Development of a Cluster Tool and Analysis of Deposition of Silicon Oxide by TEOSO₂ PECVD

Abstract

A single wafer cluster tool was developed. It is composed of a central robot arm wafer handler and three processing chambers: a RF PECVD chamber, a microwave after glow RPECVD chamber and a rapid thermal annealing chamber. The tool is designed to allow high flexibility, with in-situ multi-sequential processing capability. An in depth study of the deposition of silicon oxide by PECVD was performed. As unique features, it handles TEOS vapor without a carrier gas and it includes a double stage gas distribution system. The films were characterized by means of: ellipsometry, FTIRS, RBS, AES, SIMS, stress and etch rate in diluted (1:100) HF solution. Good uniformity (>98 %) was obtained. The results show that the quality of the films is most influenced by the wafer temperature and flux of oxygen. For the best condition, the following results were obtained: deposition rate of 370 nm/min., refraction index of 1.46, stoichiometry of 2.0, intrinsic stress of 1.3×109 dyn/cm2, carbon content below the AES and SIMS detection limit and low OH content. We also propose a model that fits our results.

Dielectric Spectroscopic Detection of Early Failures in 3-D Integrated Circuits

“…For large substrates, such as a 300mm diameter silicon substrate, there is site-to-site variability in the process chemistry due to non-uniformities in the local gas compositions, substrate temperature, etc. [22,23] We have shown elsewhere that the distribution of silicon oxide film modulus across a wafer depend on the local concentration of Si-OH in the film [11]. Based in part on the similarity of the geographic distribution of defects observed in this work (Figure 2) and the within wafer HARP film modulus distribution, we postulate that the changes in early failures and the subsequent annealing effects are due to dangling bonds from the incomplete condensation reactions within the liner dielectric film.…”

Thick SiO[sub 2] Films Obtained by Plasma-Enhanced Chemical Vapor Deposition Using Hexamethyldisilazane, Carbon Dioxide, and Hydrogen

“…6 However, thick SiO 2 films generally have high stress that causes the films to crack and peel. 7 Plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) offers a lower deposition temperature and higher deposition rate by plasma assistance than the higher deposition temperature and lower deposition rate required in conventional CVD. Furthermore, PECVD can yield films with lower thermal stress and better adherence without the film cracking and peeling.…”

Selective Formation of a SnO2 Cap Layer, Its Growth Behavior, and Oxidation Resistance

“…The SnO 2 /Cu samples were heattreated in Ar+10 or 1000 ppm O 2 at 400 C for 0.5 h. The reason for the selection of 10 and 1000 ppm O 2 was to simulate the oxidation resistance during the deposition of a TEOS overlayer. The oxygen partial pressure during TEOS deposition was, for example, 180 Pa at 250 C 12) or 1 Pa at 375 C. 13) The heat-treatment atmosphere of Ar+10 or 1000 ppm O 2 at a total pressure of 1 atm corresponds to oxygen partial pressures of 1 and 100 Pa, respectively. Therefore, the present conditions are in the oxygen pressure range utilized in the TEOS deposition.…”