Patent · US Active

Methods for fabricating integrated circuits utilizing silicon nitride layers

US8940650B2 · kind B2 · utility

2Cited by
3References
19Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateMar 6, 2013
Grant dateJan 27, 2015
Priority date
Expiry dateApr 24, 2033

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH01L21/0217
  • WIPO fieldSemiconductors
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A method of fabricating an integrated circuit includes the steps of providing a semiconductor substrate comprising a semiconductor device disposed thereon and depositing a first silicon nitride layer over the semiconductor substrate and over the semiconductor device using a first deposition process. The first deposition process is a plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) process that operates over a plurality of cycles, each cycle having a first time interval and a second time interval. The PECVD process includes the steps of generating a plasma with a power source during the first time interval, the plasma comprising reactive ionic and radical species of a silicon-providing gas and a nitrogen-providing gas, and discontinuing generating the plasma during the second time interval immediately subsequent to the first time interval. The method further includes depositing a second silicon nitride layer over the first silicon nitride layer after the plurality of cycles.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.