Abstract: Methods forming a low-? dielectric material on a substrate are described. The methods may include the steps of producing a radical precursor by flowing an unexcited precursor into a remote plasma region, and reacting the radical precursor with a gas-phase silicon precursor to deposit a flowable film on the substrate. The gas-phase silicon precursor may include at least one silicon-and-oxygen containing compound and at least one silicon-and-carbon linker. The flowable film may be cured to form the low-? dielectric material.

Abstract: Methods are described for forming and curing a flowable silicon-carbon-and-nitrogen-containing layer on a semiconductor substrate. The silicon and carbon constituents may come from a silicon and carbon containing precursor while the nitrogen may come from a nitrogen-containing precursor that has been activated to speed the reaction of the nitrogen with the silicon-and-carbon-containing precursor at lower deposition chamber temperatures. The initially-flowable silicon-carbon-and-nitrogen-containing layer is treated to remove components which enabled the flowability, but are no longer needed after deposition. Removal of the components increases etch resistance in order to allow the gapfill silicon-carbon-and-nitrogen-containing layer to remain intact during subsequent processing. The treatments have been found to decrease the evolution of properties of the film upon exposure to atmosphere.

Abstract: Methods are described for forming and treating a flowable silicon-carbon-and-nitrogen-containing layer on a semiconductor substrate. The silicon and carbon constituents may come from a silicon-and-carbon-containing precursor while the nitrogen may come from a nitrogen-containing precursor that has been activated to speed the reaction of the nitrogen with the silicon-and-carbon-containing precursor at lower deposition temperatures. The initially-flowable silicon-carbon-and-nitrogen-containing layer is ion implanted to increase etch tolerance, prevent shrinkage, adjust film tension and/or adjust electrical characteristics. Ion implantation may also remove components which enabled the flowability, but are no longer needed after deposition. Some treatments using ion implantation have been found to decrease the evolution of properties of the film upon exposure to atmosphere.

Abstract: Methods are described for forming a dielectric layer on a semiconductor substrate. The methods may include providing a silicon-containing precursor and an energized nitrogen-containing precursor to a chemical vapor deposition chamber. The silicon-containing precursor and the energized nitrogen-containing precursor may be reacted in the chemical vapor deposition chamber to deposit a flowable silicon-carbon-nitrogen material on the substrate. The methods may further include treating the flowable silicon-carbon-nitrogen material to form the dielectric layer on the semiconductor substrate.