HDP-CVD multistep gapfill process

US7205240B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Applied Materials, Inc. · US

Inventors

• M. Ziaul Karim · San Jose, US
• Bikram Kapoor · Santa Clara, US
• Anchuan Wang · San Jose, US
• Dong Li · Phoenix, US
• Katsunari Ozeki · Chiba, JP
• Manoj Vellaikal · Sunnyvale, US
• Zhuang Li · Kunshan, CN

Key dates

• Filing date: Jun 4, 2003
• Grant date: Apr 17, 2007
• Expiry date: Jul 21, 2024

Classification

• Technology area (CPC H): Electricity
• CPC primary: H01L21/0228
• WIPO field: Semiconductors
• WIPO sector: Electrical engineering

Abstract

A gapfill process is provided using cycling of HDP-CVD deposition, etching, and deposition step. The fluent gas during the first deposition step includes an inert gas such as He, but includes H2 during the remainder deposition step. The higher average molecular weight of the fluent gas during the first deposition step provides some cusping over structures that define the gap to protect them during the etching step. The lower average molecular weight of the fluent gas during the remainder deposition step has reduced sputtering characteristics and is effective at filling the remainder of the gap.