Patent ID: 9171736
Filing Date: 2015-10-27
Classification: H01J,H01L

Abstract:
1. A method for performing a spacer etch process utilizing a post deposition treatment, the method comprising: conformally applying a spacer material over a gate structure on a substrate, the spacer material having an initial K-value; treating an exposed surface of said spacer material to an oxygen-containing plasma environment to form a spacer oxidation layer; and performing one or more spacer etch process sequences to partially remove said spacer oxidation layer and spacer material from said gate structure and said substrate, while retaining a sidewall spacer positioned along a sidewall of said gate structure resulting in a bi-layer spacer with the spacer oxidation layer on the outer side of the spacer yielding a spacer with a final K-value; and controlling spacer etch variables in order to achieve a target difference of initial K-value to final K-value of the spacer; wherein the spacer material comprises silicon nitride (Si wherein the spacer material conformally applied over the gate structure has a thickness less than or equal to 10 nanometers (nm), the oxygen-containing environment contains an oxygen-containing plasma, the oxygen-containing plasma comprises O, O 2 , O 3 , CO, CO 2 , NO, N 2 O, or NO 2 , or any combination of two or more thereof, and the oxygen containing plasma has a flow rate of 300 to 400 sccm.