Method of improving the wafer-to-wafer thickness uniformity of silicon nitride layers

US8084088B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• GlobalFoundries Inc. · KY

Inventors

• Katja Huy · Dresden, DE
• Hartmut Ruelke · Dresden, DE
• Michael D. Turner · Plymouth, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Jun 30, 2004
• Grant date: Dec 27, 2011
• Expiry date: Aug 1, 2030

Classification

• Technology area (CPC H): Electricity
• CPC primary: H01L21/0217
• WIPO field: Surface technology, coating
• WIPO sector: Chemistry

Abstract

Wafer-to-wafer thickness uniformity may be improved significantly in a process for depositing a silicon nitride layer in that the flow rate of the reactant and the chamber pressure are varied during a deposition cycle. By correspondingly adapting the flow rate and/or the chamber pressure before and after the actual deposition step, the process conditions may be more effectively stabilized, thereby reducing process variations, even after non-deposition phases of the deposition tool, such as a preceding plasma clean process or an idle period of the tool.