METHOD OF DEPOSITING AMORPHUS ALUMINIUM OXYNITRIDE LAYER BY REACTIVE SPUTTERING OF AN ALUMINIUM TARGET IN A NITROGEN/OXYGEN ATMOSPHERE

• US 20110042200A1
• Filed: 03/20/2009
• Published: 02/24/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/25/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SPTS Technologies Limited (KLA Corporation)
• Original Assignee: SPTS Technologies Limited (KLA Corporation)
• Inventors: Wilby, Anthony
• Granted Patent: US 8,454,805 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 204/192.15
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 14/0036 Reactive sputtering
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 14/0676 Oxynitrides
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 14/34 Sputtering

Abstract

A method of depositing an amorphous layer of AlON includes providing an aluminium sputter target in a chamber, exposing the target and chamber to O₂ to saturate the exposed surfaces with oxygen, introducing a substrate into the chamber in an atmosphere containing at least nitrogen and oxygen, and sputtering the target in the nitrogen and oxygen atmosphere to deposit an amorphous AlON film.

Claims

1. A method of depositing an amorphous layer of AlON comprising:

(a) providing an aluminium sputter target in a chamber;

(b) exposing the target and chamber to O₂ to saturate the exposed surfaces with oxygen;

(c) introducing a substrate into the chamber in an atmosphere containing at least nitrogen and oxygen; and

(d) sputtering the target in the nitrogen and oxygen atmosphere to deposit an amorphous AlON film.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the target is cleaned between steps (a) and (b).

3. A method as claimed in claim 2 wherein the cleaning steps comprises exposing the target to an Argon plasma.

4. A method as claimed in claim 2, wherein the target is exposed to an argon/nitrogen plasma between the cleaning step and step (b).

5. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein in step (b) the oxygen is supplied in an argon/nitrogen plasma.

6. A method as claimed claim 1, wherein the substrate has a seed layer.

7. A method as claimed in claim 6, wherein the seed layer is AlON or Al₂O₃.

8. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein oxygen is flowed into the chamber in step (c) at a rate of 5-20 sccm.

9. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the sputtering step takes place using a pulsed DC diode configuration.

10. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein argon is used as a sputter gas.

11. A method as claimed claim 1, wherein the substrate is supported on the platen and the platen is maintained at temperature in the range around 50°

C. to around 400°

C.

12. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein step (b) lasts for between around 40 and 200 seconds.

13. A method as claimed in claim 12, wherein step (b) lasts for around 60 seconds.

14. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the oxygen content of the deposited film is at least around 25 at % and less than around 40 at %.

15. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the deposited layer is a hard mask.

16. A method as claimed in claim 15, wherein the substrate is or includes a semi-conductor wafer.