US6921702B2
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Atomic layer deposited nanolaminates of HfO2/ZrO2 films as gate dielectrics
Assignee: Micron Technology Inc
•
Filing: 2002-07-30
•
Granted: 2005-07-26
•
Expires: 2022-07-30
Abstract
Abstract A dielectric film containing HfO 2 /ZrO 2 nanolaminates and a method of fabricating such a dielectric film produce a reliable gate dielectric having an equivalent oxide thickness thinner than attainable using SiO 2 . A gate dielectric is formed by atomic layer deposition of HfO 2 using a HfI 4 precursor followed by the formation of ZrO 2 on the HfO 2 layer. The HfO 2 layer thickness is controlled by repeating for a number of cycles a sequence including pulsing the HfI 4 precursor into a reaction chamber, pulsing a purging gas into the reaction chamber, pulsing a first oxygen containing precursor into the reaction chamber, and pulsing the purging gas until the desired thickness is formed. These gate dielectrics containing HfO 2 /ZrO 2 nanolaminates are thermodynamically stable such that the HfO 2 /ZrO 2 nanolaminates will have minimal reactions with a silicon substrate or other structures during processing.
Inventors
- 👤 Kie Y. Ahn
- 👤 Leonard Forbes
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 00:43
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10P; H10P14/00; H10P14/60; H10P14/66; H10P14/662; C; C23; C23C; C23C16/00; C23C16/22; C23C16/30; C23C16/40; C23C16/405; C23C16/44; C23C16/455; C23C16/45523; C23C16/45525; C23C16/45527; C23C16/45529; H10D; H10D64/00; H10D64/01; H10D64/013; H10D64/01302; H10D64/01332; H10D64/01336; H10D64/0134; H10D64/01342; H10D64/01344; H10D64/0135; H10D64/60; H10D64/66; H10D64/68; H10D64/681; H10D64/685; H10D64/691; H10P14/63; H10P14/6326; H10P14/6328; H10P14/6329; H10P14/6332; H10P14/6334; H10P14/668; H10P14/6339; H10P14/69; H10P14/692; H10P14/6938; H10P14/6939; H10P14/69391; H10P14/69392; H10P14/69395; H10P14/69397; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S977/00; Y10S977/70; Y10S977/811; Y10S977/84; Y10S977/842; Y10S977/843; Y10S977/89; Y10S977/891
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 27
Claim 1
Independent Claim
78 words
A method of forming a dielectric film comprising: forming a layer of hafnium oxide on a substrate in a reaction chamber by atomic layer deposition using a HfI 4 precursor; and forming a layer of zirconium oxide on the layer of hafnium oxide to form a HfO 2 /ZrO 2 composite, wherein the HfO 2 /ZrO 2 composite is a nanolaminate having a final layer of hafnium oxide and an initial layer of hafnium oxide on the substrate.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
78 words
A method of forming a dielectric film comprising: forming a layer of hafnium oxide on a substrate in a reaction chamber by atomic layer deposition using a HfI 4 precursor; and forming a layer of zirconium oxide on the layer of hafnium oxide to form a HfO 2 /ZrO 2 composite, wherein the HfO 2 /ZrO 2 composite is a nanolaminate having a final layer of hafnium oxide and an initial layer of hafnium oxide on the substrate.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
46 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein forming a layer of hafnium oxide on a substrate by atomic layer deposition using a HfI 4 precursor includes pulsing a first oxygen containing precursor into the reaction chamber after pulsing the HfI 4 precursor into the reaction chamber.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 2 , wherein the first oxygen precursor is water vapor.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
54 words
The method of claim 2 , the method further including pulsing nitrogen gas into the reaction chamber as a purging gas between pulsing the HfI 4 precursor into the reaction chamber and pulsing the first oxygen containing precursor into the reaction chamber, and after pulsing the first oxygen containing precursor into the reaction chamber.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
43 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein forming a layer of hafnium oxide on a substrate in a reaction chamber by atomic layer deposition using a HfI 4 precursor includes performing a predetermined number of cycles of atomic layer deposition of hafnium oxide.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
82 words
A method of forming a dielectric film comprising: forming a layer of hafnium oxide on a substrate in a reaction chamber by atomic layer deposition using a HfI 4 precursor; and forming a layer of zirconium oxide on the layer of hafnium oxide by atomic layer deposition to form a HfO 2 /ZrO 2 composite, wherein the HfO 2 /ZrO 2 composite is a nanolaminate having a final layer of hafnium oxide and an initial layer of hafnium oxide on the substrate.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
82 words
A method of forming a dielectric film comprising: forming a layer of hafnium oxide on a substrate in a reaction chamber by atomic layer deposition using a HfI 4 precursor; and forming a layer of zirconium oxide on the layer of hafnium oxide by atomic layer deposition to form a HfO 2 /ZrO 2 composite, wherein the HfO 2 /ZrO 2 composite is a nanolaminate having a final layer of hafnium oxide and an initial layer of hafnium oxide on the substrate.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method of claim 6 , wherein forming a layer of zirconium oxide on the layer of hafnium oxide by atomic layer deposition includes using a ZrI 4 precursor.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
42 words
The method of claim 6 , wherein forming a layer of zirconium oxide on the layer of hafnium oxide by atomic layer deposition includes pulsing an oxygen containing precursor into the reaction chamber after pulsing a zirconium precursor into the reaction chamber.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 8 , wherein pulsing an oxygen containing precursor includes pulsing a vapor solution of H 2 O—H 2 O 2 .
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method of claim 8 , the method further including pulsing nitrogen gas into the reaction chamber as a purging gas between pulsing precursors into the reaction chamber.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
34 words
The method of claim 8 , wherein pulsing each precursor into the reaction chamber is controlled for a predetermined period, the predetermined period being individually controlled for each precursor pulsed into the reaction chamber.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
31 words
The method of claim 6 , wherein the method further includes maintaining the substrate at a selected temperature for forming each layer, the selected temperature set independently for forming each layer.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
55 words
The method of claim 6 , wherein forming a layer of zirconium oxide on the layer of hafnium oxide includes forming a completed HfO 2 /ZrO 2 dielectric film having a thickness where the HfO 2 layer has a thickness that is about one-half the thickness of the completed HfO 2 /ZrO 2 dielectric film.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
130 words
A method of forming a transistor comprising: forming first and second source/drain regions in a substrate; forming a body region between the first and second source/drain regions; forming a dielectric film on the body region between the first and second source/drain regions; and coupling a gate to the dielectric film, wherein forming the dielectric film on the body region includes: forming a layer of hafnium oxide on a substrate in a reaction chamber by atomic layer deposition using a HfI 4 precursor; and forming a layer of zirconium oxide on the layer of hafnium oxide to form a HfO 2 /ZrO 2 composite, wherein the HfO 2 /ZrO 2 composite is a nanolaminate having a final layer of hafnium oxide and an initial layer of hafnium oxide on the substrate.
Claim 17
Independent Claim
130 words
A method of forming a transistor comprising: forming first and second source/drain regions in a substrate; forming a body region between the first and second source/drain regions; forming a dielectric film on the body region between the first and second source/drain regions; and coupling a gate to the dielectric film, wherein forming the dielectric film on the body region includes: forming a layer of hafnium oxide on a substrate in a reaction chamber by atomic layer deposition using a HfI 4 precursor; and forming a layer of zirconium oxide on the layer of hafnium oxide to form a HfO 2 /ZrO 2 composite, wherein the HfO 2 /ZrO 2 composite is a nanolaminate having a final layer of hafnium oxide and an initial layer of hafnium oxide on the substrate.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 14 , wherein forming a layer of zirconium oxide includes forming a layer of zirconium oxide by atomic layer deposition.
Claim 19
Independent Claim
179 words
A method of forming a memory array comprising: forming a number of access transistors, at least one of the access transistors including a dielectric film containing a HfO 2 /ZrO 2 nanolaminate on a body region between a first and second source/drain regions, the HfO 2 /ZrO 2 nanolaminate having a final layer of hafnium oxide and an initial layer of hafnium oxide on the body region, the dielectric film containing a HfO 2 /ZrO 2 nanolaminate formed by a method including: forming a layer of hafnium oxide on a substrate in a reaction chamber by atomic layer deposition using a HfI 4 precursor; and forming a layer of zirconium oxide on the layer of hafnium oxide; forming a number of word lines coupled to a number of the gates of the number of access transistors; forming a number of source lines coupled to a number of the first source/drain regions of the number of access transistors; and forming a number of bit lines coupled to a number of the second source/drain regions of the number of access transistors.
Claim 20
Independent Claim
179 words
A method of forming a memory array comprising: forming a number of access transistors, at least one of the access transistors including a dielectric film containing a HfO 2 /ZrO 2 nanolaminate on a body region between a first and second source/drain regions, the HfO 2 /ZrO 2 nanolaminate having a final layer of hafnium oxide and an initial layer of hafnium oxide on the body region, the dielectric film containing a HfO 2 /ZrO 2 nanolaminate formed by a method including: forming a layer of hafnium oxide on a substrate in a reaction chamber by atomic layer deposition using a HfI 4 precursor; and forming a layer of zirconium oxide on the layer of hafnium oxide; forming a number of word lines coupled to a number of the gates of the number of access transistors; forming a number of source lines coupled to a number of the first source/drain regions of the number of access transistors; and forming a number of bit lines coupled to a number of the second source/drain regions of the number of access transistors.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 16 , wherein forming a layer of zirconium oxide includes forming a layer of zirconium oxide by atomic layer deposition.
Claim 22
Independent Claim
137 words
A method of forming an electronic system comprising: providing a processor; coupling a memory array to the processor, wherein the memory array includes at least one access transistor having a dielectric film containing a HfO 2 /ZrO 2 nanolaminate on a body region between a first and second source/drain regions, the HfO 2 /ZrO 2 nanolaminate having a final layer of hafnium oxide and an initial layer of hafnium oxide on the body region, the dielectric film containing a HfO 2 /ZrO 2 nanolaminate formed by a method including: forming a layer of hafnium oxide on a substrate in a reaction chamber by atomic layer deposition using a HfI 4 precursor; and forming a layer of zirconium oxide on the layer of hafnium oxide; and forming a system bus that couples the processor to the memory array.
Claim 23
Independent Claim
137 words
A method of forming an electronic system comprising: providing a processor; coupling a memory array to the processor, wherein the memory array includes at least one access transistor having a dielectric film containing a HfO 2 /ZrO 2 nanolaminate on a body region between a first and second source/drain regions, the HfO 2 /ZrO 2 nanolaminate having a final layer of hafnium oxide and an initial layer of hafnium oxide on the body region, the dielectric film containing a HfO 2 /ZrO 2 nanolaminate formed by a method including: forming a layer of hafnium oxide on a substrate in a reaction chamber by atomic layer deposition using a HfI 4 precursor; and forming a layer of zirconium oxide on the layer of hafnium oxide; and forming a system bus that couples the processor to the memory array.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 18 , wherein forming a layer of zirconium oxide includes forming a layer of zirconium oxide by atomic layer deposition.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method of claim 15 , wherein forming a layer of zirconium oxide by atomic layer deposition includes forming the layer of zirconium oxide using a zirconium halide precursor.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method of claim 17 , wherein forming a layer of zirconium oxide by atomic layer deposition includes forming the layer of zirconium oxide using a zirconium halide precursor.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method of claim 19 , wherein forming a layer of zirconium oxide by atomic layer deposition includes forming the layer of zirconium oxide using a zirconium halide precursor.
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