Characterization of electron cyclotron resonance plasma oxide for sub-half micron technology

Electron cyclotron resonance plasma oxide (ECR oxide) for inter-metal dielectric application has been well characterized for sub-half micron technology. Compared to spin-on-glass (SOG) and O₃ -TEOS films, the developed ECR oxide process has much superior moisture resistance and lower compressive film stress. The void-free gap filling performance for spacing below 0.4 μm and aspect ratio exceeding two is demonstrated. Good planarity can be obtained by combining the ECR CVD process with either SOG full etchback or chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) technique. The impact of the ECR CVD process on devices is also evaluated. The device damage can he observed if the ECR CVD process is not optimized. The most crucial process parameter for device damage is microwave power; reducing microwave power can eliminate the device damage