Atomic layer deposition and conversion

• US 7,560,793 B2
• Filed: 08/30/2004
• Issued: 07/14/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/02/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
• Inventors: Derderian, Garo J., Sandhu, Gurtej Singh
• Primary Examiner(s): Menz; Douglas M
• Application Number:
  US10/929,272
• Publication Number:
  US 20050023584A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,779 Days
• Field of Search: 257/296, 257/310, 257/510, 257/506, 257/508, 438/683, 438/685, 438/761, 438/765
• US Class Current: 257/506
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/452 by activating reactive gas streams before their introduction into the reaction chamber, e.g. by ionisation or addition of reactive species
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/45531 specially adapted for making ternary or higher compositions
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/45536 Use of plasma, radiation or electromagnetic fields
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/56 After-treatment
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/0214 the material being a silicon oxynitride, e.g. SiON or SiON:H
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/0215 the material containing tantalum, e.g. TaSiOx
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02153 the material containing titanium, e.g. TiSiOx
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02178 the material containing aluminium, e.g. Al2O3
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02183 the material containing tantalum, e.g. Ta2O5
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02186 the material containing titanium, e.g. TiO2
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02244 of a metallic layer
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02249 formation by combined oxidation and nitridation performed simultaneously
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02255 formation by thermal treatment H01L21/02252 takes precedence; after treatment of an insulating film H01L21/3105 and subgroups
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/0228 deposition by cyclic CVD, e.g. ALD, ALE, pulsed CVD
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/31604 Deposition from a gas or vapour H01L21/31691, H01L21/31695 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/31616 Deposition of Al2O3
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/31683 of metallic layers, e.g. Al deposited on the body, e.g. formation of multi-layer insulating structures

Abstract

A method for growing films for use in integrated circuits using atomic layer deposition and a subsequent converting step is described. In an embodiment, the subsequent converting step includes oxidizing a metal atomic layer to form a metal oxide layer. The atomic layer deposition and oxidation step are then repeated to produce a metal oxide layer having sufficient thickness for use as a metal oxide layer in an integrated circuit. The subsequent converting step, in an embodiment, includes converting the atomic deposition layer by exposing it to one of nitrogen to form a nitride layer, carbon to form a carbide layer, boron to form a boride layer, and fluorine to form a fluoride layer. Systems and devices for performing the method, semiconductor devices so produced, and machine readable media containing the method are also described.

Claims

1. A semiconductor device, comprising:

a substrate; and

an atomic layer deposition first layer deposited on the substrate, wherein the first layer is deposited by sequentially pulsing a precursor gas and a reactant into a reaction chamber, and wherein the precursor gas and reactant react to deposit the first layer on the substrate, the first layer including a material A, and wherein the first layer is converted to a second layer by a converting gas, the second layer including material B, and wherein the second layer forms a material A_x B_y, where x is the number of atomic bonds associated with the material A and y is the number of atomic bonds associated with the material B, and wherein the material B comprises at least one of carbon, boron and fluorine.

2. The semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein the material A is an atomic layer deposition metal.

3. The semiconductor device according to claim 2, wherein the second layer is a dielectric.

4. The semiconductor device according to claim 3, wherein at least one of the first and the second metal layers include at least one of titanium, tantalum and aluminum.

5. The semiconductor device of claim 1, wherein the second layer comprises at least one of a carbide, a boride and a fluoride.

6. The semiconductor device of claim 4, wherein the second layer comprises at least one of carbide, a boride and a fluoride.

7. The semiconductor device of claim 1, wherein the second layer comprises carbon and boron, or carbon and fluoride, or boron and fluoride.

8. The semiconductor device of claim 3, wherein the second layer comprises a phosphide.

9. The semiconductor device of claim 4, wherein the second layer comprises a two element layer including a carbide, a nitride, a boride, a fluoride, or a phosphide.