Micron Technology Incorporated

Demetrius Sarigiannis

Garo Jacques Derderian

Cem Basceri

Gurtej S Sandhu

F Daniel Gealy

Chris M Carlson

Shuang Meng

Trung Tri Doan

Er-Xuan Ping

Ronald Allen Weimer

Joel A Drewes

Lingyi A Zheng

Lyle D Breiner

Kevin L Beaman

Christopher W Hill

David J Kubista

Systems and methods for insitu post atomic layer deposition (ALD) destruction of active species are provided. ALD processes deposit multiple atomic layers on a substrate. Pre-cursor gases typically enter a reactor and react with the substrate resulting in a monolayer of atoms. After the remaining gas is purged from the reactor, a second pre-cursor gas enters the reactor and the process is repeated. The active species of some pre-cursor gases do not readily purge from the reactor, thus increasing purge time and decreasing throughput. A high-temperature surface placed in the reactor downstream from the substrate substantially destroys the active species insitu. Substantially destroying the active species allows the reactor to be readily purged, increasing throughput.

Insitu post atomic layer deposition destruction of active species

Some embodiments include methods of titanium deposition in which a silicon-containing surface and an electrically insulative surface are both exposed to titanium-containing material, and in which such exposure forms titanium silicide from the silicon-containing surface while not depositing titanium onto the electrically insulative surface. The embodiments may include atomic layer deposition processes, and may include a hydrogen pre-treatment of the silicon-containing surfaces to activate the surfaces for reaction with the titanium-containing material. Some embodiments include methods of titanium deposition in which a semiconductor material surface and an electrically insulative surface are both exposed to titanium-containing material, and in which a titanium-containing film is uniformly deposited across both surfaces.

Methods of titanium deposition

The invention includes methods of utilizing supercritical fluids to introduce precursors into reaction chambers. In some aspects, a supercritical fluid is utilized to introduce at least one precursor into a chamber during ALD, and in particular aspects the supercritical fluid is utilized to introduce multiple precursors into the reaction chamber during ALD. The invention can be utilized to form any of various materials, including metal-containing materials, such as, for example, metal oxides, metal nitrides, and materials consisting of metal. Metal oxides can be formed by utilizing a supercritical fluid can be utilized to introduce a metal-containing precursor into reaction chamber, with the precursor then forming a metal-containing layer over a surface of a substrate. Subsequently, the metal-containing layer can be reacted with oxygen to convert at least some of the metal within the layer to metal oxide.

Methods of depositing materials over substrates, and methods of forming layers over substrates

A method of reducing the amount of halogenated materials in a halogen-containing environment. The method comprises introducing an aluminum compound into the halogen-containing environment, reacting the aluminum compound with the halogenated material to form a gaseous reaction product, and removing the gaseous reaction product from the environment. The aluminum compound may be a trialkylaluminum compound, an alane, an alkylaluminum hydride, an alkylaluminum halide, an alkylaluminum sesquihalide, or an aluminum sesquihalide. The aluminum compound may alternatively form a solid aluminum product, which is deposited on a surface associated with the halogen-containing environment or onto a semiconductor disposed therewithin. The halogenated material is incorporated into the solid aluminum product, forming an inert film within which the halogenated material is trapped.

Method of removing residual contaminants from an environment

A deposition method includes positioning a substrate within a deposition chamber defined at least in part by chamber walls. At least one of the chamber walls comprises a chamber surface having a plurality of purge gas inlets to the chamber therein. A process gas is provided over the substrate effective to deposit a layer onto the substrate. During such providing, a material adheres to the chamber surface. Reactive purge gas is emitted to the deposition chamber from the purge gas inlets effective to form a reactive gas curtain over the chamber surface and away from the substrate, with such reactive gas reacting with such adhering material. Further implementations are contemplated.

Deposition methods

The invention includes an atomic layer deposition method of forming a layer of a deposited composition on a substrate. The method includes positioning a semiconductor substrate within an atomic layer deposition chamber. On the substrate, an intermediate composition monolayer is formed, followed by a desired deposited composition from reaction with the intermediate composition, collectively from flowing multiple different composition deposition precursors to the substrate within the deposition chamber. A material adheres to a chamber internal component surface from such sequentially forming. After such sequentially forming, a reactive gas flows to the chamber which is different in composition from the multiple different deposition precursors and which is effective to react with such adhering material. After the reactive gas flowing, such sequentially forming is repeated. Further implementations are contemplated.

Atomic layer deposition methods

The invention includes methods of forming films over substrates. A substrate is provided within a reaction chamber, and a mixture is also provided within the chamber. The mixture includes a precursor of a desired material within a supercritical fluid. The precursor is relatively reactive under one set of conditions and is relatively non-reactive under another set of conditions. The precursor and supercritical fluid mixture is initially provided in the chamber under the conditions at which the precursor is relatively non-reactive. Subsequently, and while maintaining the supercritical state of the supercritical fluid, the conditions within the reaction chamber are changed to the conditions under which the precursor is relatively reactive. The precursor reacts to form the desired material, and at least some of the desired material forms a film on the substrate.

Methods of forming materials

This invention includes atomic layer deposition methods of depositing oxide comprising layers on substrates. In one implementation, a substrate is positioned within a deposition chamber. A first species is chemisorbed to form a first species monolayer onto the substrate within the deposition chamber from a gaseous first precursor. The chemisorbed first species is contacted with a gaseous second precursor effective to react with the first species to form an oxide of a component of the first species monolayer. The contacting at least in part results from flowing Oto the deposition chamber, with the Obeing at a temperature of at least 170&#xb0; C. at a location where it is emitted into the deposition chamber. The chemisorbing and the contacting are successively repeated to form an oxide comprising layer on the substrate. Additional aspects and implementations are contemplated.

Atomic layer deposition method of forming an oxide comprising layer on a substrate

In one embodiment, the system includes a gas supply assembly having a first gas source, a first gas conduit coupled to the first gas source, a first valve assembly, a reaction chamber, and a gas distributor carried by the reaction chamber. The first valve assembly includes first and second valves that are in fluid communication with the first gas conduit. The first and second valves are configured in a parallel arrangement so that the first gas flows through the first valve and/or the second valve.

Systems and methods for depositing material onto microfeature workpieces in reaction chambers

The present disclosure provides methods and apparatus useful in depositing materials on batches of microfeature workpieces. One implementation provides a method in which a quantity of a first precursor gas is introduced to an enclosure at a first enclosure pressure. The pressure within the enclosure is reduced to a second enclosure pressure while introducing a purge gas at a first flow rate. The second enclosure pressure may approach or be equal to a steady-state base pressure of the processing system at the first flow rate. After reducing the pressure, the purge gas flow may be increased to a second flow rate and the enclosure pressure may be increased to a third enclosure pressure. Thereafter, a flow of a second precursor gas may be introduced with a pressure within the enclosure at a fourth enclosure pressure; the third enclosure pressure is desirably within about 10 percent of the fourth enclosure pressure.

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Boise, ID, United States of America

Demetrius Sarigiannis