Material for contact etch layer to enhance device performance

Abstract

Stress level of a nitride film is adjusted as a function of two or more of the following: identity of a starting material precursor used to make the nitride film; identity of a nitrogen-containing precursor with which is treated the starting material precursor; ratio of the starting material precursor to the nitrogen-containing precursor; a set of CVD conditions under which the film is grown; and/or a thickness to which the film is grown. A rapid thermal chemical vapor deposition (RTCVD) film produced by reacting a compound containing silicon, nitrogen and carbon (such as bis-tertiary butyl amino silane (BTBAS)) with NH 3 can provide advantageous properties, such as high stress and excellent performance in an etch-stop application. An ammonia-treated BTBAS film is particularly excellent in providing a high-stress property, and further having maintainability of that high-stress property over repeated annealing.

1 - 14 . (canceled)  
   
   
       15 . A silicon nitride film, comprising a film with a high stress provision in an amount exceeding +10 G dynes/cm 2 .  
   
   
       16 . The silicon nitride film of  claim 15 , wherein the film comprises a reaction product of bis-tertiary butyl amino silane (BTBAS) and NH 3 .  
   
   
       17 . The silicon nitride film of  claim 15 , wherein the reaction product has a chemical structure of Si x N y C z H w  wherein x, y, z and w are each an integer or non-integer greater than zero.  
   
   
       18 . The silicon nitride film of  claim 15 , wherein the film is stress-providing in a range of about +14 to +18 G dynes/cm 2 .  
   
   
       19 - 23 . (canceled)  
   
   
       24 . A nitride liner formed by a rapid thermal chemical vapor deposition (RTCVD), plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD), or low pressure chemical vapor deposition (LPCVD) process, said liner comprising: 
 a nitride film which is a reaction product of bis-tertiary butyl amino silane (BTBAS) and NH 3 .    
   
   
       25 . The nitride liner of  claim 24 , wherein the nitride film has a tensile stress exceeding +10 G dynes/cm 2 .  
   
   
       26 . The nitride liner of  claim 25 , wherein the nitride film has a tensile stress of at least +14.5 G dynes/cm 2 .  
   
   
       27 . The nitride liner of  claim 24 , wherein the ammonia-treated BTBAS reaction product maintains a relatively-high stress level after repeated annealing.  
   
   
       28 - 37 . (canceled)