Methods for filling gaps with dielectric material involve deposition using an atomic layer deposition (ALD) technique to fill a gap followed by deposition of a cap layer on the filled gap by a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) technique. The ALD deposition may be a plasma-enhanced ALD (PEALD) or thermal ALD (tALD) deposition. The CVD deposition may be plasma-enhanced CVD (PECVD) or thermal CVD (tCVD) deposition. In some embodiments, the CVD deposition is performed in the same chamber as the ALD deposition without intervening process operations. This in-situ deposition of the cap layer results in a high throughput process with high uniformity. After the process, the wafer is ready for chemical-mechanical planarization (CMP) in some embodiments.

Methods for filling gaps with dielectric material involve deposition using an atomic layer deposition (ALD) technique to fill a gap followed by deposition of a cap layer on the filled gap by a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) technique. The ALD deposition may be a plasma-enhanced ALD (PEALD) or thermal ALD (tALD) deposition. The CVD deposition may be plasma-enhanced CVD (PECVD) or thermal CVD (tCVD) deposition. In some embodiments, the CVD deposition is performed in the same chamber as the ALD deposition without intervening process operations. This in-situ deposition of the cap layer results in a high throughput process with high uniformity. After the process, the wafer is ready for chemical-mechanical planarization (CMP) in some embodiments.

An ignition control method is performed in a film forming apparatus including: a processing container that accommodates a substrate; a plasma box; a pair of electrodes disposed in the processing container to sandwich the plasma box; and a radio-frequency (RF) power supply connected to the pair of electrodes via a matching box. The ignition control method includes: (a) setting a process type that specifies a processing condition of the substrate; (b) measuring first information indicating a voltage between the pair of electrodes for each of a plurality of adjustment positions of the variable capacitor; (c) determining a preset value of the variable capacitor based on the first information measured in (b); and (d) setting an initial position of each of the plurality of adjustment positions of the variable capacitor to the preset value determined in (c).

An ignition control method is performed in a film forming apparatus including: a processing container that accommodates a substrate; a plasma box; a pair of electrodes disposed in the processing container to sandwich the plasma box; and a radio-frequency (RF) power supply connected to the pair of electrodes via a matching box. The ignition control method includes: (a) setting a process type that specifies a processing condition of the substrate; (b) measuring first information indicating a voltage between the pair of electrodes for each of a plurality of adjustment positions of the variable capacitor; (c) determining a preset value of the variable capacitor based on the first information measured in (b); and (d) setting an initial position of each of the plurality of adjustment positions of the variable capacitor to the preset value determined in (c).

An apparatus includes a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) reactor, an injector column that provides a metal organic precursor vapor into the CVD reactor, a heater in thermal communication with the injector column, and a control circuit configured to control the heater and thereby maintain the metal organic precursor vapor in the injector column above a saturation temperature. The control circuit may be configured to control the heater to maintain a temperature of the metal organic precursor vapor in the injector column in a temperature range from about 85 degrees Centigrade to about 200 degrees Centigrade. A temperature of the metal organic precursor vapor entering the injector column may be in a range from about 160 degrees Centigrade to about 200 degrees Centigrade and a pressure of the metal organic precursor vapor entering the injector column may be in a range from about 50 mbar to about 1000 mbar.

An apparatus includes a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) reactor, an injector column that provides a metal organic precursor vapor into the CVD reactor, a heater in thermal communication with the injector column, and a control circuit configured to control the heater and thereby maintain the metal organic precursor vapor in the injector column above a saturation temperature. The control circuit may be configured to control the heater to maintain a temperature of the metal organic precursor vapor in the injector column in a temperature range from about 85 degrees Centigrade to about 200 degrees Centigrade. A temperature of the metal organic precursor vapor entering the injector column may be in a range from about 160 degrees Centigrade to about 200 degrees Centigrade and a pressure of the metal organic precursor vapor entering the injector column may be in a range from about 50 mbar to about 1000 mbar.

Processing chambers and methods to disrupt the boundary layer are described. The processing chamber includes a showerhead and a substrate support therein. The showerhead and the substrate support are spaced to have a process gap between them. In use, a boundary layer is formed adjacent to the substrate support or wafer surface. As the reaction occurs at the wafer surface, reaction products and byproduct are produced, resulting in reduced chemical utilization rate. The processing chamber and methods described disrupt the boundary layer by changing one or more process parameters (e.g., pressure, flow rate, time, process gap or temperature of fluid passing through the showerhead).

Processing chambers and methods to disrupt the boundary layer are described. The processing chamber includes a showerhead and a substrate support therein. The showerhead and the substrate support are spaced to have a process gap between them. In use, a boundary layer is formed adjacent to the substrate support or wafer surface. As the reaction occurs at the wafer surface, reaction products and byproduct are produced, resulting in reduced chemical utilization rate. The processing chamber and methods described disrupt the boundary layer by changing one or more process parameters (e.g., pressure, flow rate, time, process gap or temperature of fluid passing through the showerhead).

A method includes identifying time values for a length of time to carry out process fluid delivery within multiple processing chambers that concurrently process multiple substrates; translating each time value to a recipe parameter for execution of an operation of a processing recipe; and causing the operation to be performed using each recipe parameter as a control value to control valves of a fluid panel of the multiple processing chambers. For each processing chamber of the multiple processing chambers, selectively controlling process fluid flow to the process chamber for a first period of time corresponding to a time value of the set of time values and to a divert foreline of the process chamber for a second period of time.

A method includes identifying time values for a length of time to carry out process fluid delivery within multiple processing chambers that concurrently process multiple substrates; translating each time value to a recipe parameter for execution of an operation of a processing recipe; and causing the operation to be performed using each recipe parameter as a control value to control valves of a fluid panel of the multiple processing chambers. For each processing chamber of the multiple processing chambers, selectively controlling process fluid flow to the process chamber for a first period of time corresponding to a time value of the set of time values and to a divert foreline of the process chamber for a second period of time.