Process sequence for atomic layer deposition

• US 20020076507A1
• Filed: 10/24/2001
• Published: 06/20/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Angstron Systems, Inc. (LAM Research Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Angstron Systems, Inc. (LAM Research Corporation)
• Inventors: Leeser, Karl F., Chiang, Tony P., Brown, Jeffrey A., Babcoke, Jason E.
• Application Number:
  US09/999,532
• Publication Number:
  US 20020076507A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 427/569
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/0227 by cleaning or etching
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/4411 Cooling of the reaction chamber walls C23C16/45572 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/4412 Details relating to the exhausts, e.g. pumps, filters, scrubbers, particle traps
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/4486 by producing an aerosol and subsequent evaporation of the droplets or particles
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/45525 Atomic layer deposition [ALD]
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/45527 characterized by the ALD cycle, e.g. different flows or temperatures during half-reactions, unusual pulsing sequence, use of precursor mixtures or auxiliary reactants or activations
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/45536 Use of plasma, radiation or electromagnetic fields
• 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 16/45561 Gas plumbing upstream of the reaction chamber
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/45565 Shower nozzles
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/4557 Heated nozzles
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/4586 Elements in the interior of the support, e.g. electrodes, heating or cooling devices
• 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: H01L 21/76843 : formed in openings in a dielectric

Abstract

An atomic layer deposition (ALD) process is based upon the sequential supply of at least two separate reactants into a process chamber. A first reactant reacts (becomes adsorbed) with the surface of the substrate via chemisorption. The first reactant gas is removed from the chamber, and a second reactant gas reacts with the adsorbed reactant to form a monolayer of the desired film. The process is repeated to form a layer of any thickness. To reduce the process time, there is no separate purge gas used to purge the first reactant gas from the chamber prior to introducing the second gas, containing the second reactant. Instead, the purge gas also includes the second reactant. Thus, there can be very little or no delay between introducing the first and second gases. In one embodiment, a plasma of the second gas is created using an RF source, which forms energized ions and reactive atoms to drive the reaction at low temperatures.

Claims

1. An atomic layer deposition (ALD) process comprising:

providing a substrate in a process chamber;

supplying a first gas, containing a first reactant, to said chamber, said first reactant reacting with a surface of said substrate to form a first layer; and

supplying a second gas, containing a second reactant, to said chamber to purge said first gas from said chamber; and

creating a plasma of said second gas to drive a reaction on said surface of said substrate such that said second reactant reacts with said first layer to deposit a thin film.