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US6461982B2 Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Methods for forming a dielectric film

Assignee: Micron Technology Inc
•
Filing: 1997-02-27
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Granted: 2002-10-08
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Expires: 2017-02-27
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Abstract

Abstract A method of forming a high dielectric oxide film includes forming a high dielectric oxide film on a surface. The high dielectric oxide film has a dielectric constant greater than about 4 and includes a plurality of oxygen vacancies present during the formation of the film. The high dielectric oxide film is exposed during the formation thereof to an amount of atomic oxygen sufficient for reducing the number of oxygen vacancies. Further, the amount of atomic oxygen used in the formation method may be controlled as a function of the amount of oxygen incorporated into the high dielectric oxide film during the formation thereof or be controlled as a function of the concentration of atomic oxygen in a process chamber in which the high dielectric oxide film is being formed. An apparatus for forming the high dielectric oxide film is also described.

Inventors

  • 👤 Scott J. Deboer
  • 👤 Randhir P. S. Thakur

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-05 19:40
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10P; H10P14/00; H10P14/60; H10P14/69; H10P14/692; H10P14/6938; H10P14/6939; H10P14/69393; C; C23; C23C; C23C16/00; C23C16/22; C23C16/30; C23C16/40; C23C16/44; C23C16/52; H10D; H10D1/00; H10D1/60; H10D1/68; H10D64/00; H10D64/60; H10D64/66; H10D64/68; H10D64/689; H10P14/63; H10P14/6326; H10P14/6328; H10P14/6334; H10P14/6336; H10P14/65; H10P14/6516; H10P14/6544; H10P14/6339; H10P14/69392

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 18
Claim 1
Independent Claim 178 words
A method of forming a high dielectric oxide film, the method comprising: depositing a high dielectric oxide film on a surface of a device structure provided in a process chamber, the high dielectric oxide film having a dielectric constant greater than about 4 and including a plurality of oxygen vacancies formed during deposition of the high dielectric oxide film; and exposing the high dielectric oxide film during deposition to an amount of atomic oxygen that reduces the plurality of oxygen vacancies to eliminate a post deposition oxygen anneal of the high dielectric oxide film, wherein the atomic oxygen utilized for exposure is provided by generation of a plasma from at least one of O 2 , O 3 , NO, and N 2 O, wherein the generation of the plasma is performed remotely from the process chamber, and further wherein the amount of atomic oxygen to which the high dielectric oxide film is exposed during deposition thereof is controlled as a function of the amount of oxygen incorporated into the high dielectric oxide film during the deposition thereof.
Claim 2
Independent Claim 178 words
A method of forming a high dielectric oxide film, the method comprising: depositing a high dielectric oxide film on a surface of a device structure provided in a process chamber, the high dielectric oxide film having a dielectric constant greater than about 4 and including a plurality of oxygen vacancies formed during deposition of the high dielectric oxide film; and exposing the high dielectric oxide film during deposition to an amount of atomic oxygen that reduces the plurality of oxygen vacancies to eliminate a post deposition oxygen anneal of the high dielectric oxide film, wherein the atomic oxygen utilized for exposure is provided by generation of a plasma from at least one of O 2 , O 3 , NO, and N 2 O, wherein the generation of the plasma is performed remotely from the process chamber, and further wherein the amount of atomic oxygen to which the high dielectric oxide film is exposed during deposition thereof is controlled as a function of the amount of oxygen incorporated into the high dielectric oxide film during the deposition thereof.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 20 words
The method according to claim 1 , wherein the surface is biased for attracting ionized atomic oxygen of the plasma.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 17 words
The method according to claim 1 , wherein the atomic oxygen is exposed to a heat source.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 42 words
The method according to claim 1 , wherein the high dielectric film includes one of Ta 2 O 5 , Ba x Sr 1−x TiO 3 , Y 2 O 3 , TiO 2 , HfO 2 , PZT, PLZT, and SBT.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 20 words
The method according to claim 1 , wherein the high dielectric oxide film comprises a Ta 2 O 5 film.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 33 words
The method according to claim 5 , wherein depositing the high dielectric oxide film further comprises providing a vaporized tantalum precursor for use in the deposition of the Ta 2 O 5 film.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 48 words
The method according to claim 6 , wherein depositing the high dielectric oxide film further comprises depositing the Ta 2 O 5 film using the atomic oxygen and the vaporized tantalum precursor simultaneously while simultaneously performing an in situ oxygen anneal of the Ta 2 O 5 film.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 20 words
The method according to claim 6 , wherein providing a vaporized tantalum precursor comprises vaporization of a carbon-free solid precursor.
Claim 10
Independent Claim 181 words
A method of forming a high dielectric oxide film, the method comprising: depositing a high dielectric oxide film on a surface of a device structure provided in a process chamber, the high dielectric oxide film having a dielectric constant greater than about 4 and including a plurality of oxygen vacancies formed during deposition of the high dielectric oxide film; and exposing the high dielectric oxide film during deposition to an amount of atomic oxygen that reduces the plurality of oxygen vacancies to eliminate a post deposition oxygen anneal of the high dielectric oxide film, wherein the atomic oxygen utilized for exposure is provided by generation of a plasma from at least one of O 2 , O 3 , NO, and N 2 O, wherein the generation of the plasma is performed remotely from the process chamber, and further wherein the amount of atomic oxygen to which the high dielectric oxide film is exposed during deposition thereof is controlled as a function of a concentration of atomic oxygen in the process chamber used for deposition of the high dielectric oxide film.
Claim 11
Independent Claim 181 words
A method of forming a high dielectric oxide film, the method comprising: depositing a high dielectric oxide film on a surface of a device structure provided in a process chamber, the high dielectric oxide film having a dielectric constant greater than about 4 and including a plurality of oxygen vacancies formed during deposition of the high dielectric oxide film; and exposing the high dielectric oxide film during deposition to an amount of atomic oxygen that reduces the plurality of oxygen vacancies to eliminate a post deposition oxygen anneal of the high dielectric oxide film, wherein the atomic oxygen utilized for exposure is provided by generation of a plasma from at least one of O 2 , O 3 , NO, and N 2 O, wherein the generation of the plasma is performed remotely from the process chamber, and further wherein the amount of atomic oxygen to which the high dielectric oxide film is exposed during deposition thereof is controlled as a function of a concentration of atomic oxygen in the process chamber used for deposition of the high dielectric oxide film.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 20 words
The method according to claim 9 , wherein the surface is biased for attracting ionized atomic oxygen of the plasma.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 17 words
The method according to claim 9 , wherein the atomic oxygen is exposed to a heat source.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 40 words
The method according to claim 9 , wherein the high dielectric film includes one of Ta 2 O 3 , Ba x Sr 1−x TiO 3 , Y 2 O 3 , TiO, HfO 2 , PZT, PLZT, and SBT.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim 20 words
The method according to claim 9 , wherein the high dielectric oxide film comprises a Ta 2 O 5 film.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim 33 words
The method according to claim 13 , wherein depositing the high dielectric oxide film further comprises providing a vaporized tantalum precursor for use in the deposition of the Ta 2 O 5 film.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim 48 words
The method according to claim 14 , wherein depositing the high dielectric oxide film further comprises depositing the Ta 2 O 5 film using the atomic oxygen and the vaporized tantalum precursor simultaneously while simultaneously performing an in situ oxygen anneal of the Ta 2 O 5 film.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim 20 words
The method according to claim 14 , wherein providing a vaporized tantalum precursor comprises vaporization of a carbon-free solid precursor.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US4691662A Cited
US5261961A Cited
US5525156A Cited
US5312783A Cited
US5702562A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 2005-10-07 2006-04-08 2006-10-08 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 2009-10-07 2010-04-08 2010-10-08 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2013-10-07 2014-04-08 2014-10-08 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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