Abstract: A capacitively coupled Plasma Enhanced Chemical Vapour Deposition (PE-CVD) apparatus has a chamber, a first electrode with a substrate support positioned in the chamber, a second electrode with a gas inlet structure positioned in the chamber, and an RF power source connected to the gas inlet structure for supplying RF power thereto. The gas inlet structure has an edge region, a central region which depends downwardly with respect to the edge region, and one or more precursor gas inlets for introducing a PE-CVD precursor gas mixture to the chamber. The edge region and the central region both constitute part of the second electrode. The precursor gas inlets are disposed in the edge region and the central region is spaced apart from the substrate support to define a plasma dark space channel.

Abstract: A method is for depositing silicon nitride by plasma-enhanced chemical vapour deposition (PECVD). The method includes providing a PECVD apparatus including a chamber and a substrate support disposed within the chamber, positioning a substrate on the substrate support, introducing a nitrogen gas (N2) precursor into the chamber, applying a high frequency (HF) RF power and a low frequency (LF) RF power to sustain a plasma in the chamber, introducing a silane precursor into the chamber while the HF and LF RF powers are being applied so that the silane precursor forms part of the plasma being sustained, and subsequently removing the LF RF power or reducing the LF RF power by at least 90% while continuing to sustain the plasma so that silicon nitride is deposited onto the substrate by PECVD.

Abstract: A plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PE-CVD) apparatus includes a chamber including a circumferential pumping channel, a substrate support disposed within the chamber, one or more gas inlets for introducing gas into the chamber, a plasma production device for producing a plasma in the chamber, and an upper and a lower element positioned in the chamber. The upper element is spaced apart from the substrate support to confine the plasma and to define a first circumferential pumping gap, and the upper element acts as a radially inward wall of the circumferential pumping channel. The upper and lower elements are radially spaced apart to define a second circumferential pumping gap which acts as an entrance to the circumferential pumping channel, in which the second circumferential pumping gap is wider than the first circumferential pumping gap.

Abstract: A substrate having a dielectric film thereon, in which: the dielectric film comprises at least four stacked layers of a dielectric material; the stacked layers comprise compressive layers which are subject to a compressive stress, and tensile layers which are subject to a tensile stress; and there are at least two spaced apart tensile layers which are each adjacent to one or more compressive layers.

Abstract: A plasma-enhanced chemical vapour deposition (PE-CVD) apparatus includes a chamber including a circumferential pumping channel, a substrate support disposed within the chamber, one or more gas inlets for introducing gas into the chamber, a plasma production device for producing a plasma in the chamber, and an upper and a lower element positioned in the chamber. The upper element is spaced apart from the substrate support to confine the plasma and to define a first circumferential pumping gap, and the upper element acts as a radially inward wall of the circumferential pumping channel. The upper and lower elements are radially spaced apart to define a second circumferential pumping gap which acts as an entrance to the circumferential pumping channel, in which the second circumferential pumping gap is wider than the first circumferential pumping gap.

Abstract: A substrate having a dielectric film thereon, in which: the dielectric film comprises at least four stacked layers of a dielectric material; the stacked layers comprise compressive layers which are subject to a compressive stress, and tensile layers which are subject to a tensile stress; and there are at least two spaced apart tensile layers which are each adjacent to one or more compressive layers.