate glass layer to flow to form a flowed phosphosilicate glass layer; and
oxidizing the flowed phosphosilicate glass layer,
wherein the steps of forming a silicon-containing layer and depositing a phosphorus-containing layer are used to form a deposited phosphosilicate glass layer,
wherein the step of heating comprises providing one or more of argon and helium to the reaction chamber,
wherein the inert gas is continually flowed during the steps of forming the silicon-containing layer and depositing the phosphorus-containing layer,
wherein the silicon-containing precursor is selected from one or more of the group consisting of bis(diethylamino)silane (BDEAS), (dimethylamino)silane (DMAS), bis(dimethylamino)silane (BDMAS), bis(ethylmethylamino)silane (BEMAS), bis(tertbutylamino)silane (BTBAS), tris(dimethylamino)silane (TDMAS), tetrakis(dimethylamino)silane (TKDMAS), and di-isopropylaminosilane (DIPAS),
and
wherein a melting temperature of the deposited phosphorus-containing layer is less than or equal to 500° C.
18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the silicon precursor is selected from one or more of the group consisting of (dimethylamino)silane (DMAS), bis(dimethylamino)silane (BDMAS), bis(ethylmethylamino)silane (BEMAS), bis(tertbutylamino)silane (BTBAS), tris(dimethylamino)silane (TDMAS), tetrakis(dimethylamino)silane (TKDMAS), and di-isopropylaminosilane (DIPAS).