Method for integrated in-situ cleaning and susequent atomic layer deposition within a single processing chamber

• US 20020068458A1
• Filed: 11/26/2001
• Published: 06/06/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/06/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Novellus Systems Incorporated (LAM Research Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Novellus Systems Incorporated (LAM Research Corporation)
• Inventors: Leeser, Karl F., Chiang, Tony P.
• Granted Patent: US 6,949,450 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 438/694
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/0227 by cleaning or etching
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/4412 Details relating to the exhausts, e.g. pumps, filters, scrubbers, particle traps
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/455 characterised by the method used for introducing gases into reaction chamber or for modifying gas flows in reaction chamber
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/45525 Atomic layer deposition [ALD]
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/45536 Use of plasma, radiation or electromagnetic fields
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/45542 Plasma being used non-continuously during the ALD reactions
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/45544 characterized by the apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/45557 Pulsed pressure or control pressure
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/46 characterised by the method used for heating the substrate C23C16/48, C23C16/50 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/466 using thermal contact gas
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/481 by radiant heating of the substrate
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/515 using pulsed discharges
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/3244 Gas supply means
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/32449 Gas control, e.g. control of the gas flow
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/32862 In situ cleaning of vessels and/or internal parts
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/28562 Selective deposition
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/76814 post-treatment or after-treatment, e.g. cleaning or removal of oxides on underlying conductors
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/76838 characterised by the formation and the after-treatment of the conductors etching for patterning the conductors H01L21/3213
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 438/935 Gas flow control

Abstract

A system and sequential method for integrated, in-situ modification of a substrate and subsequent atomic layer deposition of a thin film onto the substrate in an evacuated chamber comprising introducing at least one feed gas into the chamber; generating a plasma from the feed gas; exposing said substrate to ions and/or radicals formed by the plasma; modulating any ions; reacting the substrate with said modulated ions and/or radicals to remove any contaminants from the substrate and producing a modified substrate. These steps are followed, in-situ, by performing an atomic layer deposition of a thin film onto the modified substrate in the chamber including introducing a first reactant gas into said chamber; adsorbing at least one monolayer of the first reactant gas onto the modified substrate; evacuating any excess first reactant gas from the chamber; introducing at least one additional feed gas into the chamber, generating a second plasma from the additional feed gas; exposing the modified substrate to additional ions and/or radicals formed by the plasma; modulating any additional ions; and reacting the adsorbed monolayer of the first reactant gas with any modulated additional ions and/or radicals to deposit the thin film.

Claims

1. A sequential method for integrated, in-situ modification of a substrate and subsequent atomic layer deposition of a thin film onto said substrate in an evacuated chamber beginning with initial modification steps, comprising:

introducing at least one first ion generating feed gas into said chamber;

generating a plasma from said ion generating feed gas to form ions;

exposing said substrate to said ions;

modulating said ions;

reacting said substrate with said modulated ions to remove any contaminants from said substrate and producing a modified substrate; and

following said initial modification steps, performing an atomic layer deposition of a thin film onto said modified substrate in said chamber including;

introducing a first reactant gas into said chamber;

adsorbing at least one monolayer of said first reactant gas onto said modified substrate;

evacuating any excess said first reactant gas from said chamber;

introducing at least one additional ion generating feed gas into said chamber, said additional ion generating feed gas may be the same feed gas as said first ion generating feed gas;

generating a second plasma from said additional ion generating feed gas to form additional ions;

exposing said modified substrate to said additional ions;

modulating said additional ions; and

reacting said adsorbed monolayer of said first reactant gas with said modulated additional ions to deposit said thin film.

2. The sequential method of claim 1 wherein said initial modification steps are cleaning steps.

3. The sequential method of claim 1 wherein said initial modification steps are surface treatment steps.

4. The sequential method of claim 1 wherein said initial modification steps additionally include introducing at least one radical generating feed gas into said chamber and generating a plasma from said radical generating feed gas to form radicals.

5. The sequential method of claim 1 wherein said atomic layer deposition steps additionally include introducing at least one radical generating feed gas into said chamber and generating a plasma from said radical generating feed gas to form radicals.

6. The sequential method of claim 1 wherein said contaminants comprise native oxides, metal oxides, particulate contamination, and carbon-containing impurities.

7. The sequential method of claim 1, wherein said ion modulation is modulated in a way selected from the group consisting of modulating an ion flux and modulating an ion energy.

8. The sequential method of claim 1, further comprising electrically biasing said substrate to a negative potential.

9. The sequential method of claim 8, wherein said electrical bias is induced by a radio frequency power supply.

10. The sequential method of claim 8, wherein a magnitude of said electrical bias during said initial cleaning steps is lower than a magnitude of said electrical bias during said atomic layer deposition steps.

11. The sequential method of claim 1 wherein said method is repeated for each film deposition layer.

12. The sequential method of claim 1 wherein a barrier material film is deposited following said initial modification steps.

13. The sequential method of claim 1 wherein a copper seed layer is deposited following said initial modification steps.

15. The sequential method of claim 14 wherein said initial modification steps are cleaning steps.

16. The sequential method of claim 14 wherein said initial modification steps are surface treatment steps.

17. The sequential method of claim 14 wherein said atomic layer deposition steps additionally include introducing at least one ion generating feed gas into said chamber and generating a plasma from said ion generating feed gas to form ions.

18. The sequential method of claim 14 wherein said contaminants comprise native oxides, metal oxides, particulate contamination, and carbon-containing impurities.

19. The sequential method of claim 14 wherein said method is repeated for each film deposition layer.

20. The sequential method of claim 14 wherein a barrier material film is deposited following said initial modification steps.

21. The sequential method of claim 14 wherein a copper seed layer is deposited following said initial modification steps.

14. A sequential method for integrated, in-situ modification of a substrate and subsequent atomic layer deposition of a thin film onto said substrate in an evacuated chamber beginning with initial modification steps, comprising:

introducing at least one first radical generating feed gas into said chamber;

generating a plasma from said radical generating feed gas to form radicals;

exposing said substrate to said radicals;

reacting said substrate with said radicals to remove any contaminants from said substrate and producing a modified substrate; and

following said initial modification steps, performing an atomic layer deposition of a thin film onto said modified substrate in said chamber including;

introducing a first reactant gas into said chamber;

adsorbing at least one monolayer of said first reactant gas onto said modified substrate;

evacuating any excess said first reactant gas from said chamber

introducing at least one additional radical generating feed gas into said chamber, said additional radical generating feed gas may be the same feed gas as said first radical generating feed gas;

generating a second plasma from said additional radical generating feed gas to form additional radicals;

exposing said modified substrate to said additional radicals; and

reacting said adsorbed monolayer of said first reactant gas with said additional radicals to deposit said thin film.

22. A single-module system for atomic layer deposition of a film onto a substrate, comprising:

a main chamber containing a plasma generation chamber for generating a plasma, said main chamber also containing an integrated cleaning and deposition chamber for cleaning said substrate and depositing said film on said substrate;

said plasma generation chamber coupled to receive at least one feed gas to form said plasma; and

said integrated cleaning and deposition chamber coupled to receive at least one precursor gas.