Patent ID: 8349741

Claim:
A method of forming a composite amorphous carbon layer for improved stack defectivity on a substrate, comprising: introducing a hydrocarbon source gas into a process chamber containing a substrate having a defect formed thereon; introducing a diluent source gas into the process chamber; introducing a plasma-initiating gas into the process chamber; generating a plasma in the process chamber; forming an amorphous carbon initiation layer on the substrate, wherein a ratio of a volumetric flow rate of the hydrocarbon source gas to a volumetric flow rate of the diluent source gas is 1:12 or less and wherein the amorphous carbon initiation layer suppresses the growth of the defect; and forming a bulk amorphous carbon layer on the amorphous carbon initiation layer, wherein a volumetric flow rate of a hydrocarbon source gas used to form the bulk amorphous carbon layer to a volumetric flow rate of a diluent source gas is 1:6 or greater to form the composite amorphous carbon layer.