Methods for forming silicon-containing epitaxial layers and related semiconductor device structures

• US 10,446,393 B2
• Filed: 04/19/2018
• Issued: 10/15/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 05/08/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ASM IP Holding B.V. (ASM International NV)
• Original Assignee: ASM IP Holding B.V. (ASM International NV)
• Inventors: Bhargava, Nupur, Tolle, John, Margetis, Joe, Goodman, Matthew, Vyne, Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): Shook, Daniel P
• Application Number:
  US15/957,565
• Publication Number:
  US 20180323059A1
• Time in Patent Office: 544 Days
• CPC Class Codes: C30B 25/02 Epitaxial-layer growth
• CPC Class Codes: C30B 25/10 Heating of the reaction chamber or the substrate
• CPC Class Codes: C30B 29/06 Silicon
• CPC Class Codes: C30B 29/10 Inorganic compounds or compositions
• CPC Class Codes: C30B 29/52 Alloys
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02532 Silicon, silicon germanium, germanium
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02535 including tin
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02573 Conductivity type
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02576 N-type
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02579 P-type
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/0262 Reduction or decomposition of gaseous compounds, e.g. CVD
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/1054 with a variation of the composition, e.g. channel with strained layer for increasing the mobility
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/66795 with a horizontal current flow in a vertical sidewall of a semiconductor body, e.g. FinFET, MuGFET

Abstract

A method for forming a silicon-containing epitaxial layer is disclosed. The method may include, heating a substrate to a temperature of less than approximately 950° C. and exposing the substrate to a first silicon source comprising a hydrogenated silicon source, a second silicon source, a dopant source, and a halogen source. The method may also include depositing a silicon-containing epitaxial layer wherein the dopant concentration within the silicon-containing epitaxial layer is greater than 3×10²¹ atoms per cubic centimeter.

Claims

1. A method for forming a silicon-containing epitaxial layer, the method comprising:

heating a substrate to a temperature of less than approximately 950°

C.;

exposing the substrate to a first silicon source comprising a hydrogenated silicon source, a second silicon source, a dopant source, and a halogen source; and

depositing a silicon-containing epitaxial layer;

wherein the dopant concentration within the silicon-containing epitaxial layer is greater than 3×

10²¹ atoms per cubic centimeter.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising selecting the hydrogenated silicon source to comprise at least one of silane (SiH₄), disilane (Si₂H₆), trisilane (Si₃H₈) or tetrasilane (Si₄H₁₀).

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising selecting the second silicon source to comprise a chlorinated silicon source.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising selecting the chlorinated silicon source to comprise at least one of:

monochlorosilane (MCS), dichlorosilane (DCS), trichlorosilane (TSC), hexachlorodisilane (HODS), octachlorotrisilane (OCTS), or silicon tetrachloride (STC).

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising selecting the dopant source to comprise at least one of:

phosphorous, boron, arsenic, gallium, aluminum, tin, or germanium.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising selecting the halogen source to comprise at least one of:

hydrogen chloride (HCl), or chlorine (Cl₂).

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the silicon-containing epitaxial layer has a thickness non-uniformity of less than 3% 1-sigma.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising depositing the silicon-containing epitaxial layer at a growth rate of greater than approximately 50 Å

/min.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising depositing the silicon-containing epitaxial layer at a growth rate of greater than approximately 125 Å

/min.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein depositing the silicon-containing epitaxial layer further comprises depositing a fully strained silicon-containing epitaxial layer.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the silicon-containing epitaxial layer comprises at least one of:

Si, Si;

P, Si;

B, Si;

B;

C, SiGe, SiGe;

C. SiGe;

P, SiGe;

B, SiGeSn;

P, or SiGeSn;

B.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising depositing the silicon-containing epitaxial layer to a thickness of greater than 100 nanometers.

13. A semiconductor device structure comprising the silicon-containing epitaxial layer formed by the method of claim 1.

14. A method of forming a doped silicon epitaxial layer by chemical vapor deposition, the method comprising:

heating a substrate disposed within a reaction chamber to a temperature of less than approximately 950°

C.;

exposing the substrate to a gas mixture, wherein the gas mixture comprises;

a first silicon source comprising silane;

a second silicon source comprising a chlorinated silicon source;

a halogen source; and

a dopant source; and

depositing a doped silicon epitaxial layer on the substrate;

wherein the dopant concentration within the doped silicon epitaxial layer is greater than 3×

10²¹ atoms per cubic centimeter.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising selecting the chlorinated silicon source to comprise at least one of:

monochlorosilane (MCS), dichlorosilane (DCS), trichlorosilane (TSC), hexachlorodisilane (HODS), octachlorotrisilane (OCTS) or silicon tetrachloride (STC).

16. The method of claim 14, further comprising selecting the dopant source to comprise at least one of:

phosphorous, boron, arsenic, gallium, aluminum, tin or germanium.

17. The method of claim 14, further comprising selecting the halogen source to comprise at least one of:

hydrogen chloride (HCl) or chlorine (Cl₂).

18. The method of claim 14, further comprising depositing the doped silicon epitaxial layer at a growth rate of greater than approximately 100 Å

/min.

19. The method of claim 14, wherein depositing the doped silicon epitaxial layer further comprises depositing a fully strained doped silicon epitaxial layer.

20. A semiconductor device structure comprising the doped silicon epitaxial layer formed by the method of claim 14.