Carbosilane Precursors For Low Temperature Film Deposition

Abstract

Provided are processes for the low temperature deposition of silicon-containing films using carbosilane precursors containing a carbon atom bridging at least two silicon atoms. Certain methods comprise providing a substrate; in a PECVD process, exposing the substrate surface to a carbosilane precursor containing at least one carbon atom bridging at least two silicon atoms; exposing the carbosilane precursor to a low-powered energy sourcedirect plasma to provide a carbosilane at the substrate surface; and densifying the carbosilanestripping away at least some of the hydrogen atoms to provide a film comprising SiC. The SiC film may be exposed to the carbosilane surface to a nitrogen source to provide a film comprising SiCN.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of forming a layer on a substrate surface, the method comprising:
 providing a substrate;   in a PECVD process, exposing the substrate surface to a carbosilane precursor containing at least one carbon atom bridging at least two silicon atoms;   exposing the carbosilane precursor to a low-powered energy source to provide a carbosilane at the substrate surface; and   stripping away at least some of the hydrogen atoms to provide a film comprising SiC.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein stripping away at least some of the hydrogen atoms comprises exposing the substrate surface to a plasma containing one or more of He, Ar and H 2 . 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the film comprising SiC has a ratio of Si:C approximately matching that of the carbosilane precursor. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the carbosilane precursor is one or more of 1,3,5-trisilapentane, 1,3-disilapropane, 1,3-disilabutane, 1,3-disilacyclobutane and 1,3,5-trisilacyclohexane. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the carbosilane precursor comprises 1,3,5-trisilapentane. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the carbosilane precursor comprises 1,3-disilapropane. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the SiC film has a ratio of Si:C of about 3:2. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the carbosilane precursor comprises 1,3-disilabutane. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein exposing the carbosilane precursor to a direct plasma results in polymerization of the carbosilane. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the low-powered plasma has an RF value of about 50 W to about 500 W. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the substrate surface has a temperature of about 100 and about 400° C. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the SiC film is suitable as a low k dielectric film. 
     
     
         13 . A method of forming a layer on a substrate surface, the method comprising:
 providing a substrate;   exposing the substrate surface to a carbosilane precursor 1,3-disilapropane, 1,3,5-trisilapentane, 1,3-disilabutane, 1,3-disilacyclobutane and 1,3,5-trisilacyclohexane;   exposing the carbosilane precursor to a low-powered plasma to provide a carbosilane at the substrate surface;   exposing the carbosilane to a plasma comprising H 2 .