Applied Materials, Inc.

Xinming Zhang

Abhilash J Mayur

Norman L Tam

Shashank Sharma

Matthew Spuller

Seshadri Ganguli

Paul F Ma

Kai Wu

Wei V Tang

Shih Chung Chen

Liqi Wu

Xi Cen

Wenyu Zhang

Zeqiong Zhao

Leung Kway Lee

The present disclosure provides systems and methods for processing channel structures of substrates that include positioning the substrate in a first processing chamber having a first processing volume. The substrate includes a channel structure with high aspect ratio features having aspect ratios greater than about 20:1. The method includes forming a silicon-containing layer over the channel structure to a hydrogen-or-deuterium plasma in the first processing volume at a flow rate of about 10 sccm to about 5000 sccm. The substrate is maintained at a temperature of about 100° C. to about 1100° C. during the exposing, the exposing forming a nucleated substrate. Subsequent to the exposing a thermal anneal operation is performed on the substrate.

System and method for radical and thermal processing of substrates

Embodiments herein are directed to methods of forming titanium nitride films suitable for use as a bulk fill material for conductive features in a semiconductor device, such as for capacitor electrodes and/or buried word lines in a dynamic random-access memory (DRAM) device. In one embodiment, a method of forming conductive features in a semiconductor device is provided. The method includes thermally treating a substrate surface comprising at least portions of a titanium nitride layer in the presence of hydrogen radicals. Thermally treating the substrate includes positioning the substrate in a processing volume of a processing chamber, heating the substrate to a treatment temperature of more than about 250° C., generating the hydrogen radicals using a remote plasma source fluidly coupled to the processing volume, and maintaining the substrate at the treatment temperature while concurrently exposing the at least portions of the titanium nitride layer to the generated hydrogen radicals. Here, the substrate includes a field surface having a plurality of openings formed therein and the at least portions of the titanium nitride layer are disposed in the plurality of openings.

Treatment methods for titanium nitride films

Methods of depositing a metal film are discussed. A metal film is formed on the bottom of feature having a metal bottom and dielectric sidewalls. Formation of the metal film comprises exposure to a metal precursor and an alkyl halide catalyst while the substrate is maintained at a deposition temperature. The metal precursor has a decomposition temperature above the deposition temperature. The alkyl halide comprises carbon and halogen, and the halogen comprises bromine or iodine.

Catalyst enhanced molybdenum deposition and gap fill

The present disclosure provides systems and methods for processing channel structures of substrates that include positioning the substrate in a first processing chamber having a first processing volume. The substrate includes a channel structure with high aspect ratio features having aspect ratios greater than about 20:1. The method includes forming a silicon-containing layer over the channel structure to a hydrogen-or-deuterium plasma in the first processing volume at a flow rate of about 10 sccm to about 5000 sccm. The substrate is maintained at a temperature of about 100&#xb0; C. to about 1100&#xb0; C. during the exposing, the exposing forming a nucleated substrate. Subsequent to the exposing a thermal anneal operation is performed on the substrate.

The present disclosure provides systems and methods for processing channel structures of substrates that include positioning the substrate in a first processing chamber having a first processing volume being in fluid communication with a plasma source. The substrate can include a channel structure with high aspect ratio features having aspect ratios greater than about 20:1. The method can also include forming an oxide cap layer over a silicon-containing layer of the channel structure and exposing the oxide cap layer to a hydrogen-or-deuterium radical to nucleate the silicon-containing layer of the channel structures of the substrate. Forming the oxide cap layer and exposing the channel structure with the hydrogen radical occurs in the first processing chamber to form a nucleated substrate. The method can also include positioning the nucleated substrate in a second processing chamber with a second processing volume and heating the nucleated substrate in the second processing chamber.

Processing methods comprising oxidizing a metal nitride film to form a metal oxynitride layer and etching the metal oxynitride layer with a metal halide etchant. The metal halide etchant can be, for example, WCl, WOClor TaCl. Methods of filling a trench with a seam-free gapfill are also described. A metal nitride film is deposited in the trench to form a seam and pinch-off an opening of the trench. The pinched-off opening is subjected to a directional oxidizing plasma and a metal halide etchant to open the pinched-off top and allow access to the seam.

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Santa Clara, CA, United States of America

Xinming Zhang