Damage-free plasma treatment before SACVD deposition

Charging impact of various plasma treatments before intermetal dielectric SACVD deposition has been investigated. Dry strip using CF/sub 4//O/sub 2/ or CF/sub 4//H/sub 2/O plasma as well as SACVD pre-treatments with O/sub 2/, N/sub 2/ are compared with no plasma treatment. Furthermore, O/sub 2/, pre-treatment is investigated for a lamp-heated and a D/spl times/Z SACVD deposition tool. The evaluation methods in-line Plasma Damage Monitor (PDM) wafers, end-of-line electrically tested antenna structures, Q/sub bd/ measurements and product yield data show consistent results. The studied dry strip recipes using CF/sub 4//O/sub 2/ or CF/sub 4//H/sub 2/O plasma introduce some charging. A N/sub 2/ plasma pre-treatment results in high PDM values (40 V), no failing antenna structures, no Q/sub bd/ fails and some yield loss (0.9%). This work showed for O/sub 2/ pre-treatment on a lamp-heated deposition tool excessive PDM values (-31 V), failing antenna structures (6.9%), Q/sub bd/ fails (4.2%) and yield loss (1.8%). However, the use of a O/sub 2/ plasma in a D/spl times/Z tool is found to be the best pre-treatment.