High throughput chemical vapor deposition process capable of filling high aspect ratio structures

US6030881A · kind A · utility

Assignees

• Novellus Systems, Inc. · US
• International Business Machines Corporation · US

Inventors

• George D. Papasouliotis · Fishkill, US
• Ashima B. Chakravarti · Hopewell Junction, US
• Richard A. Conti · Altamont, US
• Laertis Economikos · Hopewell Junction, US
• Patrick A. Van Cleemput · San Jose, US

Key dates

• Filing date: May 5, 1998
• Grant date: Feb 29, 2000
• Expiry date: May 5, 2018

Classification

• Technology area (CPC C): Chemistry; Metallurgy
• CPC primary: C23C16/56
• WIPO field: Surface technology, coating
• WIPO sector: Chemistry

Abstract

A method is provided for filling high aspect ratio gaps without void formation by using a high density plasma (HDP) deposition process with a sequence of deposition and etch steps having varying etch rate-to-deposition rate (etch/dep) ratios. The first step uses an etch/dep ratio less than one to quickly fill the gap. The first step is interrupted before the opening to the gap is closed. The second step uses an etch/dep ratio greater than one to widen the gap. The second step is stopped before corners of the elements forming the gaps are exposed. These steps can be repeated until the aspect ratio of the gap is reduced so that void-free gap-fill is possible. The etch/dep ratio and duration of each step can be optimized for high throughput and high aspect ratio gap-fill capacity.