Applied Materials, Inc.

Frederick C Wu

Mei Yin Chang

Ming Xi

Seshadri Ganguli

Paul F Ma

Schubert S Chu

Dien-Yeh Wu

Christophe Marcadal

Kavita Shah

Michael Xiaoxuan Yang

Hua Chung

Avgerinos V Gelatos

Ashok K Sinha

Alfred W Mak

Jeong Soo Byun

Ken Kaung Lai

Moris Kori

Hongbin Fang

Ramanujapuram A Srinivas

Li Wu

Ramanujapuran A Srinivas

Shulin Wang

Toshio Itoh

Anand Vasudev

Brian Boyle

Fufa Chen

Russell C Ellwanger

Yin Lin

Zvi Lando

Brian Metzger

Yehuda Demayo

Jianhua Hu

Ramamujapuram A Srinivas

Embodiments of the invention provide an apparatus configured to form a material during an atomic layer deposition (ALD) process, such as a plasma-enhanced ALD (PE-ALD) process. In one embodiment, a plasma baffle assembly for receiving a process gas within a plasma-enhanced vapor deposition chamber is provided which includes a plasma baffle plate containing an upper surface to receive a process gas and a lower surface to emit the process gas, a plurality of openings configured to flow the process gas from above the upper surface to below the lower surface, wherein each opening is positioned at a predetermined angle of a vertical axis that is perpendicular to the lower surface, and a conical nose cone on the upper surface. In one example, the openings are slots positioned at a predetermined angle to emit the process gas with a circular flow pattern.

Apparatus and process for plasma-enhanced atomic layer deposition

Embodiments of the invention provide an apparatus configured to form a material during an atomic layer deposition (ALD) process, such as a plasma-enhanced ALD (PE-ALD) process. In one embodiment, a lid assembly for conducting a vapor deposition process within a process chamber is provided which includes an insulation cap and a plasma screen. In one example, the insulation cap has a centralized channel configured to flow a first process gas from an upper surface to an expanded channel and an outer channel configured to flow a second process gas from an upper surface to a groove which is encircling the expanded channel. In one example, the plasma screen has an upper surface containing an inner area with a plurality of holes and an outer area with a plurality of slots. The insulation cap may be positioned on top of the plasma screen to form a centralized gas region with the expanded channel and a circular gas region with the groove.

A semiconductor processing chamber is cleaned by introducing a cleaning gas into a processing chamber, striking a plasma in a remote plasma source that is in communication with the processing chamber, measuring the impedance of the plasma, vaporizing a ruthenium containing deposit on a surface of the processing chamber to form a ruthenium containing gas mixture, and flowing the gas mixture through an analyzer and into an exhaust collection assembly. The measurement of the impedance of the plasma in combination with the ruthenium concentration provides an accurate indication of chamber cleanliness.

Method of recovering valuable material from exhaust gas stream of a reaction chamber

Embodiments of the invention provide a method for forming a material on a substrate during an atomic layer deposition (ALD) process, such as a plasma-enhanced ALD (PE-ALD) process. In one embodiment, a method is provided which includes flowing at least one process gas through at least one conduit to form a circular gas flow pattern, exposing a substrate to the circular gas flow pattern, sequentially pulsing at least one chemical precursor into the process gas and igniting a plasma from the process gas to deposit a material on the substrate. In one example, the circular gas flow pattern has circular geometry of a vortex, a helix, a spiral, or a derivative thereof. Materials that may be deposited by the method include ruthenium, tantalum, tantalum nitride, tungsten or tungsten nitride. Other embodiments of the invention provide an apparatus configured to form the material during the PE-ALD process.

Embodiments of the invention provide methods for depositing tungsten materials. In one embodiment, a method for forming a composite tungsten film is provided which includes positioning a substrate within a process chamber, forming a tungsten nucleation layer on the substrate by subsequently exposing the substrate to a tungsten precursor and a reducing gas containing hydrogen during a cyclic deposition process, and forming a tungsten bulk layer during a plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PE-CVD) process. The PE-CVD process includes exposing the substrate to a deposition gas containing the tungsten precursor while depositing the tungsten bulk layer over the tungsten nucleation layer. In some example, the tungsten nucleation layer has a thickness of less than about 100 &#x212b;, such as about 15 &#x212b;. In other examples, a carrier gas containing hydrogen is constantly flowed into the process chamber during the cyclic deposition process.

Formation of composite tungsten films

Methods for the deposition of tungsten films are provided. The methods include depositing a nucleation layer by alternatively adsorbing a tungsten precursor and a reducing gas on a substrate, and depositing a bulk layer of tungsten over the nucleation layer.

A method of forming a titanium nitride (TiN) layer using a reaction between ammonia (NH ) and titanium tetrachloride (TiCl ). In one embodiment, an NH :TiCl ratio of about 8.5 is used to deposit a TiN layer at a temperature of about 500&deg; C. at a pressure of about 20 torr. In another embodiment, a composite TiN layer is formed by alternately depositing TiN layers of different thicknesses, using process conditions having different NH :TiCl ratios. In one preferred embodiment, a TiN layer of less than about 20 &angst; is formed at an NH :TiCl ratio of about 85, followed by a deposition of a thicker TiN layer at an NH :TiCl ratio of about 8.5. By repeating the alternate film deposition using the two different process conditions, a composite TiN layer is formed. This composite TiN layer has an improved overall step coverage and reduced stress, compared to a standard TiN process, and is suitable for small geometry plug fill applications.

Method of depositing a thick titanium nitride film

A method of forming a silicide layer in contact with a silicon substrate. The method comprises forming the silicide layer by supplying a silicon-containing source that is different from the silicon substrate, such that the silicon in the silicide layer originates primarily from the silicon-containing source.

Method of forming a titanium silicide layer on a substrate

A method for the in situ cleaning of a semiconductor deposition chamber utilized for the deposition of a semiconductor material such as titanium or titanium nitride comprising, between wafers, introducing chlorine gas into the chamber at elevated temperature, purging the chamber with an inert gas and evacuating it before introduction of the next wafer. A two-stage between wafer cleaning process is carried out by introducing chlorine into the chamber at elevated temperature, thereafter initiating a plasma without removing the chlorine, purging the chamber with an inert gas and evacuating it before introduction of the next wafer. In a preferred embodiment, a thin protective film of titanium is deposited on the inner sur aces of the chamber prior to utilizing the chamber for he deposition of such material. The protective layer is replenished following each two-stage cleaning.

Computer readable medium for controlling a method of cleaning a process chamber

A method for the in situ cleaning of a semiconductor deposition chamber utilized for the deposition of a semiconductor material such as titanium or titanium nitride comprising, between wafers, introducing chlorine gas into the chamber at elevated temperature, purging the chamber with an inert gas and evacuating it before introduction of the next wafer. A two-stage between wafer cleaning process is carried out by introducing chlorine into the chamber at elevated temperature, thereafter initiating a plasma without removing the chlorine, purging the chamber with an inert gas and evacuating it before introduction of the next wafer. In a preferred embodiment, a thin protective film of titanium is deposited on the inner surfaces of the chamber prior to utilizing the chamber for the deposition of such material. The protective layer is replenished following each two-stage cleaning.

Method for cleaning a process chamber

The present invention is a method of wafer processing which improves the reliability of an integrated titanium (Ti)/titanium nitride (TiN) CVD film formed from a reaction of titanium tetrachloride (TiCi,) and ammonia (NH,). A Ti film is subject to a treatment of NH,gas to render the Ti film unreactive towards attack by chlorine and hydrogen chloride. A thin seed layer of TiN film is deposited upon the treated Ti film using a thermal TiCl,/NH,reaction. Subsequent TiN film deposition upon the seed layer results in a successful integration of a Ti/TiN film stack for a Ti film thickness up to about 300 &angst;.

Growing community of inventors

Cupertino, CA, United States of America

Frederick C Wu