IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,571,091
Granted Patent B2
US 12,571,091 · App. 18/217,685 · Granted Mar 10, 2026

Method for forming carbon film and film forming apparatus

Inventors: Yoshio Susa (Tama, JP); Hirotsugu Sugiura (Tama, JP); Yoshiyuki Kikuchi (Tokyo, JP)
Assignee: ASM IP Holding B.V.
C23C16/26C23C16/045H01L21/31116
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,571,091
App. No.
18/217,685
Granted
Mar 10, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A method for forming a carbon film on inner wall surfaces of a plurality of trenches which are formed on a substrate to be processed includes a depositing step of depositing the carbon film on the inner wall surfaces of the trenches of the substrate to be processed by supplying a mixed gas containing a carbon precursor gas and a carrier gas and applying a high frequency voltage to the mixed gas to generate plasma, an interval step of stopping the supply of the carbon precursor gas and the application of the high frequency voltage while continuing the supply of the carrier gas, and an etching step of etching a part of the carbon film by continuing to supply the carrier gas and applying a high frequency voltage to the carrier gas to generate plasma, wherein the above steps are repeated in the above order.

Claims (25)

1 . A method for forming a carbon film on inner wall surfaces of a plurality of trenches which are formed on a substrate to be processed, comprising:

a depositing step of preferentially depositing the carbon film on the inner wall surfaces of the trenches of the substrate, relative to a top surface of the substrate, by supplying a mixed gas containing a carbon precursor gas and a carrier gas and applying a high frequency voltage to the mixed gas to generate plasma;

an interval step of stopping the supply of the carbon precursor gas and the application of the high frequency voltage while continuing the supply of the carrier gas; and,

an etching step of etching a part of the carbon film by continuing to supply the carrier gas and applying the high frequency voltage to the carrier gas to generate plasma,

wherein the above steps are repeated in the above order,

wherein the carbon precursor gas is a gas of a compound represented by the following general formula:

CxHyOz,

where x represents a number of 1 or more, y represents a number of 2 or more, and z represents a number of 0 or more, and

wherein a frequency of the high frequency voltage is 13.56 MHz or more and 60 MHz or less.

2 . The method for forming a carbon film according to claim 1 ,

wherein, when the time to perform the depositing step is 1.0, the time to perform the interval step is in the range of 0.5 or more and 4.0 or less, and the time to perform the etching step is in the range of 0.5 or more and 2.0 or less.

3 . The method for forming a carbon film according to claim 1 ,

wherein the carrier gas is an argon-hydrogen mixed gas or a helium-hydrogen mixed gas.

4 . The method for forming a carbon film according to claim 1 ,

wherein a duration of the interval step is the same as or longer than a duration of the etching step.

5 . The method for forming a carbon film according to claim 1 ,

wherein the deposition step is performed under a pressure of 100 Pa or more and 1500 Pa or less.

6 . The method for forming a carbon film according to claim 1 ,

wherein the average aspect ratio of the plurality of trenches of the substrate to be processed is in the range of 0.5 or more and 3.0 or less, and the average longest diameter of the openings of the trenches is in the range of 10 nm or more and 500 nm or less.

7 . The method for forming a carbon film according to claim 1 ,

wherein the high frequency voltage is continuous during the etching step and a subsequent depositing step.

8 . The method for forming a carbon film according to claim 1 ,

wherein the temperature of a susceptor on which the substrate to be processed is placed is set in the range of 300° C. to 800° C.

9 . The method for forming a carbon film according to claim 1 , a plasma power is on prior to supplying the carbon precursor gas and continues during the supplying the carbon precursor gas.

10 . The method for forming a carbon film according to claim 1 , wherein the etching step occurs immediately before the depositing step.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 27, 2023
From: SUSA, YOSHIO; SUGIURA, HIROTSUGU; KIKUCHI, YOSHIYUKI
To: ASM IP HOLDING B.V.
Reel/Frame 064411/0287 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 63358674 · Jul 6, 2022
Related Publication 20240011151A1 · Jan 11, 2024
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