ATOMIC LAYER DEPOSITION OF ANTIMONY OXIDE FILMS

• US 20130095664A1
• Filed: 10/11/2012
• Published: 04/18/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/12/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ASM International NV
• Original Assignee: ASM International NV
• Inventors: Sprey, Hessel, Maes, Jan Willem, Pierreux, Dieter, Blomberg, Tom E., Lindroos, Linda, D'Urzo, Lucia, van der Jeugd, Kees, Matero, Raija H., de Roest, David
• Granted Patent: US 9,006,112 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 438/703
• CPC Class Codes: C23F 1/26 for etching refractory metals
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02175 characterised by the metal H01L21/02197 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02274 in the presence of a plasma [PECVD]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/0228 deposition by cyclic CVD, e.g. ALD, ALE, pulsed CVD
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/0332 characterised by their composition, e.g. multilayer masks, materials
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/2225 Diffusion sources
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/28194 by deposition, e.g. evaporation, ALD, CVD, sputtering, laser deposition H01L21/28202 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/31111 by chemical means
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/31122 of layers not containing Si, e.g. PZT, Al2O3
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/513 the variation being perpendicular to the channel plane
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/517 the insulating material comprising a metallic compound, e.g. metal oxide, metal silicate H01L29/518 takes precedence

Abstract

Antimony oxide thin films are deposited by atomic layer deposition using an antimony reactant and an oxygen source. Antimony reactants may include antimony halides, such as SbCl₃, antimony alkylamines, and antimony alkoxides, such as Sb(OEt)₃. The oxygen source may be, for example, ozone. In some embodiments the antimony oxide thin films are deposited in a batch reactor. The antimony oxide thin films may serve, for example, as etch stop layers or sacrificial layers.

Claims

1. An atomic layer deposition process for depositing an antimony oxide thin film comprising alternately and sequentially contacting a substrate in a reaction chamber with an antimony precursor and an oxygen source, wherein the antimony precursor is selected from antimony halides and antimony alkoxides.

2. The process of claim 1, wherein the antimony precursor is SbCl₃.

3. The process of claim 1, wherein the antimony precursor is Sb(OEt)₃.

4. The process of claim 1, wherein the oxygen source is selected from the group consisting of water, oxygen, hydrogen peroxide, aqueous solution of hydrogen peroxide, ozone, atomic oxygen, oxides of nitrogen, peracids (—

O—

O—

H), alcohols, oxygen-containing radicals and mixtures thereof.

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

6. The process of claim 1, wherein the oxygen source is not water.

7. The process of claim 1, wherein the antimony oxide is selected from Sb₂O₃, Sb₂O₅ and mixtures thereof.

8. The process of claim 1, wherein the reaction chamber is part of a batch reactor.

9. The process of claim 1, wherein the reaction chamber is part of a single wafer reactor.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the antimony oxide thin film serves as a sacrificial layer in semiconductor processing.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the antimony oxide thin film is deposited on resist.

12. A method of depositing an antimony oxide layer by atomic layer deposition comprising:

contacting a substrate in a batch reactor with an antimony precursor comprising an antimony alkylamine or an antimony alkoxide;

removing excess antimony precursor;

contacting the substrate with ozone; and

removing excess ozone.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the antimony precursor comprises Sb(OEt)₃.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the antimony oxide precursor comprises Sb(N(CH₃)₂)₃.

15. A method of forming a structure on a semiconductor substrate in a reaction space comprising:

depositing a first layer comprising a first material on the substrate;

depositing a second layer of antimony oxide on the substrate by an atomic layer deposition process comprising alternately and sequentially contacting the substrate with an antimony precursor and an oxygen source; and

etching the first or second layer.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the antimony precursor is selected from the group consisting of antimony halides, an antimony alkoxides, and an antimony alkylamines.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the second layer of antimony oxide is deposited prior to depositing the first layer comprising a first material.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the second layer of antimony oxide is selectively etched relative to the first layer comprising a first material.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein the first layer comprising a first material is selectively etched relative to the second layer of antimony oxide.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein etching comprises contacting the first layer comprising a first material with an etchant selected from the group consisting of HF, H₃PO₄, KOH and TMAH.

21. The method of claim 15, wherein the second layer comprising antimony oxide is a sacrificial layer.

22. The method of claim 15, wherein the second layer comprising antimony oxide is an etch stop layer.