EP0477990A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
A method of enhancing the properties of a thin film on a substrate
Assignee: Applied Materials Inc
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Filing: 1991-09-30
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2011-09-30
Abstract
Abstract Properties of a thin film of vacuum deposited material, such as titanium nitride, on a substrate are enhanced by plasma or thermal annealing of the thin film without removing the film from a vacuum environment. The annealing step may be performed in the same vacuum chamber as the sputter deposition, or in a different vacuum chamber, provided the substrate can be transferred between chambers while remaining in a vacuum environment. <IMAGE>
Inventors
- 👤 Haim Gilboa
- 👤 Roderick C. Mosely
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-31 23:46
CPC Classifications
C; C23; C23C; C23C14/00; C23C14/58; C23C14/5806; C23C14/06; C23C14/0641; C23C14/14; C23C14/16; C23C14/165; C23C14/5826; C23C14/5846; C23C14/5853; C23C14/586
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 14
Claim 1
Independent Claim
45 words
A method of enhancing the properties of a thin film on a substrate comprising: a) vacuum depositing a thin film of material on a substrate in a vacuum environment and b) without removing the substrate from a vacuum environment, annealing the vacuum deposited thin film.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
14 words
A method according to claim 1 wherein the annealing is performed in a plasma.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
17 words
A method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the annealing is performed at an elevated temperature.
Claim 4
Independent Claim
22 words
A method according to one of the preceding claims wherein said thin film is of titanium nitride, titanium tungsten or tantalum nitride.
Claim 5
Independent Claim
25 words
A method according to claims 2 or 3, wherein said thin film is of titanium nitride and said plasma is of nitrous oxide or oxygen.
Claim 6
Independent Claim
24 words
A method according to claims 2 or 3, wherein said thin film is of titanium tungsten and said plasma is of nitrogen or ammonia.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
25 words
A method according to claim 2 or 3 wherein said thin film is of tantalum nitride and said plasma is of nitrous oxide or oxygen.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
22 words
A method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein after annealing said thin film, a film of aluminum is deposited thereover.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
16 words
A method according to claim 8, wherein said aluminum film is annealed in a vacuum environment.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
20 words
A method according to claim 9 wherein the aluminum film is annealed by a plasma of fluorine or nitrogen trifluoride.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
22 words
A method according to one of the preceding claim, wherein both steps a) and b) are performed in the same vacuum chamber.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
21 words
A method according to one of claims 1 to 10 wherein steps a) and b) are performed in separate vacuum chambers.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
20 words
A method according to one of the preceding claims wherein said substrate is a wafer, preferably a silicon semiconductor wafer.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
16 words
A method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein said vacuum deposition is by sputtering.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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