A method of depositing an insulating film over a substrate having a gap formed between two adjacent raised features. The method includes depositing one portion of the insulating film over the substrate and in the gap using a high density plasma process that has simultaneous deposition and sputtering components and depositing another portion of the insulating film over the substrate and in the gap using an atomic layer deposition process. In some embodiments the portion of the film deposited by an atomic layer deposition process is deposited over the portion of the film deposited using a high density plasma CVD technique. In other embodiments, the portion of the film deposited by a high density plasma CVD process is deposited over the portion of the film deposited using an atomic layer deposition process.
A method of forming a pre-metal dielectric (PMD) layer is disclosed. In the method, after a nitride liner layer is formed on a substrate having a transistor, a USG layer is deposited thereon and then planarized. Next, ion implantation and annealing are performed for gettering, first in a gate region and then in a non-gate region of the USG layer. The USG layer is generally free from plasma damage and has a good gap-fill capability. Further, ion implantation and annealing after deposition of the USG layer may enhance a gap-fill capability, a gettering capability, and electrical properties of a transistor.
A film forming method, for depositing a thin film on a surface of a substrate mounted on a mounting table disposed in a vacuum processing chamber, includes an adsorption process for adsorbing a film forming material on the substrate by introducing a source gas into the processing chamber; and a reaction process for carrying out a film forming reaction, after the adsorption process, by introducing an energy transfer gas into the processing chamber and supplying thermal energy to the film forming material adsorbed on the substrate. By repeating the above process, the thin film is formed on the substrate in a layer-by-layer manner.
