US 12,431,361 B2
Self-aligned double patterning with spatial atomic layer deposition
Ning Li, San Jose, CA (US); Victor Nguyen, Novato, CA (US); Mihaela Balseanu, Sunnyvale, CA (US); Li-Qun Xia, Cupertino, CA (US); Keiichi Tanaka, San Jose, CA (US); and Steven D. Marcus, San Jose, CA (US)
Assigned to Applied Materials, Inc., Santa Clara, CA (US)
Filed by Applied Materials, Inc., Santa Clara, CA (US)
Filed on Nov. 1, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/516,096.
Application 17/516,096 is a continuation of application No. 14/595,595, filed on Jan. 13, 2015, granted, now 11,164,753.
Claims priority of provisional application 61/926,589, filed on Jan. 13, 2014.
Prior Publication US 2022/0059362 A1, Feb. 24, 2022
Int. Cl. H01L 21/3065 (2006.01); C23C 16/455 (2006.01); H01J 37/32 (2006.01); H01L 21/033 (2006.01); H01L 21/311 (2006.01); H01L 21/687 (2006.01)
CPC H01L 21/31144 (2013.01) [C23C 16/45551 (2013.01); H01J 37/32357 (2013.01); H01J 37/3244 (2013.01); H01L 21/0337 (2013.01); H01L 21/68764 (2013.01); H01L 21/68771 (2013.01)] 16 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A processing method for self-aligned double patterning, the processing method comprising:
exposing a patterned layer of a substrate to a plasma, the substrate having a first layer and the patterned layer thereon, portions of the first layer exposed through the patterned layer, the patterned layer comprising a feature having a top surface and two vertical faces defining an initial width prior to exposing the patterned layer to the plasma and with an aspect ratio greater than about 3:1, the two vertical faces substantially perpendicular to the first layer;
reducing the initial width of the patterned layer by an amount greater than or equal to about 30% of the initial width of a feature;
depositing a substantially conformal spacer layer over the first layer and patterned layer by radical assisted ALD with a direct plasma and an ion blocker at a temperature less than 100° C., the ion blocker filtering out ionic components from the direct plasma, so that the substantially conformal spacer layer forms a film on the portions of the first layer exposed through the patterned layer, the top surface and both vertical faces of the feature; and
etching the substantially conformal spacer layer from the top surface of the feature and the portions of the first layer exposed through the patterned layer,
wherein each of exposing the pattern layer to the plasma, depositing the substantially conformal spacer layer and the etching the spacer layer occurs in a single processing chamber in which the substrate is moved laterally between a plurality of sections, each section separated from adjacent sections by a gas curtain,
wherein during the substrate being moved laterally:
a first portion of the substrate is exposed to one of the exposing the patterned layer, reducing the initial width of the patterned layer, depositing the substantially conformal spacer layer, or etching the conformal spacer layer,
at the same time that a second portion of the substrate is exposed to a different one of the exposing the patterned layer, reducing the initial width of the patterned layer, depositing the substantially conformal spacer layer, or etching the conformal spacer layer, and
at the same time that an intermediate portion of the substrate is exposed to the gas curtain.