Conformal and smooth titanium nitride layers and methods of forming the same

Abstract

The disclosed technology generally relates to forming a thin film comprising titanium nitride (TiN), and more particularly to forming by a cyclical vapor deposition process the thin film comprising (TiN). In one aspect, a method a method of forming a thin film comprising titanium nitride (TiN) by a cyclical vapor deposition process comprises forming on a semiconductor substrate a TiN thin film by exposing the semiconductor substrate to one or more cyclical vapor deposition cycles each comprising an exposure to a Ti precursor at a Ti precursor flow rate and an exposure to a N precursor at a N precursor flow rate, wherein a ratio of the N precursor flow rate to the Ti precursor flow rate exceeds 3. The method is such that the TiN thin film has a preferential (111) crystalline texture such that an X-ray spectrum of the TiN thin film has a ratio of a peak height or an intensity of an X-ray diffraction peak corresponding to a (111) crystal orientation of TiN to a peak height or an intensity of an X-ray diffraction peak corresponding to a (200) crystal orientation of TiN that exceeds 0.4. Aspects are also directed to semiconductor structures incorporating the thin film and method of forming the same.