Plasma-enhanced ALD of tantalum nitride films
First Claim
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1. An atomic layer deposition (ALD) process for growing a tantalum nitride film over a substrate in a reaction space, comprising the sequential steps of:
- a) feeding a vapor-phase pulse of a tantalum source chemical into the reaction space;
b) removing excess tantalum source chemical and any reaction by-products from the reaction space;
c) feeding a vapor-phase pulse of a nitrogen source chemical into the reaction space;
d) removing excess nitrogen source chemical and any reaction by-products from the reaction space;
e) feeding a vapor-phase pulse of plasma-excited species of hydrogen (H2) into the reaction space; and
f) removing excess plasma-excited species of hydrogen and any reaction by-products from the reaction space.
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Abstract
Methods of controllably producing conductive tantalum nitride films are provided. The methods comprise contacting a substrate in a reaction space with alternating and sequential pulses of a tantalum source material, plasma-excited species of hydrogen and nitrogen source material. The plasma-excited species of hydrogen reduce the oxidation state of tantalum, thereby forming a substantially conductive tantalum nitride film over the substrate. In some embodiments, the plasma-excited species of hydrogen react with and removes halide residues in a deposited metallic film.
52 Citations
19 Claims
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1. An atomic layer deposition (ALD) process for growing a tantalum nitride film over a substrate in a reaction space, comprising the sequential steps of:
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a) feeding a vapor-phase pulse of a tantalum source chemical into the reaction space; b) removing excess tantalum source chemical and any reaction by-products from the reaction space; c) feeding a vapor-phase pulse of a nitrogen source chemical into the reaction space; d) removing excess nitrogen source chemical and any reaction by-products from the reaction space; e) feeding a vapor-phase pulse of plasma-excited species of hydrogen (H2) into the reaction space; and f) removing excess plasma-excited species of hydrogen and any reaction by-products from the reaction space. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A method for depositing a conductive tantalum nitride film using a plasma-enhanced atomic layer deposition (PEALD) process, comprising:
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providing a substrate in a reaction space; and alternately and sequentially contacting a substrate in the reaction space with spatially and temporally separated vapor phase pulses of; a tantalum source chemical; plasma-excited species of hydrogen; and a nitrogen source chemical, wherein plasma parameters are selected such that a conductive tantalum nitride film is deposited essentially only over the substrate and a dielectric tantalum nitride film is deposited elsewhere in the reaction space. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19)
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Specification