Process and apparatus for post deposition treatment of low k dielectric materials

Abstract

Methods and apparatus are provided for processing a substrate with an ultraviolet curing process. In one aspect, the invention provides a method for processing a substrate including depositing a silicon carbide dielectric layer on a substrate surface and curing the silicon carbide dielectric layer with ultra-violet curing radiation. The silicon carbide dielectric layer may comprise a nitrogen containing silicon carbide layer, an oxygen containing silicon carbide layer, or a phenyl containing silicon carbide layer. The silicon carbide dielectric layer may be used as a barrier layer, an etch stop, or as an anti-reflective coating in a damascene formation technique.

1 . A method for processing a substrate, comprising: 
 depositing a silicon carbide dielectric layer on a substrate surface; and    curing the silicon carbide dielectric layer with ultra-violet curing radiation.    
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the silicon carbide dielectric layer comprises a nitrogen doped silicon carbide layer deposited by a method comprising: 
 introducing a processing gas comprising a nitrogen containing compound and an oxygen-free organosilicon compound into a processing chamber; and    reacting the processing gas by a plasma enhanced process.    
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the nitrogen containing compound comprises ammonia, a silazane, a mixture of hydrogen and nitrogen gas, or combinations thereof.  
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the silicon carbide dielectric layer comprises an oxygen doped silicon carbide layer deposited by a method comprising: 
 introducing a processing gas comprising a carbon and oxygen containing compound and an oxygen-free organosilicon compound into a processing chamber; and    reacting the processing gas by a plasma enhanced process.    
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the carbon and oxygen containing compound comprises carbon dioxide and the oxygen-free organosilicon compound comprises trimethylsilane.  
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the silicon carbide dielectric layer comprises a phenyl containing silicon carbide layer deposited by a method comprising: 
 introducing a processing gas comprising a phenyl containing organosilicon compound and hydrogen gas; and    reacting the processing gas by a plasma enhanced process.    
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the phenyl containing organosilicon compound comprise dimethylphenylsilane.  
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the curing the first dielectric layer comprises applying ultraviolet radiation between about 0.1 milliWatts/cm 2  and about 1 watts/cm 2  at between about 100 nm and about 400 nm to the first dielectric layer for a period between about 10 seconds and about 600 seconds.  
   
   
       9 . A method for processing a substrate, comprising: 
 introducing a processing gas comprising a nitrogen containing compound and an organosilicon compound into a processing chamber;    reacting the processing gas to deposit a first dielectric layer, wherein the first dielectric layer comprises silicon, carbon, and nitrogen, and has a dielectric constant less than 5; and    curing the first dielectric layer with ultra-violet curing radiation.    
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising depositing a second dielectric layer adjacent the first dielectric layer, wherein the second dielectric layer comprises silicon, oxygen, and carbon and has a dielectric constant of about 3 or less.  
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising depositing a resist material on the second dielectric layer.  
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the nitrogen containing compound comprises nitrogen gas, ammonia, a silazane, or combinations thereof, and the organosilicon compound comprises methylsilanes, phenylsilanes, or combinations thereof.  
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the curing the first dielectric layer comprises applying ultraviolet radiation between about 0.1 milliWatts/cm 2  and about 1 watts/cm 2  at between about 100 nm and about 400 nm to the first dielectric layer for a period between about 10 seconds and about 600 seconds.  
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the curing the first dielectric layer further comprises introducing a processing gas selected from the group of oxygen (O 2 ), nitrogen (N 2 ), hydrogen (H 2 ), helium (He), argon (Ar), water vapor (H 2 O), carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, a hydrocarbon gas, a fluorocarbon gas, a fluorinated hydrocarbon gas, or combinations thereof.  
   
   
       15 . A method for processing a substrate, comprising: 
 depositing a nitrogen-doped dielectric layer on the substrate;    curing the nitrogen-doped dielectric layer with ultra-violet radiation;    depositing a dielectric layer comprising at least silicon and carbon on the nitrogen-doped dielectric layer;    depositing a resist on the dielectric layer comprising at least silicon and carbon.    
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the dielectric layer comprising at least silicon and carbon comprises an oxygen-doped silicon carbide layer or a phenyl containing silicon carbide layer.  
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the dielectric layer comprising at least silicon and carbon comprises silicon, oxygen, and carbon.  
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising: 
 patterning and etching the resist layer to expose the dielectric layer comprising at least silicon and carbon; and then    etching the dielectric layer comprising silicon, oxygen, and carbon, to form at least a portion of a damascene definition.    
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising depositing one or more conductive materials in the damascene definition to form a damascene structure.  
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 16 , further depositing a dielectric layer comprising silicon, oxygen, and carbon on the dielectric layer comprising at least silicon and carbon.  
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the depositing the nitrogen-doped dielectric layer on the substrate, the treating the surface of the dielectric layer comprising silicon and carbon by exposing the nitrogen-doped dielectric layer to the ultra-violet curing technique, and the depositing the dielectric layer comprising at least silicon and carbon on the nitrogen-doped dielectric layer are performed in situ.  
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the nitrogen-doped dielectric layer is deposited by a method comprising: 
 introducing a processing gas comprising a nitrogen containing compound and an organosilicon compound into a processing chamber; and    reacting the processing gas to deposit the first dielectric layer, wherein the first dielectric layer comprises silicon, carbon, and nitrogen, and has a dielectric constant less than 5.    
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the nitrogen containing compound comprises ammonia, a silazane, a mixture of hydrogen and nitrogen gas, or combinations thereof and the organosilicon compound comprises methylsilanes, phenylsilanes, or combinations thereof, and the processing gas further comprises an inert gas selected from the group of argon, helium, and combinations thereof.  
   
   
       24 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the curing the nitrogen doped dielectric layer comprises applying ultraviolet radiation between about 0.1 milliWatts/cm 2  and about 1 watts/cm 2  at between about 100 nm and about 400 nm to the first dielectric layer for a period between about 10 seconds and about 600 seconds.  
   
   
       25 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the curing the nitrogen doped dielectric layer comprises introducing a processing selected from the group of oxygen (O 2 ), nitrogen (N 2 ), hydrogen (H 2 ), helium (He), argon (Ar), water vapor (H 2 O), carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, a hydrocarbon gas, a fluorocarbon gas, a fluorinated hydrocarbon gas, and combinations thereof.  
   
   
       26 . An apparatus for processing a substrate comprising: 
 a tandem-process chamber; and    a source of ultraviolet radiation disposed on the tandem-processing chamber.    
   
   
       27 . The apparatus of  claim 26 , wherein the source of ultraviolet radiation comprises an ultraviolet lamp, an ultraviolet laser, an ultraviolet electron beam, or an ultraviolet imaging system.  
   
   
       28 . The apparatus of  claim 26 , wherein the source of ultraviolet radiation provides ultraviolet radiation between about 0.1 milliWatts/cm 2  and about 1 watts/cm 2  at between about 100 nm and about 400 nm.  
   
   
       29 . The apparatus of  claim 26 , wherein the tandem-process chamber comprises two processing regions.  
   
   
       30 . The apparatus of  claim 26 , wherein the tandem-process chamber is coupled to a transfer chamber, and the transfer chamber is coupled to a loadlock chamber and is coupled to a backend comprising a gas panel, a power distribution panel, and a RF power generator.