PLASMA ACTIVATED CONFORMAL FILM DEPOSITION
First Claim
1. A method of depositing a film on a substrate surface, the method comprising:
- (a) providing a substrate in a reaction chamber;
(b) introducing a first reactant in vapor phase into the reaction chamber under conditions allowing the first reactant to adsorb onto the substrate surface;
(c) introducing a second reactant in vapor phase into the reaction chamber while the first reactant is adsorbed on the substrate surface, wherein the second reactant is introduced without first sweeping the first reactant out of the reaction chamber; and
(d) exposing the substrate surface to plasma to drive a reaction between the first and second reactants on the substrate surface to form the film.
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Abstract
Methods of depositing a film on a substrate surface include surface mediated reactions in which a film is grown over one or more cycles of reactant adsorption and reaction. In one aspect, the method is characterized by the following operations: (a) exposing the substrate surface to a first reactant in vapor phase under conditions allowing the first reactant to adsorb onto the substrate surface; (b) exposing the substrate surface to a second reactant in vapor phase while the first reactant is adsorbed on the substrate surface; and (c) exposing the substrate surface to plasma to drive a reaction between the first and second reactants adsorbed on the substrate surface to form the film.
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Citations
47 Claims
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1. A method of depositing a film on a substrate surface, the method comprising:
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(a) providing a substrate in a reaction chamber; (b) introducing a first reactant in vapor phase into the reaction chamber under conditions allowing the first reactant to adsorb onto the substrate surface; (c) introducing a second reactant in vapor phase into the reaction chamber while the first reactant is adsorbed on the substrate surface, wherein the second reactant is introduced without first sweeping the first reactant out of the reaction chamber; and (d) exposing the substrate surface to plasma to drive a reaction between the first and second reactants on the substrate surface to form the film. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 47)
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9. The method of 1, further comprising, prior to (d) introducing a third reactant into the reaction chamber under conditions allowing the third reactant to adsorb onto the substrate surface, and wherein the plasma in (d) drives a reaction between the first, second, and third reactants.
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20. A method of depositing a film on a substrate surface, the method comprising:
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(a) exposing the substrate surface to a first reactant in vapor phase under conditions allowing the first reactant to adsorb onto the substrate surface; (b) exposing the substrate surface to a second reactant in vapor phase while the first reactant is adsorbed on the substrate surface; and (c) exposing the substrate surface to plasma to drive a reaction between the first and second reactants adsorbed on the substrate surface to form the film, wherein the first reactant flows continuously to the substrate and the second reactant flows intermittently to the substrate. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. A method of depositing a film on a substrate surface, the method comprising:
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(a) providing a substrate in a reaction chamber; (b) introducing a first reactant in vapor phase into the reaction chamber under conditions allowing the first reactant to adsorb onto the substrate surface; (c) introducing a second reactant in vapor phase into the reaction chamber while the first reactant is adsorbed on the substrate surface; (d) exposing the substrate surface to plasma to drive a reaction between the first and second reactants on the substrate surface to form the film; and (e) after the reaction between the first and second reactants to form the film, plasma treating the film to modify at least one property of the film. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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33. An apparatus for depositing films on a substrate, the apparatus comprising:
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a reaction chamber; an inlet port for delivering gas phase reactants to the reaction chamber; a plasma generator for providing plasma to the reaction chamber; and a controller comprising instructions for (a) flowing a first reactant in vapor phase into the reaction chamber under conditions allowing the first reactant to adsorb onto a substrate surface; (b) flowing a second reactant in vapor phase into the reaction chamber while the first reactant is adsorbed on the substrate surface, such that the first reactant flows continuously to the substrate and the second reactant flows intermittently to the substrate; and (c) providing a plasma in the reaction chamber to drive a reaction between the first and second reactants adsorbed on the substrate surface to form a film.
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34. An apparatus for depositing films on a substrate, the apparatus comprising:
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a reaction chamber; an inlet port for delivering gas phase reactants to the reaction chamber; a plasma generator for providing plasma to the reaction chamber; and a controller comprising instructions for (a) introducing a first reactant in vapor phase into the reaction chamber under conditions allowing the first reactant to adsorb onto a substrate surface held in the reaction chamber; (b) introducing a second reactant in vapor phase into the reaction chamber while the first reactant is adsorbed on the substrate surface, wherein the second reactant is introduced without first sweeping the first reactant out of the reaction chamber; and (c) exposing the substrate surface to plasma to drive a reaction between the first and second reactants on the substrate surface to form a film. - View Dependent Claims (35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42)
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43. An apparatus for depositing films on a substrate, the apparatus comprising:
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a reaction chamber; an inlet port for delivering gas phase reactants to the reaction chamber; a plasma generator for providing plasma to the reaction chamber; and a controller comprising instructions for (a) introducing a first reactant in vapor phase into the reaction chamber under conditions allowing the first reactant to adsorb onto a substrate surface; (b) introducing a second reactant in vapor phase into the reaction chamber while the first reactant is adsorbed on the substrate surface; (c) exposing the substrate surface to plasma to drive a reaction between the first and second reactants on the substrate surface to form a film; and (d) after the reaction between the first and second reactants to form the film, plasma treating the film to modify at least one property of the film. - View Dependent Claims (44, 45, 46)
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Specification