Method for energy-assisted atomic layer deposition and removal

• US 20050175789A1
• Filed: 06/23/2003
• Published: 08/11/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/23/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Aubrey L. Helms Jr, Kerem Kapkin, Sang-In Lee, Senzaki Yoshihide
• Original Assignee: Aubrey L. Helms Jr, Kerem Kapkin, Sang-In Lee, Senzaki Yoshihide
• Inventors: Helms, Aubrey L Jr., Kapkin, Kerem, Lee, Sang-In, Senzaki, Yoshihide
• Application Number:
  US10/519,331
• Publication Number:
  US 20050175789A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 427/457
• 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 16/482 using incoherent light, UV to IR, e.g. lamps
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02181 the material containing hafnium, e.g. HfO2
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02189 the material containing zirconium, e.g. ZrO2
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02205 the layer being characterised by the precursor material for deposition
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02277 the reactions being activated by other means than plasma or thermal, e.g. photo-CVD
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/0228 deposition by cyclic CVD, e.g. ALD, ALE, pulsed CVD
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02301 in-situ cleaning
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/3141 Deposition using atomic layer deposition techniques [ALD]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/31645 Deposition of Hafnium oxides, e.g. HfO2

Abstract

A method for energy-assisted atomic layer deposition and removal of a dielectric film are provided. In one embodiment a substrate is placed into a reaction chamber and a gaseous precursor is introduced into the reaction chamber. Energy is provide by a pulse of electromagnetic radiation which forms radical species of the gaseous precursor. The radical species react with the surface of the substrate to form a radical terminated surface on the substrate. The reaction chamber is purged and a second gaseous precursor is introduced. A second electromagnetic radiation pulse is initiated and forms second radical species. The second radical species of the second gas react with the surface to form a film on the substrate. Alternately, the gaseous species can be chosen to produce radicals that result in the removal of material from the surface of the substrate.

Claims

1. A method of depositing a film on a substrate in a reaction chamber, comprising:

introducing a first gas into the reaction chamber;

initiating a first pulse of electromagnetic irradiation to form radicals species from said first gas, where the radical species react with the surface of the substrate to form a radical terminated surface on the substrate;

purging the reaction chamber;

introducing a second gas into the reactor; and

initiating a second pulse of electromagnetic irradiation to form second radicals species from said second gas, where the second radical species react with the radical terminated surface to form a layer of film on the substrate.

4. The method of claims 1, 2 or 3 further comprising:

pre-treating the substrate to condition the surface of the substrate.

5. The method of claims 1, 2 or 3 wherein said purging step comprises evacuating the reaction chamber, purging with an inert gas, or both.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

purging the chamber after the step of initiating a second pulse of electromagnetic irradiation; and

repeating the steps to form a desired film.

7. The method of claims 1 or 2 wherein the method is carried out at a temperature in the range of approximately 20 to 400°

C.

8. The method of claims 1 or 2 wherein the method is carried out at a temperature in the range of approximately 100 to 200°

C.

9. The method of claims 1, 2 or 3 wherein the method is carried out at a temperature in the range of approximately 20 to 30°

C.

10. The method of claims 1 or 2 wherein the electromagnetic irradiation is comprised of visible light radiation, infrared radiation, ultraviolet radiation, microwave radiation, radio frequency radiation or vacuum ultraviolet radiation.

11. The method of claims 1 or 2 wherein the introducing and initiating steps are carried out at a pressure in the range of approximately 1 mTorr to 760 Torr.

12. The method of claims 1 or 2 wherein the introducing and initiating steps are carried out at a pressure in the range of less that approximately 150 Torr.

13. The method of claims 1 or 2 wherein the introducing and initiating steps are carried out at a pressure in the range of less than approximately 15 Torr.

2. A method of removing a film on a substrate in a reaction chamber, comprising:

introducing a gas into the reaction chamber;

irradiating the gas with a first pulse of electromagnetic irradiation, forming radical species from said gas; and

reacting the radicals with the film on the surface of the substrate to form a volatile compound and thus removing an atomic layer of the film.

3. A method for depositing an atomic layer on a substrate in a reaction chamber comprising:

introducing reactant gas or gasses into the reaction chamber and reacting the reactant with the surface of the substrate to form an atomic layer on the surface of the substrate;

evacuating the reaction chamber; and

irradiating the surface of the substrate with ultra-violet radiation.

14. The method of claim 3 wherein the method is carried out in a vacuum and at a temperature in the range of approximately 20 to 30°

C.

15. The method of claim 3 further comprising

purging the chamber following the irradiating step and,

repeating the steps a plurality of times with the same or different reactant gasses.