Sequential deposition of tantalum nitride using a tantalum-containing precursor and a nitrogen-containing precursor

• US 20060019494A1
• Filed: 09/21/2005
• Published: 01/26/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/04/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Chen Ling, Hua Chung, Vincent Ku, Wei Cao
• Original Assignee: Chen Ling, Hua Chung, Vincent Ku, Wei Cao
• Inventors: Cao, Wei, Chung, Hua, Chen, Ling, Ku, Vincent
• Granted Patent: US 7,514,358 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 438/680
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/045 Coating cavities or hollow spaces, e.g. interior of tubes; Infiltration of porous substrates
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/34 Nitrides C23C16/303 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/4408 by purging residual gases from the reaction chamber or gas lines
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/45557 Pulsed pressure or control pressure
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/28562 Selective deposition

Abstract

Embodiments of the invention provide a method for forming tantalum nitride materials on a substrate by employing an atomic layer deposition (ALD) process. The method includes heating a tantalum precursor within an ampoule to a predetermined temperature to form a tantalum precursor gas and sequentially exposing a substrate to the tantalum precursor gas and a nitrogen precursor to form a tantalum nitride material. Thereafter, a nucleation layer and a bulk layer may be deposited on the substrate. In one example, a radical nitrogen compound may be formed from the nitrogen precursor during a plasma-enhanced ALD process. A nitrogen precursor may include nitrogen or ammonia. In another example, a metal-organic tantalum precursor may be used during the deposition process.

Claims

1. A method for forming a tantalum-containing material on a substrate, comprising:

heating a substrate to a deposition temperature within a process chamber;

heating an ampoule containing a tantalum precursor to a predetermined temperature within a range from about 50°

C. to about 170°

C. to form a tantalum precursor gas;

flowing the tantalum precursor gas through a conduit and into the process chamber while maintaining the conduit at a temperature within a range from about 50°

C. to about 170°

C.; and

exposing the substrate to at least sequential pulses of the tantalum precursor gas and a nitrogen precursor during an atomic layer deposition process to deposit a tantalum nitride material thereon.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the predetermined temperature of the ampoule is within a range from about 65°

C. to about 150°

C.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the temperature of the conduit is within a range from about 65°

C. to about 150°

C.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein a nucleation layer is deposited on the tantalum nitride material.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein a bulk layer is deposited on the nucleation layer.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the bulk layer comprises copper.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein a bulk layer is deposited on the tantalum nitride material.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the bulk layer comprises copper.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the atomic layer deposition process is a plasma-enhanced atomic layer deposition process.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the plasma-enhanced atomic layer deposition process comprises forming a radical nitrogen compound from the nitrogen precursor.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the nitrogen precursor is selected from the group consisting of nitrogen, ammonia, hydrazine, azide, derivatives thereof and combinations thereof.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the radical nitrogen compound is selected from the group consisting of N₃, N₂, N, NH, NH₂, derivatives thereof and combinations thereof.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the plasma-enhanced atomic layer deposition process further comprises hydrogen.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the tantalum precursor is a metal-organic precursor.

15. A method for forming a tantalum-containing material on a substrate, comprising:

heating a substrate to a deposition temperature within a process chamber;

heating an ampoule containing a tantalum precursor to a predetermined temperature within a range from about 50°

C. to about 170°

C. to form a tantalum precursor gas;

flowing the tantalum precursor gas through a conduit and into the process chamber while maintaining the conduit at a temperature within a range from about 50°

C. to about 170°

C.;

exposing the substrate to at least sequential pulses of the tantalum precursor gas and a nitrogen precursor during an atomic layer deposition process to deposit a tantalum nitride material thereon;

depositing a nucleation layer on the tantalum nitride material; and

depositing a bulk layer on the nucleation layer.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the predetermined temperature of the ampoule is within a range from about 65°

C. to about 150°

C.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the temperature of the conduit is within a range from about 65°

C. to about 150°

C.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the nucleation layer comprises copper.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein the bulk layer comprises copper.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein the atomic layer deposition process is a plasma-enhanced atomic layer deposition process.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the plasma-enhanced atomic layer deposition process comprises forming a radical nitrogen compound from the nitrogen precursor.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the nitrogen precursor is selected from the group consisting of nitrogen, ammonia, hydrazine, azide, derivatives thereof and combinations thereof.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the radical nitrogen compound is selected from the group consisting of N₃, N₂, N, NH, NH₂, derivatives thereof and combinations thereof.

24. The method of claim 22, wherein the plasma-enhanced atomic layer deposition process further comprises hydrogen.

25. The method of claim 21, wherein the tantalum precursor is a metal-organic precursor.

26. A method for forming a tantalum-containing material on a substrate, comprising:

heating a substrate to a deposition temperature within a process chamber;

heating an ampoule containing a tantalum precursor to a predetermined temperature within a range from about 50°

C. to about 170°

C. to form a tantalum precursor gas;

flowing the tantalum precursor gas through a conduit and into the process chamber while maintaining the conduit at a temperature within a range from about 50°

C. to about 170°

C.; and

exposing the substrate to at least sequential pulses of the tantalum precursor gas and a radical nitrogen compound during a plasma-enhanced atomic layer deposition process to deposit a tantalum nitride material thereon.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the predetermined temperature of the ampoule is within a range from about 65°

C. to about 150°

C.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the temperature of the conduit is within a range from about 65°

C. to about 150°

C.

29. The method of claim 26, wherein a nucleation layer is deposited on the tantalum nitride material.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein a bulk layer is deposited on the nucleation layer.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein the bulk layer comprises copper.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein the plasma-enhanced atomic layer deposition process comprises forming the radical nitrogen compound from a nitrogen precursor.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein the nitrogen precursor is selected from the group consisting of nitrogen, ammonia, hydrazine, azide, derivatives thereof and combinations thereof.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein the radical nitrogen compound is selected from the group consisting of N₃, N₂, N, NH, NH₂, derivatives thereof and combinations thereof.

35. The method of claim 33, wherein the plasma-enhanced atomic layer deposition process further comprises hydrogen.

36. The method of claim 35, wherein the tantalum precursor is a metal-organic precursor.

37. A method for forming a tantalum-containing material on a substrate, comprising:

heating a substrate to a deposition temperature within a process chamber;

heating an ampoule containing a metal-organic tantalum precursor to a predetermined temperature within a range from about 50°

C. to about 170°

C. to form a tantalum precursor gas;

flowing the tantalum precursor gas through a conduit and into the process chamber while maintaining the conduit at a temperature within a range from about 50°

C. to about 170°

C.; and

exposing the substrate to at least sequential pulses of the tantalum precursor gas and a radical nitrogen compound during a plasma-enhanced atomic layer deposition process to deposit a tantalum nitride material thereon.

38. A method for forming a tantalum-containing material on a substrate, comprising:

heating a substrate to a deposition temperature within a process chamber;

heating an ampoule containing a metal-organic tantalum precursor to a predetermined temperature within a range from about 50°

C. to about 170°

C. to form a tantalum precursor gas;

flowing the tantalum precursor gas through a conduit and into the process chamber while maintaining the conduit at a temperature within a range from about 50°

C. to about 170°

C.;

exposing the substrate to at least sequential pulses of the tantalum precursor gas and a radical nitrogen compound during a plasma-enhanced atomic layer deposition process to deposit a tantalum nitride material thereon;

depositing a nucleation layer on the tantalum nitride material; and

depositing a bulk layer on the nucleation layer.