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

Claim 2

A chemical vapor deposition method comprising the following steps: chemical vapor depositing a first layer over a wafer, the first layer comprising incorporated hydrocarbons; generating a first reactive hydrogen plasma adjacent the first layer to displace hydrocarbons away from the first layer; forming a second layer over the wafer, the second layer comprising incorporated carbon; and generating a second reactive hydrogen plasma adjacent the second layer to displace carbon away from the second layer.

Claim 3

The method of claim 1 wherein the steps occur sequentially as written.

Claim 4

The method of claim 1 wherein the incorporated carbon comprises a carbide.

Claim 5

The method of claim 1 wherein the incorporated carbon comprises a hydrocarbon.

Claim 6

The method of claim 1 further comprising providing a time lag between the formation of the first layer and the generation of the first reactive hydrogen plasma.

Claim 7

The method of claim 1 wherein the first layer predominantly comprises TiN.

Claim 8

The method of claim 1 wherein the first layer comprises the same material as the second layer.

Claim 9

The method of claim 1 wherein the first and second layers predominantly comprise TiN.

Claim 10

The method of claim 1 wherein the chemical vapor deposition occurs in a reactor and wherein the generation of the first reactive hydrogen plasma also occurs in said reactor.

Claim 11

The method of claim 1 wherein the chemical vapor deposition occurs in a reactor and wherein the formation of the second layer also occurs in said reactor.

Claim 12

The method of claim 1 wherein the chemical vapor deposition occurs in a reactor, wherein the generation of the first reactive hydrogen plasma also occurs in said reactor, and wherein the formation of the second layer also occurs in said reactor.

Claim 13

A chemical vapor deposition method comprising the following steps: chemical vapor depositing a first layer over a substrate support, the first layer comprising hydrocarbons; and utilizing a reactive hydrogen plasma to displace the hydrocarbons away from the first layer.

Claim 14

A chemical vapor deposition method comprising the following steps: chemical vapor depositing a first layer over a substrate support, the first layer comprising hydrocarbons; and utilizing a reactive hydrogen plasma to displace the hydrocarbons away from the first layer.

Claim 15

The method of claim 12 wherein the first layer predominantly comprises TiN.

Claim 16

The method of claim 12 further comprising providing a time lag between the formation of the first layer and the utilization of the reactive hydrogen plasma.

Claim 17

The method of claim 12 further comprising forming a second layer over the first layer.

Claim 18

The method of claim 12 further comprising: after removing the hydrocarbons from the first layer, forming a second layer over the first layer.

Claim 19

A semiconductor processing method, comprising the following steps: forming a layer of material over a wafer, the layer of material comprising hydrocarbons; and utilizing a reactive hydrogen plasma to displace the hydrocarbons away from the layer of material.

Claim 20

A semiconductor processing method, comprising the following steps: forming a layer of material over a wafer, the layer of material comprising hydrocarbons; and utilizing a reactive hydrogen plasma to displace the hydrocarbons away from the layer of material.

Claim 21

The method of claim 17 further comprising providing a time lag between the formation of the first layer and the utilization of the reactive hydrogen plasma.

Claim 22

The method of claim 17 further comprising forming a second layer over the first layer.

Claim 23

The method of claim 17 further comprising: after removing the hydrocarbons from the first layer, forming a second layer over the first layer.

Claim 24

A chemical vapor deposition method of providing a layer of material atop a semiconductor wafer, the method comprising the following steps: positioning a wafer within a chemical vapor deposition reactor; injecting an organic precursor 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, 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 25

A chemical vapor deposition method of providing a layer of material atop a semiconductor wafer, the method comprising the following steps: positioning a wafer within a chemical vapor deposition reactor; injecting an organic precursor 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, 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 26

The method of claim 21 wherein the first layer comprises TiN.

Claim 27

A semiconductor processing method comprising the following steps: positioning a wafer within a reactor; forming a layer on the wafer, the layer comprising carbon in the form of a carbide; and after forming the layer, injecting hydrogen gas and a reactive gas into the reactor; generating a reactive hydrogen plasma from the hydrogen gas, the hydrogen diffusing into the layer to react with the carbon of the carbide to produce gaseous products which diffuse outwardly of the layer, the reactive gas providing a bonding component, the bonding component replacing the carbon displaced from the layer.

Claim 28

A semiconductor processing method comprising the following steps: positioning a wafer within a reactor; forming a layer on the wafer, the layer comprising carbon in the form of a carbide; and after forming the layer, injecting hydrogen gas and a reactive gas into the reactor; generating a reactive hydrogen plasma from the hydrogen gas, the hydrogen diffusing into the layer to react with the carbon of the carbide to produce gaseous products which diffuse outwardly of the layer, the reactive gas providing a bonding component, the bonding component replacing the carbon displaced from the layer.

Claim 29

The method of claim 23 wherein the bonding component is non-metallic.

Claim 30

The method of claim 23 wherein the layer comprises TiN.

Claim 31

A semiconductor processing method, comprising the following steps: utilizing organic precursors to chemical vapor deposit a layer of predominately inorganic material over a wafer; and utilizing a reactive hydrogen plasma to minimize hydrocarbon or carbide incorporation within the layer of predominately inorganic material.

Claim 32

A semiconductor processing method, comprising the following steps: utilizing organic precursors to chemical vapor deposit a layer of predominately inorganic material over a wafer; and utilizing a reactive hydrogen plasma to minimize hydrocarbon or carbide incorporation within the layer of predominately inorganic material.