US5916634A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Chemical vapor deposition of W-Si-N and W-B-N
Assignee: California Institute of Technology
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Filing: 1996-10-01
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Granted: 1999-06-29
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Expires: 2016-10-01
Abstract
Abstract A method of depositing a ternary, refractory based thin film on a substrate by chemical vapor deposition employing precursor sources of tungsten comprising WF6, either silicon or boron, and nitrogen. The result is a W-Si-N or W-B-N thin film useful for diffusion barrier and micromachining applications.
Inventors
- 👤 James G. Fleming
- 👤 Elizabeth Lynn Roherty-Osmun
- 👤 Paul M. Smith
- 👤 Jonathan S. Custer
- 👤 Ronald V. Jones
- 👤 Marc-A. Nicolet
- 👤 Roland Madar
- 👤 Claude Bernard
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-07 12:56
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10W; H10W20/00; H10W20/01; H10W20/031; H10W20/032; H10W20/033; C; C23; C23C; C23C16/00; C23C16/22; C23C16/30; C23C16/34
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 13
Claim 1
Independent Claim
77 words
A method of depositing a ternary, refractory based thin film on a substrate, the method comprising the steps of: a) providing a precursor source of tungsten comprising WF 6 ; b) providing a precursor source of an element selected from the group consisting of silicon and boron; c) providing a precursor source of nitrogen; and d) depositing, by chemical vapor deposition employing the three precursors, a thin film selected from the group consisting of W--Si--N and W--B--N.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
77 words
A method of depositing a ternary, refractory based thin film on a substrate, the method comprising the steps of: a) providing a precursor source of tungsten comprising WF 6 ; b) providing a precursor source of an element selected from the group consisting of silicon and boron; c) providing a precursor source of nitrogen; and d) depositing, by chemical vapor deposition employing the three precursors, a thin film selected from the group consisting of W--Si--N and W--B--N.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 1 additionally comprising the step of providing a substantially inert carrier gas.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 2 wherein the step of providing a carrier gas comprises providing argon.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
49 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the step of providing a precursor source of an element selected from the group consisting of silicon and boron comprises providing a compound selected from the group consisting of SiH 4 , Si 2 H 6 , and B 2 H 6 .
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the step of providing a precursor source of nitrogen comprises providing NH 3 .
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the depositing step comprises conducting the chemical vapor deposition at a temperature between approximately 200 degrees C. and approximately 400 degrees C.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 6 wherein the depositing step comprises conducting the chemical vapor deposition at approximately 350 degrees C.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the depositing step results in a film having a step coverage of the substrate of greater than approximately 80 percent.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 8 wherein the depositing step results in a film having a step coverage of the substrate of approximately 100 percent.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the depositing step results in a film having a resistivity of between approximately 200 and 20,000 μΩ-cm.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the depositing step results in a film which is substantially uniform through its bulk.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the depositing step results in a film which comprises between approximately 20 percent and 60 percent tungsten.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2002-06-28 | 2002-12-28 | 2003-06-29 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2006-06-28 | 2006-12-28 | 2007-06-29 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2010-06-28 | 2010-12-28 | 2011-06-29 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |