Date: 17th Aug 2010

CFD tech for depositing dielectric films in sub 32nm semiconductor chip manfuacturing process

Novellus Systems has developed conformal film deposition (CFD) technology for depositing dielectric films used in the process of manufacturing seminconductor devices in sub 32 nm nodes. CFD technology is used for depositing 100 percent step coverage dielectric films on structures with aspect ratios of up to 4:1 structures. The CFD technology addresses sub-32nm requirements for front-end-of-line (FEOL) applications such as gate liners and spacers, shallow trench isolation high-k metal gate (HKMG) liners, and spacers used for double patterning applications. Novellus says it's CFD oxide films possess quality and composition comparable to thermal oxide films, including low leakage, high break-down voltage, and low wet etch rate.

CFD technology addresses the issues of change in silicon wafer's spacer dimensions from wafer to wafer and lot to lot, through CFD technology deposits dielectric films meeting the low temperature requirements of sub-32nm devices (at substrate temperatures less than 50°C). Novellus Systems claims in comparison to competitive spacer films deposited using an atomic layer deposition process, the combination of Novellus' CFD technology and VECTOR's multi-station sequential deposition (MSSD) architecture delivers superior within-wafer and wafer-to-wafer repeatability, with significantly higher throughput and lower chemical consumption.

The release states with the delay in Extreme UV (EUV) lithography, the semiconductor industry is turning to spacer-based double patterning schemes for sub-3X nm memory and sub-2X nm logic devices. The most cost-effective double patterning schemes utilize a photoresist core followed by a spacer film with 100 percent step coverage. The spacer films have to be deposited using temperatures and chemistries that are compatible with photoresist materials. Spacer films used in a double patterning scheme need to demonstrate excellent conformality with no loading effects that cause line "bending," and yet deliver outstanding within-wafer patterning uniformity.

"CFD technology offers a breakthrough in the deposition of low temperature dielectric films with quality equivalent to a furnace deposition," said Kevin Jennings, senior vice president of Novellus' PECVD Business unit. "As device dimensions shrink beyond 32nm, films deposited using CFD technology will be required for multiple applications. The ability to deposit these films on the reliable, production-proven VECTOR platform ensures superior within-wafer and wafer-to-wafer repeatability, with significantly higher throughput and lower chemical costs."