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Embodiments of the present invention provide methods, apparatuses, and devices related to chemical vapor deposition of silicon oxide. In one embodiment, a single-step deposition process is used to efficiently form a silicon oxide layer exhibiting high conformality and favorable gap-filling propertie

Embodiments of the present invention provide methods, apparatuses, and devices related to chemical vapor deposition of silicon oxide. In one embodiment, a single-step deposition process is used to efficiently form a silicon oxide layer exhibiting high conformality and favorable gap-filling properties. During a pre-deposition gas flow stabilization phase and an initial deposition stage, a relatively low ratio of silicon-containing gas:oxidant deposition gas is flowed, resulting in formation of highly conformal silicon oxide at relatively slow rates. Over the course of the deposition process step, the ratio of silicon-containing gas:oxidant gas is increased, resulting in formation of less-conformal oxide material at relatively rapid rates during later stages of the deposition process step.

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What is claimed is: 1. A method for forming a silicon oxide layer comprising: providing a continuous flow of a silicon-containing processing gas to a chamber housing a substrate; providing a flow of an oxidizing processing gas to the chamber; providing a flow of a processing gas containing a dopant

What is claimed is: 1. A method for forming a silicon oxide layer comprising: providing a continuous flow of a silicon-containing processing gas to a chamber housing a substrate; providing a flow of an oxidizing processing gas to the chamber; providing a flow of a processing gas containing a dopant; causing a reaction between the silicon-containing processing gas, the dopant containing gas, and the oxidizing processing gas to form a silicon oxide layer; and varying over time a ratio of the silicon-containing gas:oxidizing gas flowed into the chamber to alter a rate of deposition of the silicon oxide on the substrate. 2. The method of claim 1 wherein: providing a flow of the silicon-containing gas comprises providing a flow of tetraethylorthosilicate (TEOS); and providing a flow of the oxidizing processing gas comprises providing a flow of ozone. 3. The method of claim 1 wherein varying the ratio of the silicon-containing gas to the oxidizing gas comprises increasing a flow rate of the silicon-containing gas relative to a flow rate of the oxidizing gas. 4. The method of claim 3 wherein varying the ratio of the silicon-containing gas to the oxidizing gas comprises increasing a flow rate of the silicon-containing gas while the flow rate of the oxidizing gas remains constant. 5. The method of claim 3 wherein the silicon oxide is deposited within a recess in the substrate such that a conformal silicon oxide is initially formed within the recess at a first time, followed by formation of a less conformal silicon oxide at a second time. 6. The method of claim 5 wherein the recess comprises a shallow trench positioned between the expected location of adjacent semiconductor devices. 7. The method of claim 5 wherein the recess comprises a space between raised features on the substrate. 8. The method of claim 5 wherein the recess a space between lines of an interconnect metallization structure. 9. The method of claim 1 wherein providing a flow of the silicon-containing gas comprises providing a flow of a gas selected from the group consisting of silane, trimethylsilane, tetramethylsilane, dimethylsilane, diethylsilane, and tetramethylcyclotetrasiloxane, or mixtures thereof. 10. The method of claim 1 wherein providing a flow of the oxidizing gas comprises providing a flow of a gas selected from the group consisting of ozone, oxygen, steam, and NO2, or mixtures thereof. 11. The method of claim 1 wherein varying the ratio of the silicon-containing gas to the oxidizing gas results in a linear change in concentration of the silicon-containing gas over time. 12. The method of claim 1 wherein varying the ratio of the silicon-containing gas to the oxidizing gas results in a nonlinear change in concentration of the silicon-containing gas over time. 13. The method of claim 12 wherein the nonlinear change comprises a step-wise change in concentration of the silicon-containing gas over time. 14. The method of claim 1 further comprising varying, during deposition of the oxide material, a spacing between the substrate and a gas distribution plate introducing the process gases into the chamber. 15. The method of claim 14 wherein the spacing is reduced to enhance a rate of deposition of the silicon oxide. 16. The method of claim 1 further comprising diverting, prior to deposition, the flow of the silicon-containing process gas upstream of the chamber to an exhaust until a rate of the silicon-containing process gas flow has stabilized. 17. The method of claim 1 further comprising varying a flow rate of the dopant containing processing gas. 18. The method of claim 1 wherein the dopant containing processing gas includes a dopant selected from the group consisting of boron, phosphorous, and arsenic. 19. A method for forming a silicon oxide layer comprising: providing a continuous flow of a silicon-containing processing gas to a chamber housing a substrate; providing a flow of an oxidizing processing gas to the chamber; providing a flow of a processing gas containing a dopant; causing a reaction between the silicon-containing processing gas, the dopant containing gas, and the oxidizing processing gas to form a silicon oxide layer; and varying over time a ratio of the silicon-containing gas:dopant containing gas flowed into the chamber to alter a rate of deposition of the silicon oxide on the substrate. 20. The method of claim 19 wherein: providing a flow of the silicon-containing gas comprises providing a flow of tetraethylorthosilicate (TEOS); and providing a flow of the oxidizing processing gas comprises providing a flow of ozone. 21. The method of claim 19 wherein varying the ratio of the silicon-containing gas to the dopant containing gas comprises changing a flow rate of the dopant containing gas. 22. The method of claim 19 wherein the silicon oxide is deposited within a recess in the substrate such that a conformal silicon oxide is initially formed within the recess at a first time, followed by formation of a less conformal silicon oxide at a second time. 23. The method of claim 22 wherein the recess comprises a shallow trench positioned between the expected location of adjacent semiconductor devices. 24. The method of claim 22 wherein the recess comprises a space between raised features on the substrate. 25. The method of claim 22 wherein the recess comprises a space between lines of an interconnect metallization structure. 26. The method of claim 19 wherein providing a flow of the silicon-containing gas comprises providing a flow of a gas selected from the group consisting of silane, trimethylsilane, tetramethylsilane, dimethylsilane, diethylsilane, and tetramethylcyclotetrasiloxane, or mixtures thereof. 27. The method of claim 19 wherein providing a flow of the oxidizing gas comprises providing a flow of a gas selected from the group consisting of ozone, oxygen, steam, and NO2, or mixtures thereof. 28. The method of claim 19 wherein varying the ratio of the dopant containing gas to the silicon-containing gas results in a linear change in concentration of the silicon-containing gas over time. 29. The method of claim 19 wherein varying the ratio of the dopant containing gas to the silicon-containing gas results in a nonlinear change in concentration of the silicon-containing gas over time. 30. The method of claim 29 wherein the nonlinear change comprises a step-wise change in concentration of the silicon-containing gas over time. 31. The method of claim 19 further comprising varying, during deposition of the oxide material, a spacing between the substrate and a gas distribution plate introducing the process gases into the chamber. 32. The method of claim 31 wherein the spacing is reduced to enhance a rate of deposition of the silicon oxide. 33. The method of claim 19 further comprising diverting, prior to deposition, the flow of the silicon-containing process gas upstream of the chamber to an exhaust until a rate of the silicon-containing process gas flow has stabilized. 34. The method of claim 19 wherein flowing the dopant containing processing gas includes flowing gas having a dopant selected from the group consisting of boron, phosphorous, and arsenic. 35. A method for forming a silicon oxide layer comprising: providing a continuous flow of a silicon-containing processing gas to a chamber housing a substrate; providing a flow of an oxidizing processing gas to the chamber; causing a reaction between the silicon-containing processing gas and the oxidizing processing gas to form a silicon oxide layer; varying over time a ratio of the silicon-containing gas:oxidizing gas flowed into the chamber to alter a rate of deposition of the silicon oxide on the substrate; and varying during deposition of the oxide material, a spacing between the substrate and a gas distribution plate introducing gases into the chamber, between about 300 Å and about 100 Å. 36. The method of claim 35 further comprising providing a flow of a processing gas containing a dopant to the chamber, such that the silicon-containing processing gas, the dopant containing gas, and the oxidizing processing gas react to form a silicon oxide layer. 37. The method of claim 36 wherein flowing the dopant containing gas comprises flowing the dopant containing gas including a dopant selected from the group consisting of boron, phosphorous, and arsenic. 38. The method of claim 36 further comprising varying over time a flow rate of the dopant containing gas to alter a rate of deposition of the silicon oxide on the substrate. 39. The method of claim 35 wherein: providing a flow of the silicon-containing gas comprises providing a flow of tetraethylorthosilicate (TEOS); and providing a flow of the oxidizing processing gas comprises providing a flow of ozone. 40. The method of claim 35 wherein varying the ratio of the silicon-containing gas to the oxidizing gas comprises changing a flow rate of the silicon-containing gas relative to a flow rate of the oxidizing gas. 41. The method of claim 35 wherein the silicon oxide is deposited within a recess in the substrate such that a conformal silicon oxide is initially formed within the recess at a first time, followed by formation of a less conformal silicon oxide at a second time. 42. The method of claim 41 wherein the recess comprises a shallow trench positioned between the expected location of adjacent semiconductor devices. 43. The method of claim 41 wherein the recess comprises a space between raised features on the substrate. 44. The method of claim 41 wherein the recess a space between lines of an interconnect metallization structure. 45. The method of claim 35 wherein providing a flow of the silicon-containing gas comprises providing a flow of a gas selected from the group consisting of silane, trimethylsilane, tetramethylsilane, dimethylsilane, diethylsilane, and tetramethylcyclotetrasiloxane, or mixtures thereof. 46. The method of claim 35 wherein providing a flow of the oxidizing gas comprises providing a flow of a gas selected from the group consisting of ozone, oxygen, steam, and NO2, or mixtures thereof.