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US5356833A
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Process for forming an intermetallic member on a semiconductor substrate
Assignee: NXP USA Inc
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Filing: 1993-04-05
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Granted: 1994-10-18
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Expires: 2013-04-05
Abstract
Abstract The present invention includes a process for forming an intermetallic layer over a semiconductor substrate and a device formed by the process. The intermetallic layer includes a material having a molecular formula of AB 3 , wherein A is an element having an atomic number of 39-41 or 57-73 and B is an element having an atomic of 45, 46, 77, or 78. In one process, an intermetallic member is formed by forming a patterned layer including the A or B element over a substrate, depositing a layer of the other element, and reacting them. The process forms a self-aligned member. Chemical-mechanical polishing, ion milling, and a lift-off method may be performed to pattern an AB 3 intermetallic layer. In a device, an intermetallic member may act as a gate electrode, an electrode of a capacitor, a conductive spacer, an interconnect, or a contact or via plug. An almost endless number of devices may be formed with the intermetallic members.
Inventors
- 👤 Papu D. Maniar
- 👤 Faivel S. Pintchovski
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-05 13:05
CPC Classifications
C; C23; C23C; C23C14/00; C23C14/58; C23C14/5806; C23C14/06; C23C14/14; C23C14/18; C23C14/185; C23C14/5893; C23C26/00; H; H10; H10B; H10B10/00; H10D; H10D1/00; H10D1/60; H10D1/68; H10D1/692; H10D64/00; H10D64/01; H10D64/011; H10D64/0111; H10W; H10W20/00; H10W20/01; H10W20/031; H10W20/0698
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 22
Claim 1
Independent Claim
169 words
A process for forming an intermetallic member over a semiconductor substrate comprising the steps of: depositing a first layer over the substrate, wherein the first layer includes an element selected from a group consisting of yttrium, zirconium, niobium, lanthanum, cerium, praseodymium, neodymium, promethium, samarium, europium, .gadolinium, terbium, dysprosium, holmium, erbium, thulium, ytterbium, lutetium, hafnium, and tantalum; dry etching the first layer to form a patterned first layer; forming a second layer over the substrate, wherein the second layer includes an element selected from a group consisting of rhodium, iridium, palladium, and platinum; reacting the patterned first layer and the second layer to form the intermetallic member, wherein the intermetallic member includes a material having a molecular formula of AB 3 , wherein; A is an element selected from a group consisting of yttrium, zirconium, niobium, lanthanum, cerium, praseodymium, neodymium, promethium, samarium, europium, gadolinium, terbium, dysprosium, holmium, erbium, thulium, ytterbium, lutetium, hafnium, and tantalum; and B is an element selected from a group consisting of rhodium, iridium, palladium, and platinum.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
169 words
A process for forming an intermetallic member over a semiconductor substrate comprising the steps of: depositing a first layer over the substrate, wherein the first layer includes an element selected from a group consisting of yttrium, zirconium, niobium, lanthanum, cerium, praseodymium, neodymium, promethium, samarium, europium, .gadolinium, terbium, dysprosium, holmium, erbium, thulium, ytterbium, lutetium, hafnium, and tantalum; dry etching the first layer to form a patterned first layer; forming a second layer over the substrate, wherein the second layer includes an element selected from a group consisting of rhodium, iridium, palladium, and platinum; reacting the patterned first layer and the second layer to form the intermetallic member, wherein the intermetallic member includes a material having a molecular formula of AB 3 , wherein; A is an element selected from a group consisting of yttrium, zirconium, niobium, lanthanum, cerium, praseodymium, neodymium, promethium, samarium, europium, gadolinium, terbium, dysprosium, holmium, erbium, thulium, ytterbium, lutetium, hafnium, and tantalum; and B is an element selected from a group consisting of rhodium, iridium, palladium, and platinum.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
55 words
The process of claim 1, further comprising the step of forming a third layer over the substrate prior to the step of depositing first layer, wherein the third layer is selected from a group consisting of a dielectric material, an insulating material, a semiconductor layer, a semiconductor-containing layer, a metallic layer, and a metal-containing material.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
41 words
The process of claim 1, wherein the step of reacting is performed: in a furnace; at about atmospheric pressure; at a temperature in a range of about 700-1000 degrees Celsius; and for a time in a range of about 10-30 minutes.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
33 words
The process of claim 1, wherein the step of reacting is performed in a machine selected from a group consisting of a low pressure chemical vapor deposition system and a rapid thermal processor.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
43 words
The process of claim 1, wherein the intermetallic member acts as at least part of a component selected from a group consisting of a gate electrode, an electrode of a capacitor, a conductive spacer, an interconnect, a contact plug, and a via plug.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
14 words
The process of claim 5, wherein the intermetallic member acts as a gate electrode.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
29 words
The process of claim 1, wherein the step of dry etching is performed using an etch chemistry including at least one of a chlorine-containing material and a fluorine-containing material.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
22 words
The process of claim 1, wherein the first layer includes an element selected from a group consisting of zirconium, niobium, and tantalum.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
26 words
The process of claim 1, wherein the intermetallic member includes a material selected from a group consisting of niobium platinide, zirconium platinide, and an iridium-containing material.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
28 words
The process of claim 1, wherein: the step of reacting forms an unreacted portion of the second layer; and the unreacted portion of the second layer is removed.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
169 words
A process for forming an intermetallic member over a semiconductor substrate comprising the steps of: forming a first layer over the substrate, wherein the first layer includes an element selected from a group consisting of rhodium, iridium, palladium, and platinum: dry etching the first layer to form a patterned first layer: forming a second layer over the substrate, wherein the second layer includes an element selected from a group consisting of yttrium, zirconium, niobium, lanthanum, cerium, praseodymium, neodymium, promethium, samarium, europium, gadolinium, terbium, dysprosium, holmium, erbium, thulium, ytterbium, lutetium, hafnium, and tantalum; reacting the patterned first layer and the second layer to form the intermetallic member, wherein the intermetallic member includes a material having a molecular formula of AB 3 , wherein; A is an element selected from a group consisting of yttrium, zirconium, niobium, lanthanum, cerium, praseodymium, neodymium, promethium, samarium, europium, gadolinium, terbium, dysprosium, holmium, erbium, thulium, ytterbium, lutetium, hafnium, and tantalum; and B is an element selected from a group consisting of rhodium, iridium, palladium, and platinum.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
169 words
A process for forming an intermetallic member over a semiconductor substrate comprising the steps of: forming a first layer over the substrate, wherein the first layer includes an element selected from a group consisting of rhodium, iridium, palladium, and platinum: dry etching the first layer to form a patterned first layer: forming a second layer over the substrate, wherein the second layer includes an element selected from a group consisting of yttrium, zirconium, niobium, lanthanum, cerium, praseodymium, neodymium, promethium, samarium, europium, gadolinium, terbium, dysprosium, holmium, erbium, thulium, ytterbium, lutetium, hafnium, and tantalum; reacting the patterned first layer and the second layer to form the intermetallic member, wherein the intermetallic member includes a material having a molecular formula of AB 3 , wherein; A is an element selected from a group consisting of yttrium, zirconium, niobium, lanthanum, cerium, praseodymium, neodymium, promethium, samarium, europium, gadolinium, terbium, dysprosium, holmium, erbium, thulium, ytterbium, lutetium, hafnium, and tantalum; and B is an element selected from a group consisting of rhodium, iridium, palladium, and platinum.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
55 words
The process of claim 11, further comprising the step of forming a third layer over the substrate prior to the step of depositing the first layer, wherein the third layer is selected from a group consisting of a dielectric material, an insulating material, semiconductor layer, a semiconductor-containing layer, a metallic layer, and a metal-containing material.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
41 words
The process of claim 11, wherein the step of reacting is performed: in a furnace; at about atmospheric pressure; at a temperature in a range of about 700-1000 degrees Celsius; and for a time in a range of about 10-30 minutes.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
33 words
The process of claim 11, wherein the step of reacting is performed in a machine selected from a group consisting of a low pressure chemical vapor deposition system and a rapid thermal processor.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
44 words
The process of claim 11, wherein the intermetallic member acts as at least a part of a component selected from a group consisting of a gate electrode, an electrode of a capacitor, a conductive spacer, an interconnect, a contact plug, and a via plug.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
14 words
The process of claim 15, wherein the intermetallic member acts as a gate electrode.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
29 words
The process of claim 11, wherein the step of dry etching is performed using an etch chemistry including at least one of a chlorine-containing material and a fluorine-containing material.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
21 words
The process of claim 11, wherein the first layer includes an element selected from a group consisting of iridium and platinum.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
26 words
The process of claim 11, wherein the intermetallic member includes a material selected from a group consisting of niobium platinide, zirconium platinide, and an iridium-containing material.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
28 words
The process of claim 11, wherein: the step of reacting forms an unreacted portion of the second layer; and the unreacted portion of the second layer is removed.
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