Coating processes – Direct application of electrical – magnetic – wave – or... – Plasma
Reexamination Certificate
1999-12-15
2001-11-13
Pianalto, Bernard (Department: 1762)
Coating processes
Direct application of electrical, magnetic, wave, or...
Plasma
C427S058000, C427S249100, C427S249150, C427S255280, C427S255370, C427S255390, C427S578000, C427S585000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06316063
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a method for preparing carbon doped oxide insulating layers, and semiconductor devices incorporating such layers.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Semiconductor devices include metal layers that are insulated from each other by dielectric layers. As device features shrink, reducing the distance between the metal layers, capacitance increases. To address this problem, insulating materials that have a relatively low dielectric constant are being used in place of silicon dioxide (and other materials that have a relatively high dielectric constant) to form the dielectric layer that separates the metal lines.
One material that may be used to form such a low k dielectric layer is carbon doped oxide. Using this material instead of silicon dioxide to separate metal lines may yield a device having reduced propagation delay, cross-talk noise, and power consumption. Carbon doped oxides have been prepared by plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (“PECVD”) using gases that provide a source of silicon, oxygen, and carbon. Examples of source gases that have been used included dimethylmethoxysilane and alkyl silanes such as methylsilane, trimethylsilane, and tetramethylsilane. While these source gases produce carbon doped oxides having acceptable k values, it would be desirable to produce carbon doped oxides having even lower k values.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is a method for forming carbon doped oxide layers by chemical vapor deposition using a source gas that includes:
(a) an alkyl-alkoxysilane having the formula (R
1
)
n
(R
2
O)
4−n
Si where R
1
and R
2
are lower alkyl groups, e.g., having between 1 and 4 carbon atoms, inclusive, and n is an integer between 0 and 3, inclusive, with the proviso that when R
1
and R
2
are methyl groups, n is not equal to 2; or
(b) a fluorinated alkoxysilane having the formula (R
3
O)
n
SiF
4−n
where R
3
is a lower alkyl group, e.g., having between 1 and 4 carbon atoms, inclusive, and n is an integer between 1 and 3, inclusive.
These source gases may be used alone or in combination with each other. They may also be used in combination with other gases that provide a source of oxygen, silicon, and/or carbon.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4845054 (1989-07-01), Mitchener
patent: 5908672 (1999-06-01), Ryu et al.
Andideh Ebrahim
Wong Larry
Fish & Richardson P.C.
Intel Corporation
Pianalto Bernard
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