Deposition of a siloxane containing polymer

Abstract

An insulating layer is formed onto a surface of a semiconductor substrate by reacting a silicon-containing compound and a compound containing peroxide bonding to deposit a short-chain polymer on the surface of the semiconductor substrate. A deposition rate of the short-chain polymer is increased by further reacting a substance which associates readily with the compound containing the peroxide bonding.

1 . A method of treating a substrate, which method comprises positioning the substrate in a chamber, introducing into the chamber in the gaseous or vapour state a silicon-containing compound, a further compound containing peroxide bonding, and a substance which associates readily with the compound containing peroxide bonding, and reacting the silicon-containing compound with the further compound and the associating substance to provide on the substrate a an insulating layer.  
     
     
         2 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the associating substance is an oxidising agent.  
     
     
         3 . A method according to  claim 2 , wherein the oxidising agent is selected from oxygen, ozone, or tetraethoxysilane.  
     
     
         4 . A method according to  claim 3 , wherein the oxidising agent is oxygen.  
     
     
         5 . A method according to any preceding claim, wherein the silicon-containing compound is an organosilane of the general formula C x H y —Si n H a  or (C x H y ) z Si n Ha.  
     
     
         6 . A method according to  claim 5 , wherein the silicon-containing compound is of the general formula R—SiH 3 .  
     
     
         7 . A method according to  claim 6  wherein R is a methyl, ethyl, phenyl or vinyl group.  
     
     
         8 . A method according to  claim 7 , wherein R is a phenyl or methyl group.  
     
     
         9 . A method according to any one of  claims 1  to  4 , wherein the silicon-containing compound is a silane or a higher silane.  
     
     
         10 . A method according to any preceding claim, wherein the compound containing peroxide bonding is hydrogen peroxide.  
     
     
         11 . A method according to any preceding claim, further comprising introducing an additional gas into the chamber.  
     
     
         12 . A method according to  claim 11 , wherein the additional gas is nitrogen.  
     
     
         13 . A method according to any preceding claim, wherein the associating substance is premixed with the compound containing peroxide bonding or the silicon-containing compound prior to introduction into the chamber.  
     
     
         14 . A method according to any one of  claims 1  to  12 , wherein the associating substance is introduced into the chamber as a separate component.  
     
     
         15 . A method according to  claim 8 , wherein, when R is a methyl group, the deposition rate is increased to about 1.1 μm/min.  
     
     
         16 . A method according to  claim 8 , wherein, when R is a Phenyl group, the deposition rate is increased to about 2700 Å/min.  
     
     
         17 . A method according to  claim 9 , wherein the deposition rate is increased to about 1.2 μm/min.  
     
     
         18 . A method according to any preceding claim, wherein the flow rate of the silicon-containing compound into the chamber is between 20 and 145 Sccm.  
     
     
         19 . A method according to any preceding claim, wherein the flow rate of the compound containing peroxide bonding into the chamber is between 0.2 and 1.0 g/min.  
     
     
         20 . A method according to any preceding claim, wherein the flow rate of the associating substance into the chamber is up to 50 Sccm.  
     
     
         21 . A method according to  claim 11  or  12 , wherein the flow rate of the additional gas into the chamber is between 50 and 1000 Sccm.  
     
     
         22 . A method according to any preceding claim, wherein the pressure in the chamber is below atmospheric pressure.  
     
     
         23 . A method substantially as hereinbefore described, with reference to, and as illustrated in, the accompanying example and drawing.  
     
     
         24 . An apparatus for implementing the method of any preceding claim, including means for introducing the components into the chamber and platen means for supporting the semiconductor substrate.  
     
     
         25 . An apparatus according to  claim 24 , comprising a CVD and/or a PECVD chamber.  
     
     
         26 . An apparatus substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to, and as illustrated in, the accompanying drawing.