Patent US6784049B2 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US6784049B2
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Method for forming refractory metal oxide layers with tetramethyldisiloxane
Assignee: Micron Technology Inc
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Filing: 2002-08-28
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Granted: 2004-08-31
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Expires: 2022-08-28
Abstract
Abstract A method of forming (and apparatus for forming) refractory metal oxide layers, such as tantalum pentoxide layers, on substrates by using vapor deposition processes with refractory metal precursor compounds and ethers.
Inventors
- 👤 Brian A. Vaartstra
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 02:29
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10P; H10P14/00; H10P14/60; H10P14/66; H10P14/668; C; C23; C23C; C23C16/00; C23C16/22; C23C16/30; C23C16/40; C23C16/405; C23C16/44; C23C16/455; C23C16/45523; C23C16/45525; C23C16/45553; H10P14/63; H10P14/6326; H10P14/6328; H10P14/6334; H10D; H10D1/00; H10D1/60; H10D1/68; H10P14/6339; H10P14/69; H10P14/692; H10P14/6938; H10P14/6939; H10P14/69393
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 46
Claim 1
Independent Claim
140 words
A method of forming a layer on a substrate, the method comprising: providing a substrate; providing a vapor comprising one or more refractory metal precursor compounds of the formula MY n (Formula I), wherein M is a refractory metal, each Y is independently a halogen atom, and n is an integer selected to match the valence of the metal M; providing a vapor comprising one or more ethers of the formula R 1 —O—R 2 , wherein R 1 and R 2 are each independently organic groups, and with the proviso that at least one of the one or more ethers comprises tetramethyldisiloxane; and directing the vapors comprising the one or more refractory metal precursor compounds and the one or more ethers to the substrate to form a refractory metal oxide layer on one or more surfaces of the substrate.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
140 words
A method of forming a layer on a substrate, the method comprising: providing a substrate; providing a vapor comprising one or more refractory metal precursor compounds of the formula MY n (Formula I), wherein M is a refractory metal, each Y is independently a halogen atom, and n is an integer selected to match the valence of the metal M; providing a vapor comprising one or more ethers of the formula R 1 —O—R 2 , wherein R 1 and R 2 are each independently organic groups, and with the proviso that at least one of the one or more ethers comprises tetramethyldisiloxane; and directing the vapors comprising the one or more refractory metal precursor compounds and the one or more ethers to the substrate to form a refractory metal oxide layer on one or more surfaces of the substrate.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 1 wherein Y is independently selected from the group consisting of F, Cl, I, and combinations thereof.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
12 words
The method claim 2 wherein each Y is independently a fluorine atom.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 3 wherein M is tantalum and n is 5.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 1 wherein M is tantalum and n is 5.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the substrate comprises a material selected from the group consisting of silicon, platinum, titanium nitride, tantalum nitride, tantalum-silicon-nitride.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the formed layer has a thickness of about 10 Å to about 100 Å.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the formed layer is a Ta 2 O 5 layer.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of claim 8 wherein the Ta 2 O 5 layer comprises a crystalline hexagonal phase.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the formed layer is a dielectric layer.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 1 wherein providing the vapors and directing the vapors is accomplished using a chemical vapor deposition process.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 11 wherein the temperature of the substrate is about 100° C. to about 600° C.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method of claim 1 wherein providing the vapors and directing the vapors is accomplished using an atomic layer deposition process comprising a plurality of deposition cycles.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 13 wherein the temperature of the substrate is about 25° C. to about 400° C.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
44 words
The method of claim 1 further comprising providing a vapor comprising one or more metal-containing precursor compounds having a formula different than Formula I and directing the vapor comprising the one or more compounds having a formula different than Formula I to the substrate.
Claim 17
Independent Claim
150 words
A method of manufacturing a semiconductor structure, the method comprising: providing a semiconductor substrate or substrate assembly; providing a vapor comprising one or more refractory metal precursor compounds of the formula MY n (Formula I), wherein M is a refractory metal, each Y is independently a halogen atom, and n is an integer selected to match the valence of the metal M; providing a vapor comprising one or more ethers of the formula R 1 —O—R 2 , wherein R 1 and R 2 are each independently organic groups, and with the proviso that at least one of the one or more ethers comprises tetramethyldisiloxane; and directing the vapors comprising the one or more refractory metal precursor compounds and the one or more ethers to the semiconductor substrate or substrate assembly to form a refractory metal oxide layer on one or more surfaces of the semiconductor substrate or substrate assembly.
Claim 18
Independent Claim
150 words
A method of manufacturing a semiconductor structure, the method comprising: providing a semiconductor substrate or substrate assembly; providing a vapor comprising one or more refractory metal precursor compounds of the formula MY n (Formula I), wherein M is a refractory metal, each Y is independently a halogen atom, and n is an integer selected to match the valence of the metal M; providing a vapor comprising one or more ethers of the formula R 1 —O—R 2 , wherein R 1 and R 2 are each independently organic groups, and with the proviso that at least one of the one or more ethers comprises tetramethyldisiloxane; and directing the vapors comprising the one or more refractory metal precursor compounds and the one or more ethers to the semiconductor substrate or substrate assembly to form a refractory metal oxide layer on one or more surfaces of the semiconductor substrate or substrate assembly.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 16 wherein the semiconductor substrate or substrate assembly is a silicon wafer.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 16 wherein Y is independently selected from the group consisting of F, CI, I, and combinations thereof.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 18 wherein each Y is independently a flourine atom.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 16 wherein M is tantalum and n is 5.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method of claim 16 wherein providing the vapors and directing the vapors is accomplished using an atomic layer deposition process comprising a plurality of deposition cycles.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 21 wherein the temperature of the semiconductor substrate or substrate assembly is about 25° C. to about 400° C.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method of claim 21 wherein the semiconductor substrate or substrate assembly is in a deposition chamber having a pressure of about 10 −4 torr to about 1 torr.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
39 words
The method of claim 21 wherein during the atomic layer deposition process, the refractory metal oxide layer is formed by alternately introducing the one or more vaporized precursor compounds and one or more vaporized ethers during each deposition cycle.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 16 wherein the substrate comprises a material selected from the group consisting of silicon, platinum, titanium nitride, tantalum nitride, tantalum-silicon-nitride.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 16 wherein the formed layer has a thickness of about 10 Å to about 100 Å.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 16 wherein the formed layer is a Ta 2 O 5 layer.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of claim 27 wherein the Ta 2 O 5 layer comprises a crystalline hexagonal phase.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 16 wherein the formed layer is a dielectric layer.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 16 wherein providing the vapors and directing the vapors is accomplished using a chemical vapor deposition process.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 30 wherein the temperature of the semiconductor substrate or substrate assembly is about 100° C. to about 600° C.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method of claim 30 wherein the semiconductor substrate or substrate assembly is in a deposition chamber having a pressure of about 0.1 torr to about 10 torr.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
48 words
The method of claim 16 further comprising providing a vapor comprising one or more metal-containing precursor compounds having a formula different than Formula I and directing the vapor comprising the one or more compounds having a formula different than Formula I to the semiconductor substrate or substrate assembly.
Claim 36
Independent Claim
151 words
A method of manufacturing a memory device, the method comprising: providing a substrate having a first electrode thereon; providing a vapor comprising one or more refractory metal precursor compounds of the formula MY n (Formula I) wherein M is a refractory metal, each Y is independently a halogen atom, and n is an integer selected to match the valence of the metal M; providing a vapor comprising one or more ethers of the formula R 1 —O—R 2 , wherein R 1 and R 2 are each independently organic groups, and with the proviso that at least one of the one or more ethers comprises tetramethyldisiloxane; directing the vapors comprising the one or more refractory metal precursor compounds and the one or more ethers to the substrate to form a refractory metal oxide dielectric layer on the first electrode of the substrate; and forming a second electrode on the dielectric layer.
Claim 37
Independent Claim
151 words
A method of manufacturing a memory device, the method comprising: providing a substrate having a first electrode thereon; providing a vapor comprising one or more refractory metal precursor compounds of the formula MY n (Formula I) wherein M is a refractory metal, each Y is independently a halogen atom, and n is an integer selected to match the valence of the metal M; providing a vapor comprising one or more ethers of the formula R 1 —O—R 2 , wherein R 1 and R 2 are each independently organic groups, and with the proviso that at least one of the one or more ethers comprises tetramethyldisiloxane; directing the vapors comprising the one or more refractory metal precursor compounds and the one or more ethers to the substrate to form a refractory metal oxide dielectric layer on the first electrode of the substrate; and forming a second electrode on the dielectric layer.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 34 wherein the substrate is a semiconductor substrate or substrate assembly.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 34 wherein formed layer has a thickness of about 10 Å to about 100 Å.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 34 wherein the formed layer is a Ta 2 O 5 layer.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of claim 34 wherein the Ta 2 O 5 layer comprises a crystalline hexagonal phase.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
33 words
The method of claim 34 further comprising providing an inert carrier gas for directing the one or more vaporized refractory metal precursor compounds and the one or more vaporized ethers to the substrate.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 39 wherein the inert carrier gas is selected from the group consisting of nitrogen, helium, and argon.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method of claim 34 wherein providing the vapors and directing the vapors is accomplished using an atomic layer deposition process comprising a plurality of deposition cycles.
Claim 45
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 34 wherein providing the vapors and directing the vapors is accomplished using a chemical vapor deposition process.
Claim 46
Dependent Claim
44 words
The method of claim 34 further comprising providing a vapor comprising one or more metal-containing precursor compounds having a formula different than Formula I and directing the vapor comprising the one or more compounds having a formula different than Formula I to the substrate.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
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| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2007-08-31 | 2008-03-01 | 2008-08-31 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2011-08-31 | 2012-03-01 | 2012-08-31 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
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