"Plasma charging damage induced by a power ramp down step in the end of plasma enhanced chemical vapour deposition (PECVD) process

Zhichun Wang, Jan Ackaert, Cora Salm, F.G. Kuper, Klara Bessemans, Eddy de Backer

    Research output: Contribution to conferencePaper

    1 Downloads (Pure)

    Abstract

    Plasma Enhanced Chemical Vapour Deposition (PECVD) is one of the main plasma processes which induce charging damage to gate oxides during the VLSI processes. All the previous studies, however, describe the charging phenomena only at the beginning of PECVD process, when a very thin oxide layer covers the metal lines. We present and analyze in this paper, a new strong charging phenomenon in the end of PECVD process when a thick oxide layer already covers and insulates the metal lines. The damage occurs during a plasma power ramp down (PPRD) step. The simultaneous presence of elevated temperatures, UV light, a large perimeter conductor and a highly non uniform plasma during PPRD step, causes the damage of gate oxide.
    Original languageUndefined
    Pages766-770
    Number of pages5
    Publication statusPublished - 25 Nov 2003
    Event6th Annual Workshop on Semiconductor Advances for Future Electronics and Sensors, SAFE 2003 - Veldhoven, Netherlands
    Duration: 25 Nov 200326 Nov 2003
    Conference number: 6

    Conference

    Conference6th Annual Workshop on Semiconductor Advances for Future Electronics and Sensors, SAFE 2003
    Abbreviated titleSAFE
    Country/TerritoryNetherlands
    CityVeldhoven
    Period25/11/0326/11/03

    Keywords

    • Plasma Enhanced Chemical Vapour Deposition (PECVD)
    • Plasma charging damage
    • Gate oxide
    • IR-67746
    • EWI-15569

    Cite this