Plasma treatment of hafnium-containing materials
First Claim
1. A method for forming a dielectric material on a substrate, comprising:
- exposing a substrate sequentially to a metal-containing precursor and an oxidizing gas during an ALD process to form a metal oxide material thereon;
exposing the substrate to an inert plasma process; and
exposing the substrate to a thermal annealing process.
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Accused Products
Abstract
In one embodiment, a method for forming a dielectric material is provided which includes exposing a substrate sequentially to a metal-containing precursor and an oxidizing gas to form metal oxide (e.g., HfOx) during an ALD process and subsequently exposing the substrate to an inert plasma process and a thermal annealing process. Generally, the metal oxide contains hafnium, tantalum, titanium, aluminum, zirconium, lanthanum or combinations thereof. In one example, the inert plasma process contains argon and is free of nitrogen, while the thermal annealing process contains oxygen. In another example, an ALD process to form a metal oxide includes exposing the substrate sequentially to a metal precursor and an oxidizing gas containing water vapor formed by a catalytic water vapor generator. In an alternative embodiment, a method for forming a dielectric material is provide which includes exposing a substrate to a deposition process to form a metal oxide layer and subsequently exposing the substrate to a nitridation plasma process and a thermal annealing process to form metal oxynitride (e.g., HfOxNy).
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Citations
49 Claims
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1. A method for forming a dielectric material on a substrate, comprising:
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exposing a substrate sequentially to a metal-containing precursor and an oxidizing gas during an ALD process to form a metal oxide material thereon;
exposing the substrate to an inert plasma process; and
exposing the substrate to a thermal annealing process. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method for forming a dielectric material on a substrate, comprising:
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positioning a substrate within a process chamber;
flowing a hydrogen source gas and an oxygen source gas into a water vapor generator to form an oxidizing gas comprising water vapor;
exposing the substrate sequentially to the oxidizing gas and at least one metal-containing precursor during an ALD process to form a dielectric material thereon;
exposing the substrate to an inert plasma process; and
exposing the substrate to a thermal annealing process. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. A method for forming a hafnium-containing material on a substrate, comprising:
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exposing a substrate to a deposition process to form a dielectric material containing hafnium oxide thereon;
exposing the substrate to an inert plasma process that comprises argon and is free of nitrogen or substantially free of nitrogen; and
exposing the substrate to a thermal annealing process comprising oxygen. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29)
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30. A method for forming a dielectric material on a substrate, comprising:
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exposing a substrate to a deposition process to form a metal oxide layer thereon;
exposing the substrate to a nitridation plasma process to form a metal oxynitride layer thereon; and
exposing the substrate to a thermal annealing process to form a dielectric material. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46)
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47. A method for forming a hafnium-containing material on a substrate, comprising:
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exposing a substrate to a deposition process to form a dielectric material containing hafnium oxide thereon;
exposing the substrate to a nitridation plasma process to form hafnium oxynitride from the hafnium oxide; and
exposing the substrate to a thermal annealing process comprising oxygen. - View Dependent Claims (48, 49)
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Specification