PLASMA ENHANCED ATOMIC LAYER DEPOSITION PROCESS

• US 20110183079A1
• Filed: 08/31/2010
• Published: 07/28/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Penn State Research Foundation
• Original Assignee: Penn State Research Foundation
• Inventors: Mourey, Devin A., Zhao, Dalong, Jackson, Thomas
• Application Number:
  US12/872,040
• Publication Number:
  US 20110183079A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 427/488
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/40 Oxides
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/45542 Plasma being used non-continuously during the ALD reactions

Abstract

Improved systems, methods and compositions for plasma enhanced atomic layer deposition are herein disclosed. According to one embodiment, a method includes exposing a substrate to a first process material to form a film comprising at least a portion of the first process material at a surface of the substrate. The substrate is exposed to a second process material and the second process material is activated into plasma to initiate a reaction between at least a portion of the first process material and at least a portion of the second process material at the surface of the substrate.

Claims

1. A method of depositing material on a substrate comprising:

exposing a substrate to a first process material to form a film comprising at least a portion of the first process material at a surface of the substrate;

exposing the substrate to a second process material; and

activating the second process material into plasma to initiate a reaction between the second process material and the film formed at the surface of the substrate;

permitting an oxide containing layer to form at the surface of the substrate.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein exposing the substrate to a second process material comprises purging at least a portion of the first process material with the second process material.

3. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the second process material does not react with the first process material prior to activation.

4. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the second process material is a low reactive process comprising at least one of CO₂, N₂O, (C₂H₅)₂Zn, NO, CO, benzo-15-crown-5,15-crown-5, 19-crown-6, dibenzo-18-crown-6, dibenzo-24-crown-8, acetone, 2-hexanone, 3-hexanone, cyclohexanediones, hexafluoroacetylacetone, 2-thenoyltrifluoroacetone, oxaloacetate, cyclohexanone, 2,3-butanedione, 2-isobutyrylcyclohexanone, 6,6,7,7,8,8,8-heptafluoro-2,2-dimethyl-3,5-octanedione, 2,2,6,6-tetramethylheptane-3,5-dione, 2,2,6,6-tetramethyl-3,5-octanedione, formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, benzaldehyde, ethyl methyl ketone, iso-propyl methyl ketone, iso-butyl methyl ketone, ethyl formate, propyl formate, isobutyl formate, methyl acetate, ethyl acetate, propyl acetate, butyl acetate, isobutyl acetate, methyl propionate, propyl propionate, methyl butyrate, ethyl butyrate, an alcohol, a ketone, a diketone, an aldehyde, an ester, and an amide.

5. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the first process material comprises at least one compound selected from the group consisting of:

Zn(C₂H₅)₂ (DEZ), Zn(CH₃)₂ (DMZ), SiH₄(C₂H₅)₂, Si(OC₂Hs)₄ (TEOS), Ti(OC₃H₇)₄ (TTIP), Zr(OC₄H₉)₄ (ZTB), Hf(OC₄H₉)₄ (HfTB), [Al(CH₃)₃]₂ (TMAl), [Al(C₂H₅)₃]₂ (TEAl), Ga(CH₃)₂ (TMG), Ga(C₂H₅)₃ (TEG), (C₁₁H₉O₂)₃Y (Y(dpm)₃), Tris(2,2,6,6-tetramethylheptane-3,5-dionate)yittrium (Y(THD)₃), Tris(2,2,6,6-tetramethylheptane-3,5-dionate)lanthanum (La(THD)₃), Ta(OC₂H₅)₅, dimethyl compounds of cadmium, dimethyl compounds of tellurium, trimethyl compounds of indium, silicon-based precursors, zirconium-based precursors, hafnium-based precursors, tin-based precursors, copper-based precursors and metal halides.

6. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the substrate is exposed to the first process material and the second process material substantially simultaneously.

7. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the substrate is exposed to the first process material before the substrate is exposed to the second process material.

8. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the oxide containing layer comprises at least one compound selected from the group consisting of:

ZnO, GalnZnO, InZnO, GaZnO, zinc-tin oxide, tin oxide, indium-tin-oxide, Al₂O₃ and Cu₂O.