Patent US6995081B2 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US6995081B2
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Systems and methods for forming tantalum silicide layers
Assignee: Micron Technology Inc
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Filing: 2002-08-28
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Granted: 2006-02-07
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Expires: 2022-08-28
Abstract
Abstract A method of forming (and apparatus for forming) tantalum suicide layers (including tantalum silicon nitride layers), which are typically useful as diffusion barrier layers, on a substrate by using a vapor deposition process with a tantalum halide precursor compound, a silicon precursor compound, and an optional nitrogen precursor compound.
Inventors
- 👤 Brian A. Vaartstra
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 01:09
CPC Classifications
C; C23; C23C; C23C16/00; C23C16/44; C23C16/455; C23C16/45523; C23C16/06; C23C16/08; C23C16/22; C23C16/30; C23C16/42; C23C16/45525; C23C16/45553; H; H10; H10P; H10P14/00; H10P14/40; H10P14/42; H10P14/43; H10P14/432; H10W; H10W20/00; H10W20/01; H10W20/031; H10W20/032; H10W20/033; H10W20/046; H10D; H10D1/00; H10D1/60; H10D1/68; H10D1/682; H10D1/688
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 33
Claim 1
Independent Claim
159 words
A method of forming a layer on a substrate, the method comprising: providing a substrate comprising a silicon-containing surface; providing a vapor comprising one or more tantalum precursor compounds of the formula TaY 5 (Formula I), wherein each Y is independently a halogen atom; providing a vapor comprising one or more silicon precursor compounds; and directing the vapors comprising the one or more tantalum precursor compounds and the one or more silicon precursor compounds to the substrate to form a tantalum silicide layer on one or more surfaces of the substrate, wherein the vapor comprising the one or more precursor compounds of the Formula I is directed to the substrate and allowed to chemisorb on the silicon-containing surface, wherein providing the vapors and directing the vapors is accomplished using an atomic layer deposition process comprising a plurality of deposition cycles, with the proviso that the method does not include providing a vapor comprising one or more nitrogen precursor compounds.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
159 words
A method of forming a layer on a substrate, the method comprising: providing a substrate comprising a silicon-containing surface; providing a vapor comprising one or more tantalum precursor compounds of the formula TaY 5 (Formula I), wherein each Y is independently a halogen atom; providing a vapor comprising one or more silicon precursor compounds; and directing the vapors comprising the one or more tantalum precursor compounds and the one or more silicon precursor compounds to the substrate to form a tantalum silicide layer on one or more surfaces of the substrate, wherein the vapor comprising the one or more precursor compounds of the Formula I is directed to the substrate and allowed to chemisorb on the silicon-containing surface, wherein providing the vapors and directing the vapors is accomplished using an atomic layer deposition process comprising a plurality of deposition cycles, with the proviso that the method does not include providing a vapor comprising one or more nitrogen precursor compounds.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
12 words
The method of claim 1 wherein each Y is a fluorine atom.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the silicon precursor compound is silane or disilane.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the silicon precursor compound is a halogenated silane or an organic silane.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 4 wherein the silicon precursor compound is a halogenated silane of the formula SiH r Cl s wherein r=1–4 and s=4−r.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
32 words
The method of claim 4 wherein the silicon precursor compound is an organic silane of the formula SiH p R q wherein p=1–4, q=4−p, and each R is independently an organic group.
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
14 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the formed layer is a diffusion barrier layer.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the temperature of the substrate is about 25° C. to about 400° C.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
42 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 precursor compounds having a formula different than Formula I to the substrate.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
173 words
A method of manufacturing a semiconductor structure, the method comprising: providing a semiconductor substrate or substrate assembly comprising a silicon-containing surface; providing a vapor comprising one or more tantalum precursor compounds of the formula TaY 5 (Formula I), wherein each Y is independently a halogen atom; providing a vapor comprising one or more silicon precursor compounds; and directing the vapors comprising the one or more tantalum precursor compounds and the one or more silicon precursor compounds to the semiconductor substrate or substrate assembly to form a tantalum suicide layer on one or more surfaces of the semiconductor substrate or substrate assembly, wherein the vapor comprising the one or more precursor compounds of the Formula I is directed to the semiconductor substrate or substrate assembly and allowed to chemisorb on the silicon-containing surface, wherein providing the vapors and directing the vapors is accomplished using an atomic layer deposition process comprising a plurality of deposition cycles, with the proviso that the method does not include providing a vapor comprising one or more nitrogen precursor compounds.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
173 words
A method of manufacturing a semiconductor structure, the method comprising: providing a semiconductor substrate or substrate assembly comprising a silicon-containing surface; providing a vapor comprising one or more tantalum precursor compounds of the formula TaY 5 (Formula I), wherein each Y is independently a halogen atom; providing a vapor comprising one or more silicon precursor compounds; and directing the vapors comprising the one or more tantalum precursor compounds and the one or more silicon precursor compounds to the semiconductor substrate or substrate assembly to form a tantalum suicide layer on one or more surfaces of the semiconductor substrate or substrate assembly, wherein the vapor comprising the one or more precursor compounds of the Formula I is directed to the semiconductor substrate or substrate assembly and allowed to chemisorb on the silicon-containing surface, wherein providing the vapors and directing the vapors is accomplished using an atomic layer deposition process comprising a plurality of deposition cycles, with the proviso that the method does not include providing a vapor comprising one or more nitrogen precursor compounds.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 11 wherein the semiconductor substrate or substrate assembly is a silicon wafer.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
12 words
The method of claim 11 wherein each Y is a fluorine atom.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 11 wherein the silicon precursor compound is silane or disilane.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 11 wherein the silicon precursor compound is a halogenated silane or an organic silane.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 15 wherein the silicon precursor compound is a halogenated silane of the formula SiH r Cl s wherein r=1–4 and s=4−r.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
32 words
The method of claim 15 wherein the silicon precursor compound is an organic silane of the formula SiH p R q wherein p=1–4, q=4−p, and each R is independently an organic group.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 11 wherein the formed layer has a thickness of about 10 Å to about 100 Å.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 11 wherein the formed layer is a diffusion barrier layer.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 11 wherein the temperature of the semiconductor substrate or substrate assembly is about 25° C. to about 400° C.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method of claim 11 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 24
Dependent Claim
40 words
The method of claim 11 wherein during the atomic layer deposition process, the tantalum silicide layer is formed by alternately introducing the one or more vaporized precursor compounds and one or more vaporized silicon precursor compounds during each deposition cycle.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
45 words
The method of claim 11 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 compounds having a formula different than Formula I to the semiconductor substrate or substrate assembly.
Claim 26
Independent Claim
185 words
A method of manufacturing a memory device, the method comprising: providing a substrate comprising a silicon-containing surface; providing a vapor comprising one or more tantalum precursor compounds of the formula TaY 5 (Formula I), wherein each Y is independently a halogen atom; directing the vapor comprising the one or more precursor compounds of the Formula I to the substrate and allowing the one or more compounds to chemisorb on the silicon-containing surface; providing a vapor comprising one or more silicon precursor compounds; directing the vapor comprising the one or more silicon precursor compounds to the substrate with the chemisorbed compounds thereon to form a tantalum silicide barrier layer on the silicon-containing surface; providing a first electrode on the barrier layer; providing a high dielectric material over at least a portion of the first electrode; and providing a second electrode over the high dielectric material, wherein providing the vapors and directing the vapors is accomplished using an atomic layer deposition process comprising a plurality of deposition cycles, with the proviso that the method does not include providing a vapor comprising one or more nitrogen precursor compounds.
Claim 27
Independent Claim
185 words
A method of manufacturing a memory device, the method comprising: providing a substrate comprising a silicon-containing surface; providing a vapor comprising one or more tantalum precursor compounds of the formula TaY 5 (Formula I), wherein each Y is independently a halogen atom; directing the vapor comprising the one or more precursor compounds of the Formula I to the substrate and allowing the one or more compounds to chemisorb on the silicon-containing surface; providing a vapor comprising one or more silicon precursor compounds; directing the vapor comprising the one or more silicon precursor compounds to the substrate with the chemisorbed compounds thereon to form a tantalum silicide barrier layer on the silicon-containing surface; providing a first electrode on the barrier layer; providing a high dielectric material over at least a portion of the first electrode; and providing a second electrode over the high dielectric material, wherein providing the vapors and directing the vapors is accomplished using an atomic layer deposition process comprising a plurality of deposition cycles, with the proviso that the method does not include providing a vapor comprising one or more nitrogen precursor compounds.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 24 wherein the substrate is a semiconductor substrate or substrate assembly.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
44 words
The method of claim 24 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 30
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 24 wherein the silicon precursor compound is silane or disilane.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 24 wherein the silicon precursor compound is a halogenated silane or an organic silane.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 28 wherein the silicon precursor compound is a halogenated silane of the formula SiH r Cl s wherein r=1–4 and s=4−r.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
32 words
The method of claim 28 wherein the silicon precursor compound is an organic silane of the formula SiH p R q wherein p=1–4, q=4−p, and each R is independently an organic group.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2009-02-06 | 2009-08-08 | 2010-02-07 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2013-02-06 | 2013-08-08 | 2014-02-07 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2017-02-06 | 2017-08-08 | 2018-02-07 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |