Sequential UV induced chemical vapor deposition

• US 7,897,215 B1
• Filed: 06/18/2003
• Issued: 03/01/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/03/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Novellus Systems Incorporated (Lam Research Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Novellus Systems Incorporated (Lam Research Corporation)
• Inventors: Taylor, Nerissa, Fair, James A.
• Primary Examiner(s): CHEN, BRET P
• Application Number:
  US10/465,721
• Time in Patent Office: 2,813 Days
• Field of Search: 427/558, 427/532, 427/553, 427/554, 427/556, 427/248.1, 427/585, 427/255.28, 427/533
• US Class Current: 427/553
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/45525 Atomic layer deposition [ALD]
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/45536 Use of plasma, radiation or electromagnetic fields
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/482 using incoherent light, UV to IR, e.g. lamps
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/486 using ion beam radiation
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/487 using electron radiation

Abstract

Ion-induced, UV-induced, and electron-induced sequential chemical vapor deposition (CVD) processes are disclosed where an ion flux, a flux of ultra-violet radiation, or an electron flux, respectively, is used to induce the chemical reaction in the process. The process for depositing a thin film on a substrate includes introducing a flow of a first reactant gas in vapor phase into a process chamber where the gas forms an adsorbed saturated layer on the substrate and exposing the substrate to a flux of ions, a flux of ultra-violet radiation, or a flux of electrons for inducing a chemical reaction of the adsorbed layer of the first reactant gas to form the thin film. A second reactant gas can be used to form a compound thin film. The ion-induced, UV-induced, and electron-induced sequential CVD process of the present invention can be repeated to form a thin film of the desired thickness.

Claims

1. A process for depositing a conformal thin film of a dielectric or conductive material on a semiconductor substrate during semiconductor device fabrication, comprising:

(a) placing said semiconductor substrate in a process chamber;

(b) evacuating said process chamber;

(c) introducing a flow of a first reactant gas in vapor phase into said process chamber, said first reactant gas forming an adsorbed saturated layer of said first reactant gas on said substrate;

(d) evacuating said process chamber;

(e) exposing said substrate to a flux of ultra-violet radiation for inducing a chemical reaction of said adsorbed saturated layer of said first reactant gas to form a portion of said conformal thin film of a dielectric or conductive material, wherein the flux of ultra-violet radiation directly interacts with the adsorbed saturated layer by breaking chemical bonds within the adsorbed saturated layer to induce the chemical reaction;

(f) evacuating said process chamber; and

(g) repeating (c) through (f) multiple times to deposit the thin film.

2. The process of claim 1, further comprising:

(h) introducing a flow of a second reactant gas in vapor phase into said process chamber before said act (e).

3. The process of claim 2, wherein said exposing said substrate to said flux of ultra-violet radiation induces a chemical reaction of said adsorbed saturated layer of said first reactant gas and said second reactant gas for forming a compound thin film.

4. The process of claim 2, further comprising repeating said acts (c) through (f) to form multiple layers of said thin film.

5. The process of claim 2, further comprising:

evacuating said process chamber between said acts (h) and (e).

6. The process of claim 1, further comprising after said act (f):

(h) introducing a flow of a second reactant gas in vapor phase into said process chamber;

(i) exposing said substrate to a flux of ultra-violet radiation for inducing a chemical reaction of said adsorbed saturated layer of said first reactant gas and said second reactant gas to form a compound thin film; and

(j) evacuating said process chamber.

7. The process of claim 6, further comprising repeating said acts from (c) through (j) to form multiple layers of said thin film.

8. The process of claim 6, further comprising:

evacuating said process chamber between said act (h) and (i).

9. The process of claim 1, wherein said flux of ultra-violet radiation is generated by black body radiation.

10. The process of claim 1, wherein said flux of ultra-violet radiation is generated using a plasma discharge.

11. The process of claim 1, wherein said flux of ultra-violet radiation is generated using lasers.

12. The process of claim 1, further comprising:

heating said substrate to an elevated temperature after said act (a).

13. The process of claim 12, wherein said elevated temperature is between 50°

C. to 400°

C.

14. The process of claim 1, wherein said process chamber is a chemical vapor deposition reactor.

15. The process of claim 1, wherein said process chamber is operated at a pressure lower than about 10 torr.

16. The process of claim 1, wherein (e) comprises breaking bonds in the adsorbed saturated layer to form a conductive thin film.

17. The process of claim 1, wherein the adsorbed saturated layer is titanium chloride.

18. A process for depositing a conformal thin film of a dielectric or conductive material on a semiconductor substrate during semiconductor device fabrication, comprising:

(a) placing said semiconductor substrate in a process chamber;

(b) evacuating said process chamber;

(c) introducing a flow of a first reactant gas in vapor phase into said process chamber, said first reactant gas forming an adsorbed saturated layer of said first reactant gas on said substrate;

(d) evacuating said process chamber;

(e) exposing said substrate to a flux of ultra-violet radiation for inducing a chemical reaction of said adsorbed saturated layer of said first reactant gas to form a portion of said conformal thin film of a dielectric or conductive material, wherein the flux of ultra-violet radiation directly breaks chemical bonds within the adsorbed saturated layer to induce a chemical reaction;

(f) evacuating said process chamber; and

(g) repeating (c) through (f) multiple times to deposit the thin film.

19. A process for depositing a conformal thin film of a dielectric or conductive material on a semiconductor substrate during semiconductor device fabrication, comprising:

(a) placing said semiconductor substrate in a process chamber;

(b) evacuating said process chamber;

(c) introducing a flow of a first reactant gas in vapor phase into said process chamber, said first reactant gas forming an adsorbed saturated layer of said first reactant gas on said substrate;

(d) evacuating said process chamber;

(e) exposing said substrate to a flux of ultra-violet radiation for inducing a chemical reaction of said adsorbed saturated layer of said first reactant gas to form a portion of said conformal thin film of a dielectric or conductive material, wherein the flux of ultra-violet radiation directly induces the chemical reaction of the adsorbed saturated layer;

(f) evacuating said process chamber; and

(g) repeating (c) through (f) multiple times to deposit the thin film.

20. A process for depositing a conformal thin film of a dielectric or conductive material on a semiconductor substrate during semiconductor device fabrication, comprising:

(a) placing said semiconductor substrate in a process chamber;

(b) evacuating said process chamber;

(c) introducing a flow of a first reactant gas in vapor phase into said process chamber, said first reactant gas forming an adsorbed saturated layer of said first reactant gas on said substrate;

(d) evacuating said process chamber;

(e) exposing said substrate to a flux of ultra-violet radiation for inducing a chemical reaction of said adsorbed saturated layer of said first reactant gas to form a portion of said conformal thin film of a dielectric or conductive material, wherein the flux of ultra-violet radiation directly interacts with the adsorbed saturated layer to induce the chemical reaction and wherein the reaction is not induced by thermal energy;

(f) evacuating said process chamber; and

(g) repeating (c) through (f) multiple times to deposit the thin film.