Process for growing metal or metal carbide thin films utilizing boron-containing reducing agents

• US 6,794,287 B2
• Filed: 03/20/2003
• Issued: 09/21/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 01/18/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: ASM International NV
• Original Assignee: ASM International NV
• Inventors: Kaipio, Sari Johanna, Elers, Kai-Erik, Soininen, Pekka Juha, Saanila, Ville Antero
• Primary Examiner(s): Dang, Phuc T.
• Application Number:
  US10/394,309
• Publication Number:
  US 20030186495A1
• Time in Patent Office: 551 Days
• Field of Search: 438/674, 438/681, 438/685, 438/686, 438/687
• US Class Current: 438/674
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/08 from metal halides
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/18 from metallo-organic compounds
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/28556 by chemical means, e.g. CVD, LPCVD, PECVD, laser CVD H01L21/28518 - H01L21/28537 and H01L21/28568 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/76843 formed in openings in a dielectric
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/76877 Filling of holes, grooves or trenches, e.g. vias, with conductive material

Abstract

A process for growing an electrically conductive metalloid thin film on a substrate with a chemical vapor deposition process. A metal source material and a reducing agent capable of reducing the metal source material to a reduced state are vaporized and fed into a reaction space, where the metal source material and the reducing agent are contacted with the substrate. The reducing agent is a boron compound having at least one boron-carbon bond, and the boron compound forms gaseous by-products when reacted with the metal source material. Generally, the boron compound is an alkylboron compound with 0-3 halogen groups attached to the boron. The metal source material and the reducing agent may be fed continuously or in pulses during the deposition process.

Claims

1. A process for growing a metal or metal carbide thin film on a substrate by a chemical vapor deposition type process, comprising:

vaporizing a transition metal source material and a reducing agent capable of reducing the transition metal source material to a reduced state;

feeding the transition metal source material and the reducing agent into a reaction space; and

contacting the transition metal source material and the reducing agent with the substrate, wherein the reducing agent is a boron compound containing at least one boron-carbon bond and wherein said boron compound is capable of forming gaseous reaction by-products when reacted with the transition metal source material.

2. The process according to claim 1, wherein a metal thin film is grown on the substrate.

3. The process of claim 2, wherein the metal thin film is selected from the group consisting of copper, silver, gold, palladium, platinum, rhodium, iridium, ruthenium, and osmium thin films.

4. The process of claim 1, wherein a metal carbide thin film is grown on the substrate.

5. The process of claim 4, wherein the metal carbide thin film is selected from the group consisting of vanadium carbide, niobium carbide, chromium carbide, molybdenum carbide, manganese carbide, rhenium carbide, iron carbide, cobalt carbide, nickel carbide, tungsten carbide, tantalum carbide, hafnium carbide, zirconium carbide and titanium carbide thin films.

6. The process according to claim 1, wherein the boron compound has the general formula (II)

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein R¹ is a C₁-C₂ alkyl group.

8. The method according to claim 6, wherein the halogen is selected from the group consisting of chlorine, bromine, fluorine, and iodine.

9. The process according to claim 1, wherein the boron compound is an alkylboron compound.

10. The process according to claim 1, wherein the transition metal source material and the reducing agent are fed into the reaction space continuously and essentially simultaneously during the deposition process.

11. The process according to claim 1, wherein the transition metal source material is present into the reaction space during the whole deposition process, and the reducing agent is fed to the reaction space intermittently in pulses.

12. The process according to claim 1, wherein the reducing agent is fed into the reaction space during the whole deposition process, and the transition metal source material is fed into the reaction space intermittently in pulses.

13. The process according to claim 1, wherein both the reducing agent and the transition metal source material are fed into the reaction space in pulses, and wherein the pulses of the reducing agent and the pulses of the transition metal source material at least partially overlap.

14. The process according to claim 1, wherein the transition metal source material is a halide and wherein said transition metal source material contains at least one metal-halide bond.

15. The process according to claim 14, wherein the halide is selected from the group consisting of F, Cl, Br, and I.