Systems for performing in-situ deposition of sidewall image transfer spacers

Abstract

A system for performing a sidewall image transfer process includes a substrate processing chamber configured to process a substrate including a mandrel layer. A controller is configured to control the substrate processing chamber to, without the substrate being removed from the within the substrate processing chamber, etch the mandrel layer, subsequent to etching the mandrel layer, deposit a thin spacer layer on upper surfaces of the plurality of mandrels, sidewalls of the plurality of mandrels, and portions of the substrate between the sidewalls, subsequent to depositing the thin spacer layer, etch the thin spacer layer to remove the thin spacer layer such that only the thin spacer layer formed on the sidewalls of the plurality of mandrels remains and, subsequent to etching the thin spacer layer, etch the mandrels such that only the thin spacer layer formed on the sidewalls of the plurality of mandrels remains on the substrate.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system for performing a sidewall image transfer (SIT) process, the system comprising:
 a substrate processing chamber configured to process a substrate, wherein the substrate includes a mandrel layer formed on the substrate; and   a controller configured to control the substrate processing chamber to
 (i) etch the mandrel layer to form a plurality of mandrels, 
 (ii) subsequent to etching the mandrel layer, deposit a thin spacer layer such that the thin spacer layer is formed on upper surfaces of the plurality of mandrels, sidewalls of the plurality of mandrels, and portions of the substrate between the sidewalls of the plurality of mandrels, wherein the controller is configured to perform (i) and (ii) without the substrate being removed from within the substrate processing chamber between (i) and (ii), 
 (iii) subsequent to depositing the thin spacer layer, etch the thin spacer layer to remove the thin spacer layer from the upper surfaces of the plurality of mandrels and the portions of the substrate between the sidewalls of the plurality of mandrels such that only the thin spacer layer formed on the sidewalls of the plurality of mandrels remains, wherein the controller is configured to perform (ii) and (iii) without the substrate being removed from within the substrate processing chamber between (ii) and (iii), and 
 (iv) subsequent to etching the thin spacer layer from the upper surfaces of the plurality of mandrels and the portions of the substrate between the sidewalls of the plurality of mandrels, etch the plurality of mandrels to remove the plurality of mandrels from the substrate such that only the thin spacer layer formed on the sidewalls of the plurality of mandrels remains on the substrate, wherein the controller is configured to perform (iii) and (iv) without the substrate being removed from within the substrate processing chamber between (iii) and (iv). 
   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the substrate processing chamber corresponds to a plasma chamber of an etch tool. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the substrate comprises silicon. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the substrate includes a hardmask layer. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 4 , wherein the hardmask layer comprises silicon nitride (SiN). 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the mandrel layer comprises amorphous silicon. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein, to deposit the thin spacer layer, the controller is configured to control the substrate processing chamber to deposit the thin spacer layer using at least one of oxide-type deposition, nitride-type deposition, and carbon based deposition. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein, to deposit the thin spacer layer, the controller is configured to control the substrate processing chamber to deposit the thin spacer layer using a silicon tetrachloride (SiCl 4 ) precursor in the presence of oxygen. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to, subsequent the mandrel layer being etched and prior to the thin spacer layer being deposited, adjust at least one parameter of the substrate processing chamber.