LOW TEMPERATURE ALD SiO2

• US 20080113097A1
• Filed: 11/14/2006
• Published: 05/15/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/14/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Applied Materials Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Applied Materials Incorporated
• Inventors: McDougall, Brendan, Mahajani, Maitreyee, Huang, Yi-Chiau
• Granted Patent: US 7,749,574 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 427/255.37
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/402 Silicon dioxide
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/45534 Use of auxiliary reactants other than used for contributing to the composition of the main film, e.g. catalysts, activators or scavengers

Abstract

The present invention generally comprises a silicon dioxide atomic layer deposition method. By providing pyridine as a catalyst, water may be utilized as the oxidization source while depositing at a low temperature. Prior to exposing the substrate to the water, the substrate may be exposed to a pyridine soak process. Additionally, the water may be co-flowed to the chamber with the pyridine through separate conduits to reduce interaction prior to entering the chamber. Alternatively, the pyridine may be co-flowed with a silicon precursor that does not react with pyridine.

Claims

1. A silicon dioxide deposition method, comprising:

(a) positioning at least one substrate in a chamber;

(b) exposing the at least one substrate to a silicon precursor;

(c) exposing the at least one substrate to a pyridine soak; and

(d) exposing the at least one substrate to an oxidizing source.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the deposition method is an atomic layer deposition method.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

exposing the at least one substrate to a purge gas.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein exposing the at least one substrate to a silicon precursor comprises exposing the at least one substrate to a silicon precursor and pyridine.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising exposing the substrate to a pyridine soak prior to exposing the at least one substrate to the silicon precursor.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein exposing the at least one substrate to an oxidizing source comprises exposing the at least one substrate to the oxidizing source and pyridine.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the oxidizing source and the pyridine flow into the chamber through separate inlets.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the silicon precursor comprises hexachlorodisilane.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the oxidizing source comprises H₂O.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising repeating (b)-(d) at least one time.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one substrate comprises two or more substrates.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one substrate comprises about 50 substrates.

13. A silicon dioxide deposition method, comprising:

(a) positioning at least one substrate in a chamber;

(b) exposing the at least one substrate to a silicon precursor; and

(c) exposing the at least one substrate to an oxidizing source and pyridine, the pyridine and the oxidizing source flowing into the chamber through separate inlets.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the deposition method is an atomic layer deposition method.

15. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

exposing the at least one substrate to a purge gas.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein exposing the at least one substrate to a silicon precursor comprises exposing the at least one substrate to a silicon precursor and pyridine.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the silicon precursor and the pyridine flow into the chamber through separate inlets.

18. The method of claim 13, wherein the silicon precursor comprises hexachlorodisilane.

19. The method of claim 13, wherein the oxidizing source comprises H₂O.

20. The method of claim 13, further comprising repeating (b) and (c) at least one time.

21. The method of claim 13, further comprising exposing the at least one substrate to a pyridine soak before exposing the at least one substrate to the silicon precursor.

22. The method of claim 13, wherein the at least one substrate comprises two or more substrates.

23. The method of claim 13, wherein the at least one substrate comprises about 50 substrates.

24. A silicon dioxide deposition method, comprising:

(a) positioning at least one substrate in a chamber;

(b) exposing the at least one substrate to hexachlorodisilane; and

(c) exposing the at least one substrate to H₂O and pyridine, the pyridine and H₂O flowing into the chamber through separate inlets.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the at least one substrate comprises two or more substrates.

26. The method of claim 24, wherein the at least one substrate comprises about 50 substrates.