US 12,327,733 B2
Methods to reduce UNCD film roughness
Vicknesh Sahmuganathan, Singapore (SG); Eswaranand Venkatasubramanian, Santa Clara, CA (US); Jiteng Gu, Singapore (SG); Kian Ping Loh, Singapore (SG); Abhijit Basu Mallick, Sunnyvale, CA (US); and John Sudijono, Singapore (SG)
Assigned to Applied Materials, Inc., Santa Clara, CA (US); and National University of Singapore, Singapore (SG)
Filed by Applied Materials, Inc., Santa Clara, CA (US); and National University of Singapore, Singapore (SG)
Filed on Feb. 15, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/671,938.
Prior Publication US 2023/0260800 A1, Aug. 17, 2023
Int. Cl. H01L 21/311 (2006.01); H01L 21/02 (2006.01)
CPC H01L 21/31144 (2013.01) [H01L 21/02115 (2013.01); H01L 21/02274 (2013.01); H01L 21/02205 (2013.01)] 17 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method of forming a patterned hard mask, the method comprising:
exposing a semiconductor wafer to a deposition gas comprising a boron dopant gas comprising 5% to 20% diborane in H2 on a molar basis, a carbon gas comprising one or more of methane or carbon dioxide in H2 and 50% to 90% argon on a molar basis at a temperature less than or equal to 550° C.;
igniting a pulsed microwave plasma from the deposition gas to form a boron doped ultrananocrystalline diamond film having an average roughness less in a range of from 0.1 nm to 5 nm and a modulus in a range of from 250 to 400 GPa; wherein there is a gas pressure during forming the boron doped ultrananocrystalline diamond film in a range of 0.2 Torr to 2 Torr and a plasma power in a range of from 3 kW to 10 KW; and
patterning the hard mask to form the patterned hard mask.