Atomic layer deposition of noble metal oxides

• US 20070014919A1
• Filed: 07/15/2005
• Published: 01/18/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/15/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: ASM International NV
• Original Assignee: ASM International NV
• Inventors: Ritala, Mikko, Leskela, Markku, Hamalainen, Jani
• Application Number:
  US11/182,734
• Publication Number:
  US 20070014919A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 427/248.100
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/40 Oxides
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/45525 Atomic layer deposition [ALD]

Abstract

Electrically conductive noble metal oxide films can be deposited by atomic layer deposition (ALD)-type processes. In preferred embodiments, Re, Ru, Os and Ir oxides are deposited by alternately and sequentially contacting a substrate with vapor phase pulses of a noble metal precursor and an oxygen source. The noble metal precursor is preferably a betadiketonate compound and the oxygen source is preferably ozone or oxygen plasma. The deposition temperature may be less than about 200° C.

Claims

1. An atomic layer deposition (ALD) process for forming a noble metal oxide thin film comprising alternately and sequentially contacting a substrate with a noble metal precursor and an oxygen source, wherein the noble metal precursor comprises a noble metal selected from the group consisting of Ru, Re, Os and Ir and wherein the oxygen source is selected from the group consisting of ozone and oxygen plasma.

2. The process of claim 1, wherein the oxygen source is ozone.

3. The process of claim 1, wherein the process is carried out at a temperature of less than about 300°

C.

4. The process of claim 2, wherein the process is carried out at a temperature of less than about 200°

C.

5. The process of claim 1, wherein the noble metal precursor comprises a noble metal bound to oxygen, nitrogen or carbon.

6. The process of claim 1, wherein the noble metal precursor is a betadiketonate compound.

7. The process of claim 1, wherein the noble metal oxide thin film is electrically conductive.

8. A process for producing an electrically conductive noble metal oxide on a substrate in a reaction chamber, the process comprising:

exposing the substrate to a vapor phase noble metal precursor such that no more than one monolayer of the precursor is adsorbed on the substrate;

removing excess vapor phase noble metal precursor from the reaction chamber;

exposing the substrate to ozone;

removing excess ozone from the reaction chamber,

wherein the noble metal precursor comprises a noble metal selected from the group consisting of Ru, Re, Os and Ir.

9. The process of claim 8, wherein the noble metal precursor is a betadiketonate compound.

10. The process of claim 8, wherein the process is carried out at a temperature of less than about 300°

C.

11. The process of claim 8, wherein the process is carried out at a temperature of less than about 200°

C.

12. The process of claim 8, wherein the noble metal oxide forms a capacitor electrode.

13. The process of claim 8, wherein the noble metal oxide is patterned to form a gate electrode.

14. The process of claim 8, wherein the noble metal oxide is a barrier layer in a damascene structure.

15. The process of claim 8, wherein the noble metal oxide is a seed layer in a metal interconnect structure.

16. An atomic layer deposition (ALD) process for forming a conductive noble metal oxide thin film on a substrate in a reaction chamber comprising:

pulsing a vapor phase noble metal precursor into the reaction chamber to form no more than a monolayer of noble metal precursor on the substrate;

removing excess noble metal precursor from the reaction chamber;

pulsing an oxygen source into the reaction chamber to contact the substrate; and

removing excess oxygen source from the reaction chamber,

wherein the noble metal precursor comprises a noble metal selected from the group consisting of Ru, Re, Os and Ir, and wherein the process is carried out at a temperature of less than about 200°

C.

17. The process of claim 16, wherein the oxygen source is selected from the group consisting of ozone and oxygen plasma.

18. The process of claim 16, wherein the noble metal precursor is a betadiketonate compound.

19. The process of claim 18, wherein the betadiketonate compound is selected from the group consisting of X(acac)₃ and X(thd)₃, with X being selected from the group consisting of Ru, Re, Os and Ir.

20. The process of claim 18, wherein the beta diketonate compound is X(thd)₃, with X being selected from the group consisting of Ru, Re, Os and Ir.

21. The process of claim 16, wherein the noble metal precursor comprises Ir and the noble metal oxide is IrO₂.

22. The process of claim 16, wherein the noble metal precursor comprises Ru and the noble metal oxide is RuO₂.

24. The process of claim 21, wherein the oxygen source is selected from the group consisting of ozone and oxygen plasma.

25. The process of claim 24, wherein the oxygen source is ozone.

26. The process of claim 21, wherein the process is carried out at a temperature of less than about 200°

C.

23. An atomic layer deposition (ALD) process for forming a noble metal oxide thin film comprising alternately and sequentially contacting a substrate with a noble metal source chemical and an oxygen source, wherein the noble metal source chemical is a betadiketonate compound comprising a noble metal selected from the group consisting of Re, Os and Ir.