Method for forming a layer using a purging gas in a semiconductor process
View Patent ↗A method for forming at least a portion of a semiconductor device includes providing a semiconductor substrate, flowing a first precursor gas over the substrate to form a first metal-containing layer overlying the semiconductor substrate, and after completing said step of flowing the first precursor gas, flowing a first deuterium-containing purging gas over the first metal-containing layer to incorporate deuterium into the first metal-containing layer and to also purge the first precursor gas. The method may further include flowing a second precursor gas over the first metal-containing layer to react with the first metal-containing layer to form a metal compound-containing layer, and flowing a second deuterium-containing purging gas over the metal compound-containing layer to incorporate deuterium into the metal compound-containing layer and to also purge the second precursor gas.
1. A method for forming at least a portion of a semiconductor device, comprising:
providing a semiconductor substrate;
flowing a first precursor gas over the substrate to form a first metal-containing layer overlying the semiconductor substrate; and
after completing said step of flowing the first precursor gas, flowing a first deuterium-containing purging gas over the first metal-containing layer to incorporate deuterium into the first metal-containing layer and to also purge the first precursor gas.
2. A method as in claim 1 , wherein the first deuterium-containing purging gas comprises at least one of nitrogen, argon, or helium.
3. A method as in claim 1 , wherein the first deuterium-containing purging gas comprises hydrogen.
4. A method as in claim 1 , wherein the first deuterium-containing purging gas comprises plasma.
5. A method as in claim 1 , wherein the first precursor gas comprises at least one of hafnium, zirconium, silicon, lanthanum, titanium, tantalum, molybdenum, iridium, tungsten, or ruthenium.
6. A method as in claim 1 , further comprising:
flowing a second precursor gas over the first metal-containing layer to react with the first metal-containing layer to form a metal compound-containing layer; and
flowing a second deuterium-containing purging gas over the metal compound-containing layer to incorporate deuterium into the metal compound-containing layer and to also purge the second precursor gas.
7. A method as in claim 6 , wherein the first deuterium-containing purging gas and the second deuterium-containing purging gas are a same gas.
8. A method as in claim 6 , wherein the second deuterium-containing purging gas comprises at least one of nitrogen, argon, or helium.
9. A method as in claim 6 , wherein the second deuterium-containing purging gas comprises plasma.
10. A method as in claim 6 , wherein the second precursor gas comprises at least one of deuterium oxide, deuterium peroxide, hydrogen oxide, hydrogen peroxide, ozone, methane, deuterated methane, ammonia, or deuterated ammonia.
11. A method as in claim 1 , wherein the first metal-containing layer is conductive.
12. A method as in claim 1 , wherein the first metal-containing layer is non-conductive.
13. A method as in claim 12 , wherein the first metal-containing layer comprises a dielectric having a dielectric constant greater than 4.
14. A method as in claim 12 , further comprising:
before said step of flowing a first precursor gas, forming an interfacial layer between the substrate and the first metal-containing layer.
15. A method as in claim 14 , wherein the interfacial layer is non-conductive and comprises at least one of an oxide or a nitride.
16. A method for forming at least a portion of a semiconductor device, comprising:
providing a semiconductor substrate;
flowing a first precursor gas over the substrate to form a first metal-containing layer on the semiconductor substrate;
flowing a first deuterium-containing purging gas over the first metal-containing layer to incorporate deuterium into the first metal-containing layer and to also purge the first precursor gas;
flowing a second precursor gas over the first metal-containing layer to react with the first metal-containing layer to form a metal compound-containing layer; and
flowing a second deuterium-containing purging gas over the metal compound-containing layer to incorporate deuterium into the metal compound-containing layer and to also purge the second precursor gas.
17. A method as in claim 16 , wherein each step is repeated at least once.
18. At least a portion of a semiconductor device, comprising:
a semiconductor substrate; and
a metal compound-containing layer overlying the semiconductor substrate,
wherein a minimum concentration of deuterium in the metal compound-containing layer is greater than 1.7×10 20 atoms/cm 3 .
19. At least the portion of the semiconductor device as in claim 18 , further comprising:
an interfacial layer between the substrate and the metal compound-containing layer, wherein a minimum concentration of deuterium in the interfacial layer is greater than 2.6×10 20 atoms/cm 3 .