Preferential dielectric gapfill

US8476142B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Applied Materials, Inc. · US

Inventors

• Sasha Kweskin · Chesterfield, US
• Hiroshi Hamana · Kasai, JP
• Paul Edward Gee · San Jose, US
• Shankar Venkataraman · Santa Clara, US
• Kadar Sapre · San Jose, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Mar 21, 2011
• Grant date: Jul 2, 2013
• Expiry date: Mar 21, 2031

Classification

• Technology area (CPC H): Electricity
• CPC primary: H01L21/67017
• WIPO field: Semiconductors
• WIPO sector: Electrical engineering

Abstract

Aspects of the disclosure pertain to methods of preferentially filling narrow trenches with silicon oxide while not completely filling wider trenches and/or open areas. In embodiments, dielectric layers are deposited by flowing a silicon-containing precursor and ozone into a processing chamber such that a relatively dense first portion of a silicon oxide layer followed by a more porous (and more rapidly etched) second portion of the silicon oxide layer. Narrow trenches are filled with dense material whereas open areas are covered with a layer of dense material and more porous material. Dielectric material in wider trenches may be removed at this point with a wet etch while the dense material in narrow trenches is retained.