HDP-CVD uniformity control

US6890597B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Applied Materials, Inc. · US

Inventors

• Padmanabhan Krishnaraj · San Francisco, US
• Bruno Geoffrion · South San Francisco, US
• Michael S. Cox · Gilroy, US
• Lin Zhang · Qiaonanxiang, CN
• Bikram Kapoor · Santa Clara, US
• Anchuan Wang · San Jose, US
• Zhenjiang Cui · San Jose, US

Key dates

• Filing date: May 9, 2003
• Grant date: May 10, 2005
• Expiry date: Jul 16, 2023

Classification

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

Abstract

A combination of deposition and polishing steps are used to permit improved uniformity of a film after the combination of steps. Both the deposition and polishing are performed with processes that vary across the substrate. The combination of the varying deposition and etching rates results in a film that is substantially planar after the film has been polished. In some instances, it may be easier to control the variation of one of the two processes than the other so that the more controllable process is tailored to accommodate nonuniformities introduced by the less controllable process.