Method for fabricating a semiconductor device that includes processing an insulating film to have an upper portion with a different composition than an other portion

1. A method for fabricating a semiconductor device, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) forming a first insulating film on a semiconductor substrate;

(b) processing the first insulating film in such a manner that a composition ratio of at least an upper portion of the first insulating film is different from that in the other portion of the first insulating film; and

(c) forming a first trench through the first insulating film, filling the first trench with a conductive film, and performing polishing, thereby forming a first metal interconnect, after step (b),

wherein in step (b), an upper face of the first insulating film is exposed to ultraviolet irradiation so that a composition ratio of the first insulating film changes.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein after step (b), mechanical strength of the upper portion of the first insulating film is higher than that of the other portion of the first insulating film.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein

the first insulating film is a silicon oxide film containing carbon, and

after step (b), a carbon content in the upper portion of the first insulating film is lower than that in the other portion of the first insulating film.

4. The method of claim 1 , further including, before step (a), the steps of:

(d1) forming a second insulating film having a second trench on the semiconductor substrate; and

(d2) filling the second trench with a conductive film and performing polishing, thereby forming a second metal interconnect, after step (d1),

wherein in step (a), the first insulating film is formed on the second insulating film and the second metal interconnect, and

in step (c), the first trench is formed to reach an upper face of the second metal interconnect so that the first metal interconnect is electrically connected to the second metal interconnect.

5. The method of claim 4 , further including the step of: (d3) forming a third insulating film on the second insulating film and the second metal interconnect, after step (d2) and before step (a),

wherein the second metal interconnect is made of copper,

in step (a), the first insulating film is formed on the third insulating film, and

in step (c), the first trench is formed through the first insulating film and the third insulating film.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein in step (b), UV irradiation is performed at a temperature of 300° C. to 450° C. and a pressure of 1×10 −8 Pa to 1.01×10 5 Pa.

7. A method for fabricating a semiconductor device, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) forming a first insulating film on a semiconductor substrate;

(b) processing the first insulating film in such a manner that a composition ratio of at least an upper portion of the first insulating film is different from that in the other portion of the first insulating film; and

(c) forming a first trench through the first insulating film, filling the first trench with a conductive film, and performing polishing, thereby forming a first metal interconnect, after step (b),

wherein in step (b), an upper face of the first insulating film is exposed to an electron beam so that a composition ratio of the first insulating film changes.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein after step (b), mechanical strength of the upper portion of the first insulating film is higher than that of the other portion of the first insulating film.

9. The method of claim 7 , wherein

the first insulating film is a silicon oxide film containing carbon, and

after step (b), a carbon content in the upper portion of the first insulating film is lower than that in the other portion of the first insulating film.

10. The method of claim 7 , further including, before step (a), the steps of:

(d1) forming a second insulating film having a second trench on the semiconductor substrate;

(d2) filling the second trench with a conductive film and performing polishing, thereby forming a second metal interconnect, after step (d1), and

(d3) forming a third insulating film on the second insulating film and the second metal interconnect, after step (d2) and before step (a),

wherein in step (a), the first insulating film is formed on the second insulating film and the second metal interconnect,

in step (c), the first trench is formed to reach an upper face of the second metal interconnect so that the first metal interconnect is electrically connected to the second metal interconnect,

the second metal interconnect is made of copper,

in step (a), the first insulating film is formed on the third insulating film, and

in step (c), the first trench is formed through the first insulating film and the third insulating film.

11. The method of claim 7 , wherein in step (b), electron beam irradiation is performed at a temperature of 300° C. to 450° C. and a pressure of 1×10 −8 Pa to 1×10 −4 Pa.

12. A method for fabricating a semiconductor device, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) forming a first insulating film on a semiconductor substrate;

(b) processing the first insulating film in such a manner that a composition ratio of at least an upper portion of the first insulating film is different from that in the other portion of the first insulating film; and

(c) forming a first trench through the first insulating film, filling the first trench with a conductive film, and performing polishing, thereby forming a first metal interconnect, after step (b),

wherein in step (b), an upper face of the first insulating film is exposed to a heat source so that a composition ratio of the first insulating film changes.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein after step (b), mechanical strength of the upper portion of the first insulating film is higher than that of the other portion of the first insulating film.

14. The method of claim 12 , wherein

the first insulating film is a silicon oxide film containing carbon, and

after step (b), a carbon content in the upper portion of the first insulating film is lower than that in the other portion of the first insulating film.

15. The method of claim 12 , further including, before step (a), the steps of:

(d1) forming a second insulating film having a second trench on the semiconductor substrate;

(d2) filling the second trench with a conductive film and performing polishing, thereby forming a second metal interconnect, after step (d1), and

(d3) forming a third insulating film on the second insulating film and the second metal interconnect, after step (d2) and before step (a),

wherein in step (a), the first insulating film is formed on the second insulating film and the second metal interconnect,

in step (c), the first trench is formed to reach an upper face of the second metal interconnect so that the first metal interconnect is electrically connected to the second metal interconnect,

the second metal interconnect is made of copper,

in step (a), the first insulating film is formed on the third insulating film, and

in step (c), the first trench is formed through the first insulating film and the third insulating film.

16. The method of claim 12 , wherein in step (b), heat exposure is performed at a temperature of 600° C to 1200° C and a pressure of 1×10 −4 Pa to 1.01×10 5 Pa.

17. A method for fabricating a semiconductor device, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) forming a first insulating film on a semiconductor substrate;

(b) processing the first insulating film in such a manner that a composition ratio of at least an upper portion of the first insulating film is different from that in the other portion of the first insulating film; and

(c) forming a first trench through the first insulating film, filling the first trench with a conductive film, and performing polishing, thereby forming a first metal interconnect, after step (b),

wherein in step (b), an upper face of the first insulating film is exposed to an evanescent wave produced by irradiating a prism with ultraviolet irradiation so that a composition ratio of the first insulating film changes.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein after step (b), mechanical strength of the upper portion of the first insulating film is higher than that of the other portion of the first insulating film.

19. The method of claim 17 , wherein

the first insulating film is a silicon oxide film containing carbon, and

after step (b), a carbon content in the upper portion of the first insulating film is lower than that in the other portion of the first insulating film.

20. The method of claim 17 , further including, before step (a), the steps of:

(d1) forming a second insulating film having a second trench on the semiconductor substrate;

(d2) filling the second trench with a conductive film and performing polishing, thereby forming a second metal interconnect, after step (d1), and

(d3) forming a third insulating film on the second insulating film and the second metal interconnect, after step (d2) and before step (a),

wherein in step (a), the first insulating film is formed on the second insulating film and the second metal interconnect,

in step (c), the first trench is formed to reach an upper face of the second metal interconnect so that the first metal interconnect is electrically connected to the second metal interconnect,

the second metal interconnect is made of copper,

in step (a), the first insulating film is formed on the third insulating film, and

in step (c), the first trench is formed through the first insulating film and the third insulating film.