US 12,230,499 B2
Methods of post treating silicon nitride based dielectric films with high energy low dose plasma
Yong Sun, San Jose, CA (US); Jung Chan Lee, San Jose, CA (US); Shuchi Sunil Ojha, Redwood City, CA (US); Praket Prakash Jha, San Jose, CA (US); and Jingmei Liang, San Jose, CA (US)
Assigned to Applied Materials, Inc., Santa Clara, CA (US)
Filed by Applied Materials, Inc., Santa Clara, CA (US)
Filed on Jun. 4, 2020, as Appl. No. 16/892,990.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/858,158, filed on Jun. 6, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2020/0388483 A1, Dec. 10, 2020
Int. Cl. H01L 21/02 (2006.01)
CPC H01L 21/0234 (2013.01) [H01L 21/0217 (2013.01); H01L 21/02208 (2013.01)] 19 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method of post-treating a silicon nitride (SiN)-based dielectric film formed on a surface of a substrate, comprising:
positioning a substrate having a silicon nitride (SiN)-based dielectric film formed thereon in a processing chamber; and
exposing the silicon nitride (SiN)-based dielectric film to helium-containing plasma in the processing chamber, wherein
energy of helium ions in the helium-containing plasma is between 1 eV and 3.01 eV, and
flux density of the helium ions in the helium-containing plasma is between 5×1015 ions/cm2·sec and 1.37×1016 ions/cm2·sec.