Methods for forming a silicon germanium tin layer and related semiconductor device structures

• US 10,685,834 B2
• Filed: 05/21/2018
• Issued: 06/16/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 07/05/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ASM IP Holding B.V. (ASM International NV)
• Original Assignee: ASM IP Holdings B.V.
• Inventors: Bhargava, Nupur, Margetis, Joe, Tolle, John
• Primary Examiner(s): Smoot, Stephen W
• Application Number:
  US15/985,261
• Publication Number:
  US 20190013199A1
• Time in Patent Office: 757 Days
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/0272 Deposition of sub-layers, e.g. to promote the adhesion of the main coating
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/14 Deposition of only one other metal element
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/24 Deposition of silicon only
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/28 Deposition of only one other non-metal element
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/401 containing silicon
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/407 of zinc, germanium, cadmium, indium, tin, thallium or bismuth
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/45523 Pulsed gas flow or change of composition over time
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02271 deposition by decomposition or reaction of gaseous or vapour phase compounds, i.e. chemical vapour deposition H01L21/02266 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02381 Silicon, silicon germanium, germanium
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02452 including tin
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02532 Silicon, silicon germanium, germanium
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02535 including tin
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/0262 Reduction or decomposition of gaseous compounds, e.g. CVD
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02658 Pretreatments cleaning in general H01L21/02041
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/547 Monocrystalline silicon PV cells

Abstract

A method for forming a forming a silicon germanium tin (SiGeSn) layer is disclosed. The method may include, providing a substrate within a reaction chamber, exposing the substrate to a pre-deposition precursor pulse, which comprises tin tetrachloride (SnCl₄), exposing the substrate to a deposition precursor gas mixture comprising a hydrogenated silicon source, germane (GeH₄), and tin tetrachloride (SnCl₄), and depositing the silicon germanium tin (SiGeSn) layer over a surface of the substrate. Semiconductor device structures including a silicon germanium tin (SiGeSn) layer formed by the methods of the disclosure are also provided.

Claims

1. A method for forming a silicon germanium tin (SiGeSn) layer, the method comprising:

providing a substrate within a reaction chamber;

exposing the substrate to a pre-deposition precursor pulse which comprises tin tetrachloride (SnCl₄);

exposing the substrate to a deposition precursor gas mixture comprising;

a hydrogenated silicon source, germane (GeH₄), and tin tetrachloride (SnCl₄); and

depositing the silicon germanium tin (SiGeSn) layer over a surface of the substrate.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein providing a substrate within the reaction chamber further comprises selecting the substrate to comprise a growth surface comprising at least one of silicon, germanium and silicon germanium (SiGe).

3. The method of claim 1, wherein exposing the substrate to the pre-deposition precursor pulse comprises forming a catalytic growth surface on the substrate.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein exposing the substrate to the pre-deposition precursor pulse which comprises tin tetrachloride (SnCl₄) further comprises exposing the substrate to tin tetrachloride (SnCl₄) for a time period of between approximately 3 seconds to approximately 20 seconds.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein exposing the substrate to the pre-deposition precursor pulse which comprises tin tetrachloride (SnCl₄) further comprises exposing the substrate to germane (GeH₄) and forming a GeSn seed layer.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein forming the GeSn seed layer further comprises forming the GeSn seed layer with a thickness of between approximately 50 Angstroms and approximately 100 Angstroms.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising selecting the hydrogenated silicon source to comprise at least one of:

disilane (Si₂H₆), trisilane (Si₃H₈), or tetrasilane (Si₄H₁₀).

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the silicon germanium tin (SiGeSn) layer comprises an atomic percentage of silicon of greater than 2 at-%.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the silicon germanium tin (SiGeSn) layer comprises an atomic percentage of germanium of greater than 80 at-%.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the silicon germanium tin (SiGeSn) layer comprises an atomic percentage of tin of greater than 2 at-%.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the silicon germanium tin (SiGeSn) layer comprises an epitaxial layer.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising heating the substrate to a temperature of approximately less than 450°

C.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein depositing the silicon germanium tin (SiGeSn) layer over a surface of the substrate further comprises depositing the silicon germanium tin (SiGeSn) layer utilizing chemical vapor deposition.