Asm America, Inc.

Steven Marcus

Kai-Erik Elers

Glen Wilk

Dong Li

Jan Willem Maes

Robert Brennan Milligan

Petri Räisänen

Sebastian E Van Nooten

Suvi P Haukka

Petri Raisanen

Wei-Min Li

Brennan Milligan

Doug Li

Methods of forming metal carbide films are provided. In some embodiments, a substrate is exposed to alternating pulses of a transition metal species and an aluminum hydrocarbon compound, such as TMA, DMAH, or TEA. The aluminum hydrocarbon compound is selected to achieve the desired properties of the metal carbide film, such as aluminum concentration, resistivity, adhesion and oxidation resistance. In some embodiments, the methods are used to form a metal carbide layer that determines the work function of a control gate in a flash memory.

Atomic layer deposition of metal carbide films using aluminum hydrocarbon compounds

Methods of forming a conductive metal layer over a dielectric layer using plasma enhanced atomic layer deposition (PEALD) are provided, along with related compositions and structures. A plasma barrier layer is deposited over the dielectric layer by a non-plasma atomic layer deposition (ALD) process prior to depositing the conductive layer by PEALD. The plasma barrier layer reduces or prevents deleterious effects of the plasma reactant in the PEALD process on the dielectric layer and can enhance adhesion. The same metal reactant can be used in both the non-plasma ALD process and the PEALD process.

Plasma-enhanced atomic layer deposition of conductive material over dielectric layers

Plasma-enhanced atomic layers deposition of conductive material over dielectric layers

Methods of forming metal oxide thin films and related structures are provided. One embodiment of the methods includes conducting a plurality of cycles of deposition on a substrate. Each cycle includes supplying oxygen gas and an inert gas into a reaction space substantially continuously during the cycle. A metal precursor is supplied into the reaction space for a first duration. The metal precursor is a cyclopentadienyl compound of the metal. After the metal precursor is supplied, the continuously flowing oxygen gas is activated for a second duration to generate a plasma in the reaction space. The cycle is conducted at a temperature below about 400&#xb0; C. The methods can be performed after forming a structure on the substrate, wherein the structure is formed of a material which is physically and/or chemically unstable at a high temperature.

Plasma-enhanced deposition process for forming a metal oxide thin film and related structures

In one aspect, non-conformal layers are formed by variations of plasma enhanced atomic layer deposition, where one or more of pulse duration, separation, RF power on-time, reactant concentration, pressure and electrode spacing are varied from true self-saturating reactions to operate in a depletion-effect mode. Deposition thus takes place close to the substrate surface but is controlled to terminate after reaching a specified distance into openings (e.g., deep DRAM trenches, pores, etc.). Reactor configurations that are suited to such modulation include showerhead, in situ plasma reactors, particularly with adjustable electrode spacing. In another aspect, alternately and sequentially contacting a substrate, the substrate including openings, with at least two different reactants, wherein an under-saturated dose of at least one of the reactants has been predetermined and the under-saturated dose is provided uniformly across the substrate surface, deposits a film that less than fully covers surfaces of the openings, leading to depletion effects in less accessible regions on the substrate surface.

Method of forming non-conformal layers

Methods of forming a metal carbide film are provided. In some embodiments, methods for forming a metal carbide film in an atomic layer deposition (ALD) type process comprise alternately and sequentially contacting a substrate in a reaction space with vapor phase pulses of a metal compound and one or more plasma-excited species of a carbon-containing compound. In other embodiments, methods of forming a metal carbide film in a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) type process comprise simultaneously contacting a substrate in a reaction space with a metal compound and one or more plasma-excited species of a carbon-containing compound. The substrate is further exposed to a reducing agent. The reducing agent removes impurities, including halogen atoms and/or oxygen atoms.

Plasma-enhanced deposition of metal carbide films

Methods of forming a metal carbide film are provided. In some embodiments, a substrate is exposed to alternating pulses of a transition metal species and plasma-excited argon. The transition metal species is reacted with a carbon species to deposit a metal carbide film. The substrate is exposed to the carbon species simultaneously with the transition metal species, or the substrate is exposed to the carbon species in pulses temporally separated from the pulses of the transition metal species. In some embodiments, the carbon species and the transition metal species form parts of the same precursor compound, e.g., a metal organic compound.

Plasma-enhanced pulsed deposition of metal carbide films

Methods for forming passivated stoichiometric metal nitride films are provided along with structures incorporating such films. The preferred methods include contacting a substrate with alternating and sequential pulses of a metal source chemical, one or more plasma-excited species of hydrogen and a nitrogen source chemical to form a stoichiometric metal nitride film, followed by exposure of the stoichiometric metal nitride film to a source chemical of a passivating species to form a passivation layer over the stoichiometric metal nitride film.

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Tempe, AZ, United States of America

Steven Marcus