Patent US6652924B2 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US6652924B2
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Sequential chemical vapor deposition
Assignee: ASM International NV
•
Filing: 2001-05-24
•
Granted: 2003-11-25
•
Expires: 2021-05-24
Abstract
Abstract The present invention provides for sequential chemical vapor deposition by employing a reactor operated at low pressure, a pump to remove excess reactants, and a line to introduce gas into the reactor through a valve. A first reactant forms a monolayer on the part to be coated, while the second reactant passes through a radical generator which partially decomposes or activates the second reactant into a gaseous radical before it impinges on the monolayer. This second reactant does not necessarily form a monolayer but is available to react with the monolayer. A pump removes the excess second reactant and reaction products completing the process cycle. The process cycle can be repeated to grow the desired thickness of film.
Inventors
- 👤 Arthur Sherman
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 01:10
CPC Classifications
C; C23; C23C; C23C16/00; C23C16/44; C23C16/455; C23C16/45523; C23C16/45525; C23C16/45527; C23C16/45531; C23C16/448; C23C16/452; C23C16/45529; C23C16/45536; C23C16/4554; C23C16/45542; C23C16/45544; C23C16/50; C30; C30B; C30B25/00; C30B25/02; C30B25/14
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 18
Claim 1
Independent Claim
108 words
A process of growing a thin film by a sequential vapor deposition process, comprising the steps of: placing a part in a chamber; removing gases from the chamber; exposing the part to a gaseous first reactant, including an element of the thin film to be formed, wherein the first reactant adsorbs on the part in a self-limiting manner; removing gases from the chamber; exposing the part, coated with the first reactant, to a gaseous second reactant of radicals, wherein the radicals convert the first reactant on the part to one or more elements, wherein a conductive or insulating thin film is formed; and removing gases from the chamber.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
108 words
A process of growing a thin film by a sequential vapor deposition process, comprising the steps of: placing a part in a chamber; removing gases from the chamber; exposing the part to a gaseous first reactant, including an element of the thin film to be formed, wherein the first reactant adsorbs on the part in a self-limiting manner; removing gases from the chamber; exposing the part, coated with the first reactant, to a gaseous second reactant of radicals, wherein the radicals convert the first reactant on the part to one or more elements, wherein a conductive or insulating thin film is formed; and removing gases from the chamber.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
23 words
The process of claim 1 , wherein the parts to be coated are maintained at temperatures up to 500° C. in the chamber.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
14 words
The process of claim 1 , wherein the first reactant includes a halogen atom.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
19 words
The process of claim 1 , wherein the first reactant is a metal-organic molecule including an elemental metal species.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
34 words
The process of claim 1 , wherein the radicals of the second reactant are selected from the group consisting of oxygen atoms, nitrogen atoms, hydrogen atoms, OH molecules, NH molecules or a combination thereof.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
24 words
The process of claim 1 , wherein the radicals of the second reactant are rated in a radical generator in communication with the chamber.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
35 words
The process of claim 1 , where in the radicals of the second reactant are generated by surrounding the chamber with an RF excitation coil, wherein the thin film being formed is a dielectric material.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
31 words
The process of claim 1 , wherein the first reactant is tetraethoxysilane and the second reactant is atomic oxygen which converts the first reactant to a thin film of silicon dioxide.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
31 words
The process of claim 1 , wherein the first reactant is titanium tetrachloride and the second reactant is atomic hydrogen which converts the first reactant to a thin film of titanium.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
37 words
The process of claim 1 , wherein the first reactant is a titanium organometallic compound and the second reactant is hydrogen atoms or HN molecules which convert the first reactant to a thin film of titanium nitride.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
32 words
The process of claim 1 , wherein the first reactant is an aluminum compound and the second reactant is atomic hydrogen which converts the first reactant to a thin film of aluminum.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
32 words
The process of claim 1 , wherein the first reactant is a copper compound and the second reactant is atomic hydrogen which converts the first reactant to a thin film of copper.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
100 words
A process of growing a thin film by a vapor deposition process, comprising the steps of: placing a part in a chamber; and a plurality of cycles, each cycle comprising: exposing the part to a gaseous first reactant, containing a metal element, wherein the first reactant adsorbs on the part in a self-limiting manner; removing excess first reactant gases from the chamber; exposing the part, coated with the first reactant, to a gaseous second reactant of radicals, wherein the radicals convert the first reactant on the part to the metal element; and removing excess second reactant gases from the chamber.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
100 words
A process of growing a thin film by a vapor deposition process, comprising the steps of: placing a part in a chamber; and a plurality of cycles, each cycle comprising: exposing the part to a gaseous first reactant, containing a metal element, wherein the first reactant adsorbs on the part in a self-limiting manner; removing excess first reactant gases from the chamber; exposing the part, coated with the first reactant, to a gaseous second reactant of radicals, wherein the radicals convert the first reactant on the part to the metal element; and removing excess second reactant gases from the chamber.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
45 words
The process of claim 13 , wherein the first reactant is a metal selected from a group consisting of aluminum, copper, tantalum, titanium, and tungsten, and the second reactant is a radical selected from a group consisting of hydrogen, nitrogen, oxygen, or a combination thereof.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
136 words
A process of growing a thin film by a repetitive vapor deposition process, which comprises: placing a part in a chamber; and a plurality of cycles, each cycle comprising: exposing the part to a gaseous first reactant including an element selected from the group consisting of Si and Ge, wherein a portion of the first reactant adsorbs on the part in a self-limiting manner; removing gases from the chamber; exposing the part, coated with the portion of the first reactant, to a gaseous second reactant of radicals selected from the group consisting of O and N, wherein the radicals convert the portion of the first reactant on the part to a thin film selected from the group consisting of silicon nitride, silicon oxide, germanium nitride, germanium oxide; and removing excess second reactant gases from the chamber.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
136 words
A process of growing a thin film by a repetitive vapor deposition process, which comprises: placing a part in a chamber; and a plurality of cycles, each cycle comprising: exposing the part to a gaseous first reactant including an element selected from the group consisting of Si and Ge, wherein a portion of the first reactant adsorbs on the part in a self-limiting manner; removing gases from the chamber; exposing the part, coated with the portion of the first reactant, to a gaseous second reactant of radicals selected from the group consisting of O and N, wherein the radicals convert the portion of the first reactant on the part to a thin film selected from the group consisting of silicon nitride, silicon oxide, germanium nitride, germanium oxide; and removing excess second reactant gases from the chamber.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US4058430A
Cited
US4282267A
Cited
US4389973A
Cited
US5443033A
Cited
US5693139A
Cited
US5294286A
Cited
US4935661A
Cited
US5769950A
Cited
US4747367A
Cited
US4761269A
Cited
US4767494A
Cited
US4845049A
Cited
US4859627A
Cited
US4876218A
Cited
US4993357A
Cited
US5166092A
Cited
US4851095A
Cited
US5060595A
Cited
US5484664A
Cited
US5130269A
Cited
US5300186A
Cited
US5374570A
Cited
US5618395A
Cited
EP0442490A1
Cited
US5071670A
Cited
US5281274A
Cited
US5225366A
Cited
US5483919A
Cited
US5321713A
Cited
US5356673A
Cited
US5270247A
Cited
EP0526779A1
Cited
US5291066A
Cited
US5256244A
Cited
US5458084A
Cited
US5395791A
Cited
US5278435A
Cited
US5306666A
Cited
US5469806A
Cited
US5443647A
Cited
US5330610A
Cited
US5496582A
Cited
US5730802A
Cited
US6200389B1
Cited
US5641984A
Cited
US5707880A
Cited
US5711811A
Cited
US5855680A
Cited
US6015590A
Cited
WO1996017107A1
Cited
US20010028922A1
Cited
US5916365A
Cited
US6139700A
Cited
US6133977A
Cited
US6104074A
Cited
US6270572B1
Cited
US6188134B1
Cited
US6200893B1
Cited
WO2000063957A1
Cited
US6203613B1
Cited
EP1167567A1
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2006-11-24 | 2007-05-26 | 2007-11-25 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2010-11-24 | 2011-05-26 | 2011-11-25 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2014-11-24 | 2015-05-26 | 2015-11-25 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |