US 12,362,169 B2
Methods and apparatus for low temperature silicon nitride films
Wenbo Yan, Sunnyvale, CA (US); Cong Trinh, Santa Clara, CA (US); Ning Li, San Jose, CA (US); Mihaela Balseanu, Sunnyvale, CA (US); Li-Qun Xia, Cupertino, CA (US); and Maribel Maldonado-Garcia, San Jose, CA (US)
Assigned to Applied Materials, Inc., Santa Clara, CA (US)
Filed by Applied Materials, Inc., Santa Clara, CA (US)
Filed on May 10, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/316,124.
Application 17/316,124 is a continuation of application No. 16/477,671, granted, now 11,017,997, previously published as PCT/US2018/013320, filed on Jan. 11, 2018.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/446,276, filed on Jan. 13, 2017.
Prior Publication US 2021/0265157 A1, Aug. 26, 2021
Int. Cl. H01L 21/02 (2006.01); C23C 16/34 (2006.01); C23C 16/455 (2006.01); H01L 21/687 (2006.01)
CPC H01L 21/0217 (2013.01) [C23C 16/345 (2013.01); C23C 16/45542 (2013.01); H01L 21/02211 (2013.01); H01L 21/02274 (2013.01); H01L 21/0228 (2013.01); H01L 21/68771 (2013.01)] 16 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method of forming a silicon nitride film, the method comprising:
exposing a substrate having a metal layer thereon to a silicon precursor to form a silicon-containing film on the substrate surface;
exposing the silicon-containing film to a nitrogen-containing reactant to form a silicon nitride film on the substrate surface without the use of plasma; and
exposing the silicon nitride film on the substrate surface to a hydrogen-containing plasma to form a low etch silicon nitride film,
wherein the method is performed at a temperature less than or equal to about 250° C.