Method of reducing carbon incorporation into films produced by chemical vapor deposition involving organic precursor compounds

Claim 3

The chemical vapor deposition method of claim 1 wherein the organic precursor is an organometallic precursor.

Claim 4

The chemical vapor deposition method of claim 1 wherein each of the first and second layers are deposited to respective thicknesses of less than 50 Angstroms.

Claim 5

The chemical vapor deposition method of claim 1 wherein the organic precursor injection steps and the reactive plasma treatment steps are conducted for respective time periods, the sum of the plasma treatment step's time periods being at least five times as great as the sum of the organic precursor injection step's time periods.

Claim 6

The chemical vapor deposition method of claim 1 further comprising providing a time lag between each of the injecting of the organic precursor steps and injecting of the hydrogen gas steps.

Claim 7

The chemical vapor deposition method of claim 1 wherein the organic precursor injection steps and the reactive plasma treatment steps are conducted for respective time periods, the sum of the plasma treatment step's time periods being at least five times as great as the sum of the organic precursor injection step's time periods; and further comprising: providing a time lag between each of the injecting of the organic precursor steps and injecting of the hydrogen gas steps.

Claim 8

The chemical vapor deposition method of claim 1 wherein each of the first and second layers are deposited to respective thicknesses of less than 50 Angstroms, and further comprising providing a time lag between each of the injecting of the organic precursor steps and injecting of the hydrogen gas steps.

Claim 9

The chemical vapor deposition method of claim 1 wherein, the organic precursor is an organometallic precursor; each of the first and second layers are deposited to respective thicknesses of less than 50 Angstroms; the organic precursor injection steps and the reactive plasma treatment steps are conducted for respective time periods, the sum of the plasma treatment step's time periods being at least five times as great as the sum of the organic precursor injection step's time periods; and further comprising: providing a time lag between each of the injecting of the organic precursor steps and injecting of the hydrogen gas steps.

Claim 10

The chemical vapor deposition method of claim 1 wherein the organic precursor comprises tetrakisdimethylamido titanium and the deposited material of the first and second layers predominantly comprises TiN.

Claim 11

The chemical vapor deposition method of claim 1 wherein each of the first and second layer depositions are conducted without plasma enhancement.

Claim 12

The chemical vapor deposition method of claim 1 wherein each of the first and second layer depositions are conducted with plasma enhancement.

Claim 13

A chemical vapor deposition method of providing a layer of metal nitride material atop a semiconductor wafer using an organic precursor, the method comprising the following steps: positioning a wafer within a chemical vapor deposition reactor; injecting an organic precursor and a carrier gas to within the reactor having the wafer positioned therein, and maintaining the reactor at a temperature and a pressure which in combination are effective to deposit a first layer of material onto the wafer which incorporates carbon from the organic precursor in the form of a carbide; after depositing the first layer, ceasing to inject the organic precursor into the reactor and first injecting hydrogen gas and a reactive gas into the reactor, and generating a first reactive hydrogen plasma from the hydrogen within the reactor against the first layer, the hydrogen effectively diffusing into the first layer to react with carbon of the carbide in the first layer to produce gaseous products which diffuse outwardly of the first layer and are expelled from the reactor, the reactive gas providing a non-metallic bonding component which replaces and substitutes for the carbon displaced from the carbide in the first layer; after the first reactive hydrogen plasma treatment, injecting the organic precursor and the first carrier gas to within the reactor, and maintaining the reactor at a temperature and a pressure which in combination are effective to deposit a second layer of the material onto the wafer which incorporates carbon from the organic precursor in the form of the carbide; and after depositing the second layer, ceasing to inject the organic precursor into the reactor and second injecting hydrogen gas and the reactive gas into the reactor, and generating a second reactive hydrogen plasma from the hydrogen within the reactor against the second layer, the hydrogen effectively diffusing into the second layer to react with carbon of the carbide in the second layer to produce gaseous products which diffuse outwardly of the second layer and are expelled from the reactor, the reactive gas providing a non-metallic bonding component which replaces and substitutes for the carbon displaced from the carbide in the second layer.

Claim 14

A chemical vapor deposition method of providing a layer of metal nitride material atop a semiconductor wafer using an organic precursor, the method comprising the following steps: positioning a wafer within a chemical vapor deposition reactor; injecting an organic precursor and a carrier gas to within the reactor having the wafer positioned therein, and maintaining the reactor at a temperature and a pressure which in combination are effective to deposit a first layer of material onto the wafer which incorporates carbon from the organic precursor in the form of a carbide; after depositing the first layer, ceasing to inject the organic precursor into the reactor and first injecting hydrogen gas and a reactive gas into the reactor, and generating a first reactive hydrogen plasma from the hydrogen within the reactor against the first layer, the hydrogen effectively diffusing into the first layer to react with carbon of the carbide in the first layer to produce gaseous products which diffuse outwardly of the first layer and are expelled from the reactor, the reactive gas providing a non-metallic bonding component which replaces and substitutes for the carbon displaced from the carbide in the first layer; after the first reactive hydrogen plasma treatment, injecting the organic precursor and the first carrier gas to within the reactor, and maintaining the reactor at a temperature and a pressure which in combination are effective to deposit a second layer of the material onto the wafer which incorporates carbon from the organic precursor in the form of the carbide; and after depositing the second layer, ceasing to inject the organic precursor into the reactor and second injecting hydrogen gas and the reactive gas into the reactor, and generating a second reactive hydrogen plasma from the hydrogen within the reactor against the second layer, the hydrogen effectively diffusing into the second layer to react with carbon of the carbide in the second layer to produce gaseous products which diffuse outwardly of the second layer and are expelled from the reactor, the reactive gas providing a non-metallic bonding component which replaces and substitutes for the carbon displaced from the carbide in the second layer.

Claim 15

The chemical vapor deposition method of claim 12 wherein the organic precursor is an organometallic precursor.

Claim 16

The chemical vapor deposition method of claim 12 wherein each of the first and second layers are deposited to respective thicknesses of less than 50 Angstroms.

Claim 17

The chemical vapor deposition method of claim 12 wherein the organic precursor injection steps and the reactive plasma treatment steps are conducted for respective time periods, the sum of the plasma treatment step's time periods being at least five times as great as the sum of the organic precursor injection step's time periods.

Claim 18

The chemical vapor deposition method of claim 12 further comprising providing a time lag between each of the, a) injecting of the organic precursor steps, and b) injecting of the hydrogen gas and reactive gas steps.

Claim 19

The chemical vapor deposition method of claim 12 wherein the organic precursor injection steps and the reactive plasma treatment steps are conducted for respective time periods, the sum of the plasma treatment step's time periods being at least five times as great as the sum of the organic precursor injection step's time periods, and further comprising: providing a time lag between each of the, a) injecting of the organic precursor steps, and b) injecting of the hydrogen gas and reactive gas steps.

Claim 20

The chemical vapor deposition method of claim 12 wherein each of the first and second layers are deposited to respective thicknesses of less than 50 Angstroms, and further comprising providing a time lag between each of the, a) injecting of the organic precursor steps, and b) injecting of the hydrogen gas and reactive steps.

Claim 21

The chemical vapor deposition method of claim 12 wherein, the organic precursor is an organometallic precursor; each of the first and second layers are deposited to respective thicknesses of less than 50 Angstroms; the organic precursor injection steps and the reactive plasma treatment steps are conducted for respective time periods, the sum of the plasma treatment step's time periods being at least five times as great as the sum of the organic precursor injection step's time periods; and further comprising: providing a time lag between each of the, a) injecting of the organic precursor steps, and b) injecting of the hydrogen gas steps.

Claim 22

The chemical vapor deposition method of claim 12 wherein each of the first and second layer depositions are conducted without plasma enhancement.

Claim 23

The chemical vapor deposition method of claim 12 wherein each of the first and second layer depositions are conducted with plasma enhancement.

Claim 24

The chemical vapor deposition method of claim 12 wherein the reactive gas and the hydrogen gas are provided to the reactor at a volumetric ratio of at least 2:1 respectively.

Claim 25

The chemical vapor deposition method of claim 12 wherein the reactive gas and hydrogen gas comprise the same gas.

Claim 26

The chemical vapor deposition method of claim 12 wherein the reactive gas and hydrogen gas comprise the same gas, namely NH 3 .

Claim 27

The chemical vapor deposition method of claim 12 wherein the organic precursor comprises tetrakisdimethylamido titanium, the reactive gas comprises N 2 and the deposited material of the first and second layers predominantly comprises TiN.

Claim 28

The chemical vapor deposition method of claim 12 wherein the organic precursor comprises tetrakisdimethylamido titanium and the reactive gas comprises N 2 , the N 2 and tetrakisdimethylamido titanium being provided to the reactor at a volumetric ratio of at least 2:1 respectively, and the deposited material of the first and second layers predominantly comprising TiN.

Claim 31

A chemical vapor deposition method of providing a layer of metal nitride material atop a semiconductor wafer using an organic precursor, the method comprising the following steps: positioning a wafer within a chemical vapor deposition reactor; injecting an organic precursor and a carrier gas to within the reactor having the wafer positioned therein, and maintaining the reactor at a temperature and a pressure which in combination are effective to deposit a first layer of material onto the wafer which incorporates carbon from the organic precursor in the form of a carbide; and after depositing the first layer, ceasing to inject the organic precursor into the reactor and injecting hydrogen gas and a reactive gas into the reactor, and generating a reactive hydrogen plasma from the hydrogen within the reactor against the first layer, the hydrogen effectively diffusing into the first layer to react with carbon of the carbide in the first layer to produce gaseous products which diffuse outwardly of the first layer and are expelled from the reactor, the reactive gas providing a non-metallic bonding component which replaces and substitutes for the carbon displaced from the carbide in the first layer.

Claim 32

A chemical vapor deposition method of providing a layer of metal nitride material atop a semiconductor wafer using an organic precursor, the method comprising the following steps: positioning a wafer within a chemical vapor deposition reactor; injecting an organic precursor and a carrier gas to within the reactor having the wafer positioned therein, and maintaining the reactor at a temperature and a pressure which in combination are effective to deposit a first layer of material onto the wafer which incorporates carbon from the organic precursor in the form of a carbide; and after depositing the first layer, ceasing to inject the organic precursor into the reactor and injecting hydrogen gas and a reactive gas into the reactor, and generating a reactive hydrogen plasma from the hydrogen within the reactor against the first layer, the hydrogen effectively diffusing into the first layer to react with carbon of the carbide in the first layer to produce gaseous products which diffuse outwardly of the first layer and are expelled from the reactor, the reactive gas providing a non-metallic bonding component which replaces and substitutes for the carbon displaced from the carbide in the first layer.