Formation of silicon oxynitride film by plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition

PURPOSE: To provide formation of silicon oxynitride film at low deposition temp. without using chemicals based on ammonia. CONSTITUTION: An improved method of formation of silicon oxynitride is provided by using a reactant gas mixture of silane, nitorus oxide and nitrogen at a low deposition temp. of less than 250°C, and flowing the reactant gas mixture through a gas inlet manifold 16. In many cases, the gas inlet manifold 16 is also an electrode in a plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition chamber 12. The gas inletmanifold is a plate 44 of a parallel plate plasma chamber for communicating the reactant gas into the chamber. The plate 44 has a plurality of apertures 40, each comprising an outlet at a chamber or processing side of the plate and the outlet being larger than the inlet for enhancing the disociation and reactivity of the gas. COPYRIGHT: (C)1996,JPO