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US6174809B1 Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Method for forming metal layer using atomic layer deposition

Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co Ltd
•
Filing: 1998-12-15
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Granted: 2001-01-16
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Expires: 2018-12-15
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Abstract

Abstract A method for forming a metal layer using an atomic layer deposition process. A sacrificial metal atomic layer is formed on a semiconductor substrate by reacting a precursor containing a metal with a reducing gas, and a metal atomic layer is formed of metal atoms separated from a metal halide gas on a semiconductor substrate by reacting the sacrificial metal atomic layer with a metal halide gas. Also, a silicon atomic layer may be additionally formed on the metal atomic layer using a silicon source gas, to thereby alternately stack metal atomic layers and silicon layers. Thus, a metal layer or a metal silicide layer having excellent step coverage can be formed on the semiconductor substrate.

Inventors

  • 👤 Sang-Bom Kang
  • 👤 Yun-sook Chae
  • 👤 Chang-soo Park
  • 👤 Sang-in Lee

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-09 01:23
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10D; H10D64/00; H10D64/01; H10D64/011; H10W; H10W20/00; H10W20/01; H10W20/031; H10W20/032; H10W20/033; H10W20/035; C; C23; C23C; C23C16/00; C23C16/44; C23C16/455; C23C16/45561; H10D64/0111; H10D64/0112; H10P; H10P14/00; H10P14/40; H10P14/42; H10P14/43; H10P14/432

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 27
Claim 1
Independent Claim 80 words
A method for forming a metal layer, comprising the steps of: (a) forming a sacrificial metal atomic layer on a semiconductor substrate; (b) removing the sacrificial metal atomic layer and simultaneously forming a metal atomic layer on the semiconductor substrate by reacting the sacrificial metal atomic layer with a metal halide gas; and (c) stacking a plurality of metal atomic layers on the semiconductor substrate by alternately forming the sacrificial atomic layer and the metal atomic layer, at least once.
Claim 2
Independent Claim 80 words
A method for forming a metal layer, comprising the steps of: (a) forming a sacrificial metal atomic layer on a semiconductor substrate; (b) removing the sacrificial metal atomic layer and simultaneously forming a metal atomic layer on the semiconductor substrate by reacting the sacrificial metal atomic layer with a metal halide gas; and (c) stacking a plurality of metal atomic layers on the semiconductor substrate by alternately forming the sacrificial atomic layer and the metal atomic layer, at least once.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 31 words
The method of claim 1 , further comprising the step of forming an initial sacrificial metal layer on the semiconductor substrate before step (a) of forming the sacrificial metal atomic layer.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 23 words
The method of claim 2 , wherein while the initial sacrificial metal layer is formed, the semiconductor substrate is heated to 300˜500° C.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 28 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein while the sacrificial metal atomic layer and the metal atomic layer are formed, the semiconductor substrate is heated to 300˜500° C.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 41 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein the Gibbs free energy of a composition including a metal atom of the sacrificial metal atomic layer and a halogen atom of the metal halide gas is higher than that of the metal halide.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 41 words
The method of claim 2 , further comprising the step of purging the peripheral portion of the resultant structure where the initial sacrificial metal layer is formed, with an inert gas, before step (a) of forming the sacrificial metal atomic layer.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 40 words
The method of claim 1 , further comprising the step of purging the peripheral portion of the resultant structure where the sacrificial metal atomic layer is formed, with an inert gas, before step (b) of forming the metal atomic layer.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 54 words
The method of claim 1 , further comprising the step of forming an ohmic layer at the interface between the semiconductor substrate and the plurality of metal atomic layers, by reacting the plurality of metal atomic layers with the semiconductor substrate by annealing, after step (c) of stacking the plurality of metal atomic layers.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 15 words
The method of claim 8 , wherein the ohmic layer is a metal silicide layer.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 45 words
The method of claim 2 , further comprising the step of H 2 -remote-plasma processing the resultant structure where the initial sacrificial metal layer is formed, to remove remnants separated from a sacrificial metal source, after the step of forming the initial sacrificial metal layer.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 44 words
The method of claim 1 , further comprising the step of H 2 -remote-plasma processing the resultant structure where the sacrificial metal atomic layer is formed, to remove remnants separated from the sacrificial metal source, after the step of forming the sacrificial metal layer.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 43 words
The method of claim 1 , further comprising the step of H 2 -remote-plasma processing the resultant structure where the metal atomic layer is formed, to remove remnants separated from the metal halide gas, after the step of forming the metal atomic layer.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 38 words
The method of claim 12 , further comprising the step of purging the peripheral portion of the resultant structure where the metal atomic layer is formed with an inert gas, after the step of H 2 -remote-plasma processing.
Claim 15
Independent Claim 102 words
A method for forming a metal silicide layer, comprising the steps of: forming a sacrificial metal atomic layer on a semiconductor substrate; removing the sacrificial metal atomic layer and simultaneously forming a metal atomic layer on the semiconductor substrate by reacting the sacrificial metal atomic layer with a metal halide gas; forming a silicon atomic layer on the metal atomic layer; and alternately stacking a plurality of metal atomic layers and a plurality of silicon atomic layers on the semiconductor substrate by forming the sacrificial metal atomic layer, the metal atomic layer and the silicon atomic layer in sequence at least once.
Claim 16
Independent Claim 102 words
A method for forming a metal silicide layer, comprising the steps of: forming a sacrificial metal atomic layer on a semiconductor substrate; removing the sacrificial metal atomic layer and simultaneously forming a metal atomic layer on the semiconductor substrate by reacting the sacrificial metal atomic layer with a metal halide gas; forming a silicon atomic layer on the metal atomic layer; and alternately stacking a plurality of metal atomic layers and a plurality of silicon atomic layers on the semiconductor substrate by forming the sacrificial metal atomic layer, the metal atomic layer and the silicon atomic layer in sequence at least once.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim 31 words
The method of claim 14 , further comprising the step of forming an initial sacrificial metal layer on the semiconductor substrate before the step of forming the sacrificial metal atomic layer.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim 23 words
The method of claim 15 , wherein while the initial sacrificial metal layer is formed, the semiconductor substrate is heated to 300˜500° C.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim 32 words
The method of claim 14 , wherein while the sacrificial metal atomic layer, the metal atomic layer and the silicon atomic layer are formed, the semiconductor substrate is heated to 300˜500° C.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim 42 words
The method of claim 14 , wherein the Gibbs free energy of a composition consisting of a metal atom of the sacrificial metal atomic layer and a halogen atom of the metal halide gas is higher than that of the metal halide.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim 41 words
The method of claim 15 , further comprising the step of purging the peripheral portion of the resultant structure where the initial sacrificial metal layer is formed, with an inert gas, before the step of forming the sacrificial metal atomic layer.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim 40 words
The method of claim 14 , further comprising the step of purging the peripheral portion of the resultant structure where the sacrificial metal atomic layer is formed, with an inert gas, before the step of forming the metal atomic layer.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim 39 words
The method of claim 14 , further comprising the step of purging the peripheral portion of the resultant structure where the metal atomic layer is formed, with an inert gas, before the step of forming the silicon atomic layer.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim 45 words
The method of claim 15 , further comprising the step of H 2 -remote-plasma processing the resultant structure where the initial sacrificial metal layer is formed, to remove remnants separated from a sacrificial metal source, after the step of forming the initial sacrificial metal layer.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim 44 words
The method of claim 14 , further comprising the step of H 2 -remote-plasma processing the resultant structure where the sacrificial metal atomic layer is formed, to remove remnants separated from the sacrificial metal source, after the step of forming the sacrificial metal layer.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim 43 words
The method of claim 14 , further comprising the step of H 2 -remote-plasma processing the resultant structure where the metal atomic layer is formed, to remove remnants separated from the metal halide gas, after the step of forming the metal atomic layer.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim 19 words
The method of claim 14 , wherein the silicon atomic layer is formed by reacting a silicon source gas.

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) 2004-01-16 2004-07-17 2005-01-16 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 2008-01-16 2008-07-17 2009-01-16 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2012-01-16 2012-07-17 2013-01-16 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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