Applied Materials, Inc.

Jinsong Tang

Yihwan Kim

Zhiyuan Ye

Arkadii V Samoilov

Ali Zojaji

Nicholas C Dalida

Xiaowei Li

Xiao Chen

Satheesh Kuppurao

Errol C Sanchez

Jean Rene Vatus

Methods of depositing layers having reduced interfacial contamination are disclosed herein. The inventive methods may advantageously reduce contamination at the interface between deposited layers, for example, between a deposited layer and an underlying substrate or film. In some embodiments, a method of depositing a layer may include annealing a silicon-containing layer having a first layer disposed thereon in a reducing atmosphere; removing the first layer using an etching process to expose the silicon-containing layer after annealing; and depositing a second layer on the exposed silicon-containing layer.

Methods for depositing layers having reduced interfacial contamination

In a first aspect, a method of forming an epitaxial film on a substrate is provided. The method includes (a) providing a substrate; (b) exposing the substrate to a silicon source and a carbon source so as to form a carbon-containing silicon epitaxial film; (c) encapsulating the carbon-containing silicon epitaxial film with an encapsulating film; and (d) exposing the substrate to Cl2 so as to etch the encapsulating film. Numerous other aspects are provided.

Use of CL2 and/or HCL during silicon epitaxial film formation

Use of Cl2 and/or HCl during silicon epitaxial film formation

In a first aspect, a first method of forming an epitaxial film on a substrate is provided. The first method includes (a) providing a substrate; (b) exposing the substrate to at least a silicon source so as to form an epitaxial film on at least a portion of the substrate; and (c) exposing the substrate to HCl and Cl2 so as to etch the epitaxial film and any other films formed during step (b). Numerous other aspects are provided.

Growing community of inventors

Santa Clara, CA, United States of America

Jinsong Tang