US6468924B2
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Methods of forming thin films by atomic layer deposition
Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co Ltd
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Filing: 2001-05-31
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Granted: 2002-10-22
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Expires: 2021-05-31
Abstract
Abstract Methods of forming thin films include forming a first layer comprising a first element that is chemisorbed to a surface of a substrate, by exposing the surface to a first source gas having molecules therein that comprise the first element and a halogen. A step is then performed to expose the first layer to an activated hydrogen gas so that halogens associated with the first layer become bound to hydrogen provided by the activated hydrogen gas. The first layer may then be converted to a thin film comprising the first element and a second element, by exposing a surface of the first layer to a second source gas having molecules therein that comprise the second element.
Inventors
- 👤 Seung-Hwan Lee
- 👤 Yeong-kwan Kim
- 👤 Dong-chan Kim
- 👤 Young-wook Park
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 00:56
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10P; H10P14/00; H10P14/20; H10P14/60; H10P14/63; H10P14/6326; H10P14/6328; H10P14/6334; H10P14/6339; C; C23; C23C; C23C16/00; C23C16/22; C23C16/30; C23C16/34; C23C16/345; C23C16/40; C23C16/401; C23C16/402; C23C16/403; C23C16/405; C23C16/409; C23C16/44; C23C16/455; C23C16/45523; C23C16/45525; C23C16/45527; C23C16/45531; C23C16/45536; C23C16/45542; H10P14/6336; H10P14/69; H10P14/692; H10P14/6921; H10P14/69215; H10P14/6938; H10P14/6939; H10P14/69391; H10P14/69393; H10P14/69394; H10P14/69397; H10P14/69398
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 32
Claim 1
Independent Claim
88 words
A method for forming a thin film comprising: providing a first reactant containing a halogen on a semiconductor substrate in order to chemisorb a first reactant adsorption layer combined with the halogen on the semiconductor substrate; providing activated hydrogen gas to the first reactant adsorption layer in order to remove the halogen from the first reactant adsorption layer; and then providing a second reactant to the first reactant adsorption layer in order to chemisorb the second reactant into the first reactant adsorption layer and define the thin film.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
88 words
A method for forming a thin film comprising: providing a first reactant containing a halogen on a semiconductor substrate in order to chemisorb a first reactant adsorption layer combined with the halogen on the semiconductor substrate; providing activated hydrogen gas to the first reactant adsorption layer in order to remove the halogen from the first reactant adsorption layer; and then providing a second reactant to the first reactant adsorption layer in order to chemisorb the second reactant into the first reactant adsorption layer and define the thin film.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
11 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein the halogen is chlorine.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
39 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein the first reactant is SiCl 4 , TiCl 4 , SiH 2 Cl 2 , Si 2 Cl 6 , TaCl 3 , AlCl 3 , or Al(CH 3 ) 2 Cl.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein the activated hydrogen gas is generated by a remote-plasma.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein the thin film is a monoatomic nitride, a compound nitride, a monoatomic oxide, or a compound oxide.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 5 , wherein the monoatomic nitride is SiN, TiN, or AlN.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of claim 5 , wherein the compound nitride is WSiN, TiSiN, TaSiN, AlSiN, or AlTiN.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method of claim 5 , wherein the monoatomic oxide is Al 2 O 3 , TiO 2 , Ta 2 O 5 , or SiO 2 .
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method of claim 5 , wherein the compound oxide is SrTiO 3 , PbTiO 3 , (Ba,Sr)TiO 3 , Pb(Zr,Ti)O 3 , or (Pb,La)(Zr,Ti)O 3 .
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein said step of providing activated hydrogen gas is preceded by the step of removing by-products from the first reactant adsorption layer.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 10 , wherein said removing step is performed by exposing the first reaction adsorption layer to an inert gas.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein said step of providing activated hydrogen gas is followed by the step of removing by-products from the first reactant adsorption layer.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein said step of providing a second reactant is followed by the step of removing by-products from the thin film.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein each of said providing steps is performed in sequence multiple times.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
77 words
A method for forming a thin film comprising the steps of: providing a silicon source gas containing a halogen to a semiconductor substrate in order to chemisorb a silicon adsorption layer combined with the halogen on the semiconductor substrate; providing activated hydrogen gas to the silicon adsorption layer in order to remove the halogen from the silicon adsorption layer; and then providing a nitrogen source gas to the silicon adsorption layer to form a silicon nitride layer.
Claim 17
Independent Claim
77 words
A method for forming a thin film comprising the steps of: providing a silicon source gas containing a halogen to a semiconductor substrate in order to chemisorb a silicon adsorption layer combined with the halogen on the semiconductor substrate; providing activated hydrogen gas to the silicon adsorption layer in order to remove the halogen from the silicon adsorption layer; and then providing a nitrogen source gas to the silicon adsorption layer to form a silicon nitride layer.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method of claim 15 , wherein the silicon source gas is SiCl 4 , SiH 2 Cl 2 , or Si 2 Cl 6 .
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 15 , wherein said step of providing activated hydrogen gas comprises activating the hydrogen gas by remote-plasma.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 15 , wherein the nitrogen source gas is NH 3 or N 2 H 4 .
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method of claim 15 , wherein said step of providing activated hydrogen is preceded by the step of removing by-products from the silicon adsorption layer.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method of claim 15 , wherein said step of providing a silicon source gas is followed by the step of exposing the silicon adsorption layer to an inert gas.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
42 words
The method of claim 20 , wherein said step of providing activated hydrogen gas is followed by the step of exposing the silicon adsorption layer to an inert gas after the silicon adsorption layer has been exposed to the activated hydrogen gas.
Claim 24
Independent Claim
115 words
A method of forming a film, comprising the steps of: forming a first layer that comprises a first element and is chemisorbed to a surface of a substrate, by exposing the surface to a first source gas having molecules therein that comprise the first element and a halogen; then exposing the first layer to an activated hydrogen gas so that halogens associated with the first layer become bound to hydrogen provided by the activated hydrogen gas; and then converting the first layer to a thin film comprising the first element and a second element, by exposing a surface of the first layer to a second source gas having molecules therein that comprise the second element.
Claim 25
Independent Claim
115 words
A method of forming a film, comprising the steps of: forming a first layer that comprises a first element and is chemisorbed to a surface of a substrate, by exposing the surface to a first source gas having molecules therein that comprise the first element and a halogen; then exposing the first layer to an activated hydrogen gas so that halogens associated with the first layer become bound to hydrogen provided by the activated hydrogen gas; and then converting the first layer to a thin film comprising the first element and a second element, by exposing a surface of the first layer to a second source gas having molecules therein that comprise the second element.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
11 words
A thin film formed by the method of claim 22 .
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method of claim 22 , wherein said exposing step is performed simultaneously with a step of generating the activated hydrogen gas using a plasma generated remote from the substrate.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 22 , wherein said exposing step is preceded by a step of exposing the first layer to an inert gas.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 25 , wherein said exposing step is followed by a step of exposing the first layer to an inert gas.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of claim 26 , wherein the first and second elements are silicon and nitrogen, respectively.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
11 words
A thin film formed by the method of claim 27 .
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of claim 22 , wherein the first and second elements are silicon and nitrogen, respectively.
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