Methods and systems for filling a gap

1 . A method of filling a gap, the method comprising:

providing a substrate to a reaction chamber, the substrate comprising the gap;

providing a precursor to the reaction chamber;

providing a reactant to the reaction chamber; and,

generating a plasma in the reaction chamber during at least one of providing the precursor to the reaction chamber and providing the reactant to the reaction chamber;

thereby allowing the precursor and the reactant to form a gap filling fluid; and,

thereby at least partially filling the gap with the gap filling fluid, the gap filling fluid comprising the metal or metalloid,

wherein exposing the substrate to a precursor and to a reactant comprises one or more deposition cycles, a deposition cycle comprising a precursor pulse and a reactant pulse;

wherein the precursor pulse comprises providing precursor to the reaction chamber, and

wherein the reactant pulse comprises providing reactant to the reaction chamber,

wherein a deposition cycle further comprises a nitrogen reactant pulse, and wherein the nitrogen reactant pulse comprises providing a nitrogen reactant to at least one of the reaction chamber, the plasma generation space, or the remote plasma source,

wherein a deposition cycle comprises sequentially executing a plurality of subsequent precursor pulses and nitrogen reactant pulses before or after executing a reactant pulse, and

wherein the precursor comprises a metal halide and the reactant comprises an oxygen reactant.

2 . The method according to claim 1 wherein the method comprises continuously providing the nitrogen reactant to the remote plasma source.

3 . The method according to claim 1 wherein the plasma is continuously generated in the reaction chamber.

4 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein, while the gap filling fluid is formed, a conformal liner is simultaneously formed in the gap.

5 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the oxygen reactant comprises at least one of O 2 , O 3 , or H 2 O.

6 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the nitrogen reactant comprises N 2 , NH 3 , or a gas mixture comprising N 2 and H 2 .

7 . The method according to claim 1 wherein the nitrogen reactant comprises a gas mixture comprising N 2 and H 2 .

8 . The method according claim 1 , further comprising a step of exposing the substrate to a transformation treatment.

9 . The method according to claim 8 comprising a plurality of super cycles, a super cycle comprising the step of providing a precursor, the step of providing a reactant, and the step of exposing the substrate to the transformation treatment.

10 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the metal or metalloid comprises an element selected from W, Ge, Sb, Te, Nb, Ta, V, Hf, Ti, Zr, Rh, Fe, Cr, Mo, Au, Pt, Ag, Ni, Cu, Co, Zn, Al, In, Sn, and Bi.

11 . A method of filling a gap, the method comprising:

providing a substrate to a reaction chamber, the substrate comprising the gap;

providing a precursor to the reaction chamber;

providing a reactant to at least one of a plasma generation space or a remote plasma source, wherein the plasma generation space is comprised in the reaction chamber, wherein the plasma generation space is separated from the substrate by means of a barrier, and wherein the remote plasma source is located outside of the reaction chamber; and,

generating a plasma in at least one of the plasma generation space or the remote plasma source while providing the reactant to at least one of the plasma generation space and the remote plasma source;

thereby allowing the precursor and the active species generated in at least one of the plasma generation space and the remote plasma source to form a gap filling fluid; and,

thereby at least partially filling the gap with the gap filling fluid, the gap filling fluid comprising the metal or metalloid,

wherein providing the precursor to the reaction chamber and providing the reactant to at least one of a plasma generation space and a remote plasma source comprises one or more deposition cycles, a deposition cycle comprising a precursor pulse and a reactant pulse,

wherein the precursor pulse comprises providing precursor to the reaction chamber, and

wherein the reactant pulse comprises providing the reactant to at least one of the plasma generation space and the remote plasma source,

wherein a deposition cycle further comprises a nitrogen reactant pulse, and wherein the nitrogen reactant pulse comprises providing a nitrogen reactant to at least one of the reaction chamber, the plasma generation space, and the remote plasma source,

wherein a deposition cycle comprises sequentially executing a plurality of subsequent precursor pulses and nitrogen reactant pulses before or after executing a reactant pulse, and

wherein the precursor comprises a metal halide and the reactant comprises an oxygen reactant.

12 . The method according to claim 11 wherein the method comprises continuously providing the reactant to the remote plasma source.

13 . The method according to claim 11 wherein the plasma is continuously generated in at least one of the plasma generation space and the remote plasma source.

14 . A method of filling a gap, the method comprising:

providing a substrate, the substrate comprising the gap;

providing a system comprising a reaction chamber and a remote plasma source;

providing a precursor to the reaction chamber;

providing a reactant to the remote plasma source;

generating a plasma in the remote plasma source, thereby creating a plasma species in the remote plasma source; and,

transporting the plasma species from the remote plasma source to the chamber;

thereby allowing the precursor and the reactant to form a gap filling fluid; and,

thereby at least partially filling the gap with the gap filling fluid, the gap filling fluid comprising the metal or metalloid,

wherein providing the precursor to the reaction chamber and transporting the plasma species comprises one or more deposition cycles, a deposition cycle comprising a precursor pulse and a species pulse,

wherein the precursor comprises a metal halide and the reactant comprises an oxygen reactant,

wherein the precursor pulse comprises providing precursor to the chamber,

wherein the species pulse comprises providing species to the chamber,

wherein a deposition cycle further comprises a nitrogen reactant pulse, and

wherein a deposition cycle comprises sequentially executing a plurality of subsequent precursor pulses and nitrogen reactant pulses before or after executing a species pulse.

15 . A method of filling a gap, the method comprising:

providing a substrate, the substrate comprising the gap;

providing a system comprising a first reaction chamber and a second reaction chamber;

providing a precursor to the first reaction chamber;

providing a reactant to the second reaction chamber;

generating a plasma in at least one of the first reaction chamber and the second reaction chamber;

executing a plurality of deposition cycles, a deposition cycle comprising

moving the substrate to the first reaction chamber; and,

moving the substrate to the second reaction chamber;

thereby allowing the precursor and the reactant to form a gap filling fluid; and,

thereby at least partially filling the gap with the gap filling fluid, the gap filling fluid comprising the metal or metalloid,

wherein the precursor comprises a metal halide and the reactant comprises an oxygen reactant,

wherein the deposition cycle further comprises a nitrogen reactant pulse,

wherein the deposition cycle comprises sequentially executing a plurality of subsequent moving the substrate to the first reaction chamber and nitrogen reactant pulses before or after moving the substrate to the second reaction chamber.