US6482477B1
Expired / Lapsed
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Method for pretreating dielectric layers to enhance the adhesion of CVD metal layers thereto
Assignee: Tokyo Electron Ltd
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Filing: 2000-11-28
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Granted: 2002-11-19
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Expires: 2020-11-28
Abstract
Abstract A method for chemical vapor deposition comprises providing a quantity of nitrogen at the interface between a transition metal-based material and an underlying dielectric-covered substrate. The nitrogen can be provided by heating the substrate in an atmosphere of a nitrogen-containing process gas or by exposing the surface of the dielectric-covered substrate to a plasma generated from a nitrogen-containing process gas. In certain embodiments, the nitrogen on the surface of the dielectric is bound with atoms of a transition metal to form a thin layer of a transition metal nitride. The method promotes the adhesion of the transition metal-based layer to the dielectric by nullifying the effect of halogen atoms that are also incorporated at the transition metal/dielectric interface.
Inventors
- 👤 Richard C. Westhoff
- 👤 Steven P. Caliendo
- 👤 Joseph T. Hillman
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 01:29
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10W; H10W20/00; H10W20/01; H10W20/031; H10W20/032; H10W20/042; H10W20/045; C; C23; C23C; C23C16/00; C23C16/02; C23C16/0209; C23C16/0218; C23C16/0272; C23C16/06; C23C16/08; C23C16/14; H10P; H10P14/00; H10P14/40; H10P14/412; H10P14/42; H10P14/43; H10P95/00; H10W20/033
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 19
Claim 1
Independent Claim
219 words
A method of improving adhesion of a transition metal-based material to a dielectric-covered substrate, the method comprising: positioning the substrate in a reaction chamber; heating the substrate to a predetermined temperature; providing a gas atmosphere comprising a nitrogen-containing and hydrogen-containing process gas and a first transition metal halide vapor-phase reactant adjacent a surface of the dielectric, the first transition metal halide vapor-phase reactant originating from residual transition metal halide transported to the surface of the dielectric from an internal chamber surface of the reaction chamber; creating a plasma from the gas atmosphere; exposing the heated substrate to the plasma for a predetermined time sufficient to form a layer of transition metal nitride on the surface of the dielectric; and thereafter depositing a layer of transition metal-based material by a CVD process onto a surface of the layer of transition metal nitride via a chemical reaction between a second transition metal halide vapor-phase reactant and a reducing gas, the layer of transition metal nitride and the layer of transition metal-based material defining an interface, wherein by-product halogen atoms are created at the interface by the chemical reaction and wherein the layer of transition metal nitride reduces the effect of the by-product halogen atoms resident at the interface upon adhesion of the transition metal-based material to the surface of the dielectric.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
219 words
A method of improving adhesion of a transition metal-based material to a dielectric-covered substrate, the method comprising: positioning the substrate in a reaction chamber; heating the substrate to a predetermined temperature; providing a gas atmosphere comprising a nitrogen-containing and hydrogen-containing process gas and a first transition metal halide vapor-phase reactant adjacent a surface of the dielectric, the first transition metal halide vapor-phase reactant originating from residual transition metal halide transported to the surface of the dielectric from an internal chamber surface of the reaction chamber; creating a plasma from the gas atmosphere; exposing the heated substrate to the plasma for a predetermined time sufficient to form a layer of transition metal nitride on the surface of the dielectric; and thereafter depositing a layer of transition metal-based material by a CVD process onto a surface of the layer of transition metal nitride via a chemical reaction between a second transition metal halide vapor-phase reactant and a reducing gas, the layer of transition metal nitride and the layer of transition metal-based material defining an interface, wherein by-product halogen atoms are created at the interface by the chemical reaction and wherein the layer of transition metal nitride reduces the effect of the by-product halogen atoms resident at the interface upon adhesion of the transition metal-based material to the surface of the dielectric.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein the first and second transition metal halide vapor-phase reactants are tantalum halides.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method of claim 2 , wherein each of the tantalum halides is selected from the group consisting of tantalum pentafluorides, tantalum pentachlorides, tantalum pentabromides, and combinations thereof.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the predetermined temperature is between about 150° C. and about 500° C.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 4 , wherein the predetermined temperature is about 350° C.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein the thickness of the layer of transition metal nitride is between about 0.5 nm and about 2.5 nm.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein the nitrogen-containing and hydrogen-containing process gas is selected from the group consisting of ammonia, hydrazine, a mixture hydrogen and nitrogen, and combinations thereof.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein the predetermined time is between about 15 seconds and about 10 minutes.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 8 , wherein the predetermined time is about 60 seconds.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
200 words
A method of improving adhesion of a tantalum-based material to a dielectric-covered substrate, the method comprising: positioning the substrate in a reaction chamber; heating the substrate to a predetermined temperature; providing a gas atmosphere comprising a nitrogen-containing and hydrogen-containing process gas and a first tantalum halide vapor-phase reactant adjacent a surface of the dielectric, the first tantalum halide vapor-phase reactant originating from residual tantalum halide transported to the surface of the dielectric from an internal chamber surface of the reaction chamber; exposing the heated substrate to the plasma for a predetermined time sufficient to form a layer of tantalum nitride on the surface of the dielectric; and thereafter depositing a layer of tantalum-based material by a CVD process onto a surface of the layer of tantalum nitride via a chemical reaction between a second tantalum halide vapor-phase reactant and a reducing gas, the layer of tantalum nitride and the layer of tantalum-based material defining an interface, wherein by-product halogen atoms are created at the interface by the chemical reaction and wherein the layer of tantalum nitride reduces the effect of the by-product halogen atoms resident at the interface upon adhesion of the tantalum-based material to the surface of the dielectric.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
200 words
A method of improving adhesion of a tantalum-based material to a dielectric-covered substrate, the method comprising: positioning the substrate in a reaction chamber; heating the substrate to a predetermined temperature; providing a gas atmosphere comprising a nitrogen-containing and hydrogen-containing process gas and a first tantalum halide vapor-phase reactant adjacent a surface of the dielectric, the first tantalum halide vapor-phase reactant originating from residual tantalum halide transported to the surface of the dielectric from an internal chamber surface of the reaction chamber; exposing the heated substrate to the plasma for a predetermined time sufficient to form a layer of tantalum nitride on the surface of the dielectric; and thereafter depositing a layer of tantalum-based material by a CVD process onto a surface of the layer of tantalum nitride via a chemical reaction between a second tantalum halide vapor-phase reactant and a reducing gas, the layer of tantalum nitride and the layer of tantalum-based material defining an interface, wherein by-product halogen atoms are created at the interface by the chemical reaction and wherein the layer of tantalum nitride reduces the effect of the by-product halogen atoms resident at the interface upon adhesion of the tantalum-based material to the surface of the dielectric.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method of claim 10 , wherein each of the tantalum halide vapor-phase reactants is selected from the group consisting of tantalum pentafluorides, tantalum pentachlorides, tantalum pentabromides, and combinations thereof.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 10 , wherein the predetermined temperature is between about 150° C. and about 500° C.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 12 , wherein the predetermined temperature is about 350° C.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 10 , wherein the thickness of the layer of tantalum nitride is between about 0.5 nm and about 2.5 nm.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method of claim 10 , wherein the nitrogen-containing and hydrogen-containing process gas is selected from the group consisting of ammonia, hydrazine, a mixture hydrogen and nitrogen, and combinations thereof.
Claim 18
Independent Claim
19 words
The method of claims 10 , wherein the predetermined time is between about 15 seconds and about 10 minutes.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 16 , wherein the predetermined time is about 60 seconds.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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