Ion and chemical radical effects on the step coverage of plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition tetraethylorthosilicate films

Abstract

We have compared the step coverage of plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition tetraethylorthosilicate films of microwave downstream, high frequency radio frequency (rf), and low frequency rf depositions. The microwave-downstream deposition, characterized by bimolecular surface reactions, produces a conformal step coverage. The rf depositions with ion-induced surface reactions produce a low sidewall, high bottom coverage. The chemical radical and the ion effects on the step coverage are discussed.