LINERLESS CONTINUOUS AMORPHOUS METAL FILMS
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method of filling a feature formed on a surface of a substrate, comprising:
- forming a continuous metal layer on the feature formed on the surface of the substrate, wherein a process of forming the continuous metal layer comprises;
(a) forming an amorphous silicon layer on exposed surfaces of the feature;
(b) converting the formed amorphous silicon layer to a metal thin film, wherein the process of converting the amorphous silicon layer comprises exposing the amorphous silicon layer to a metal containing precursor until substantially all of the silicon atoms in the amorphous silicon layer are replaced by one or more metal atoms found in the metal containing precursor; and
(c) repeating (a) and (b) at least twice, and until a continuous thin film containing the metal atoms is formed on the surface of the feature; and
forming a bulk metal layer over the formed continuous thin film.
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Abstract
Embodiments described herein generally relate to methods of depositing thin films and, more particularly, to depositing metal thin films. The methods herein provide a nucleation free conversion (NFC) approach which involves forming an amorphous silicon layer over the dielectric layer, and performing an NFC process which acts to convert the amorphous silicon layer into a thin metal film. In some embodiments, the NFC process is performed multiple times until the resulting thin metal film is continuous. A bulk metal is formed over the thin metal film.
9 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method of filling a feature formed on a surface of a substrate, comprising:
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forming a continuous metal layer on the feature formed on the surface of the substrate, wherein a process of forming the continuous metal layer comprises; (a) forming an amorphous silicon layer on exposed surfaces of the feature; (b) converting the formed amorphous silicon layer to a metal thin film, wherein the process of converting the amorphous silicon layer comprises exposing the amorphous silicon layer to a metal containing precursor until substantially all of the silicon atoms in the amorphous silicon layer are replaced by one or more metal atoms found in the metal containing precursor; and (c) repeating (a) and (b) at least twice, and until a continuous thin film containing the metal atoms is formed on the surface of the feature; and forming a bulk metal layer over the formed continuous thin film. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A method for forming a thin film on a surface of a substrate, comprising:
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forming a continuous metal layer on a feature formed on the surface of the substrate, wherein a process of forming the continuous metal layer comprises; (a) forming an amorphous silicon layer on exposed surfaces of the feature; (b) converting the formed amorphous silicon layer to a metal thin film, wherein the process of converting the amorphous silicon layer comprises exposing the amorphous silicon layer to a metal containing precursor until substantially all of the silicon atoms in the amorphous silicon layer are replaced by one or more metal atoms found in the metal containing precursor; and (c) repeating (a) and (b) at least twice, and until a continuous thin film containing the metal atoms is formed on the surface of the feature and the thin film is between about 10 angstroms and about 100 angstroms; and filling the feature formed on the surface of the substrate by forming a bulk metal layer over the formed continuous thin film. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method for forming a thin film, comprising:
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forming a continuous metal layer on a feature formed on a surface of a substrate, wherein a process of forming the continuous metal layer comprises; (a) forming an amorphous silicon layer on exposed surfaces of the feature, wherein the amorphous silicon layer is between about 10 angstroms and about 40 angstroms; (b) converting the formed amorphous silicon layer to a metal thin film, wherein the process of converting the amorphous silicon layer comprises exposing the amorphous silicon layer to a metal containing precursor until substantially all of the silicon atoms in the amorphous silicon layer are replaced by one or more metal atoms found in the metal containing precursor; and (c) repeating (a) and (b) at least twice, and until a continuous thin film containing the metal atoms is formed on the surface of the feature and the thin film has a thickness of between about 10 angstroms and about 100 angstroms; and filling the feature formed on the surface of the substrate by forming a bulk metal layer over the formed continuous thin film. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification