Atomic layer deposition methods
View Patent ↗The invention includes an atomic layer deposition method of forming a layer of a deposited composition on a substrate. The method includes positioning a semiconductor substrate within an atomic layer deposition chamber. On the substrate, an intermediate composition monolayer is formed, followed by a desired deposited composition from reaction with the intermediate composition, collectively from flowing multiple different composition deposition precursors to the substrate within the deposition chamber. A material adheres to a chamber internal component surface from such sequentially forming. After such sequentially forming, a reactive gas flows to the chamber which is different in composition from the multiple different deposition precursors and which is effective to react with such adhering material. After the reactive gas flowing, such sequentially forming is repeated. Further implementations are contemplated.
1. An atomic layer deposition method, comprising:
leaving a material on a chamber internal component surface while forming a composition on a substrate received within the chamber by atomic layer deposition using multiple different composition deposition precursors, said chamber internal component surface comprising a surface other than a surface of the substrate;
with the substrate in the chamber, flowing a reactive gas to the chamber effective to react with the material left on the chamber internal component surface, the reactive gas being different in composition from the multiple different deposition precursors; and
after flowing the reactive gas, again forming the composition on the substrate within the chamber by atomic layer deposition using said multiple different composition deposition precursors.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein the material is also left on the substrate and the reactive gas reacts with such material left on the substrate.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein the material is also left on the substrate and the reactive gas reacts with such material left on the substrate effective to remove it from the substrate.
4. The method of claim 1 wherein the reactive gas reacts to modify composition of the material left on the chamber internal component surface, with such modified composition material remaining on the chamber internal component surface.
5. The method of claim 1 wherein the reactive gas flowing is plasma enhanced.
6. The method of claim 1 wherein the reactive gas flowing is plasma enhanced by plasma generation within the chamber.
7. The method of claim 1 wherein the reactive gas flowing is plasma enhanced by plasma generation remote of the chamber.
8. The method of claim 1 wherein the reactive gas comprises Cl 2 .
9. The method of claim 1 wherein the reactive gas comprises O 2 .
10. The method of claim 1 wherein the reactive gas comprises H 2 .
11. The method of claim 1 wherein the material left on the chamber internal component surface comprises oxygen atoms.