Methods for depositing silicon nitride films

1. A plasma enhanced atomic layer deposition method of forming a silicon nitride film onto at least a surface of a substrate, the method comprising

a. providing a substrate in a reactor;

b. introducing into the reactor an at least one organoaminosilane represented by the following Formulas I, II and III below:

wherein R 1 is selected from a linear or branched C 3 to C 10 alkyl group, a linear or branched C 3 to C 10 alkenyl group, a linear or branched C 3 to C 10 alkynyl group, a C 1 to C 6 dialkylamino group, an electron withdrawing group, and a C 6 to C 10 aryl group; R 2 is selected from hydrogen, a linear or branched C 1 to C 10 alkyl group, a linear or branched C 3 to C 6 alkenyl group, a linear or branched C 3 to C 6 alkynyl group, a C 1 to C 6 dialkylamino group, a C 6 to C 10 aryl group, an electron withdrawing group, and a C 4 to C 10 aryl group; optionally wherein R 1 and R 2 are linked together to form a ring selected from a substituted or unsubstituted aromatic ring or a substituted or unsubstituted aliphatic ring, and in Formula III n=1 or 2, wherein the at least one organoaminosilane reacts on at least a portion of the surface of the substrate to provide a chemisorbed layer;

c. purging the reactor with a purge gas;

d. introducing a plasma consisting essentially of nitrogen and noble gas into the reactor to react with at least a portion of the chemisorbed layer and provide at least one reactive site; and

e. purge the reactor with an inert gas; and wherein the steps b through e are repeated until a desired thickness of the silicon nitride film is obtained; wherein the silicon nitride film has a density of at least 2.7 g/cc.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the at least one organoaminosilane precursor is selected from the group consisting of di-iso-propylaminosilane, di-sec-butylaminosilane, phenylmethylaminosilane, 2,6-dimethylpiperidinosilane, N-methylcyclohexylaminosilane, N-ethylcyclohexylaminosilane, N-isopropylcyclohexylaminosilane, 2-methylpiperidinosilane, N-silyldecahydroquinoline, 2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidinosilane, 2-(N-silylmethylamino)pyridine, N-t-butyldisilazane, N-t-pentyldisilazane, N-(3-methyl-2-pyridyl)disilazane, N-(2-methylphenyl)disilazane, N-(2-ethylphenyl)disilazane, N-(2,4,6-trimethylphenyl)disilazane, N-(2,6-di-iso-pripylphenyl)disilazane, di-iso-propylaminodisilane, di-iso-butylaminodisilane, di-sec-butylaminodisilane, 2,6-dimethylpiperidinosilane, N-methylcyclohexylaminodisilane, N-ethylcyclohexylaminodisilane, phenylmethylaminodisilane, 2-(N-disilylmethylamino)pyridine, N-phenylethyldisilane, N-isopropylcyclohexylaminodisilane, 1,1-(N,N′-di-tert-butylethylenediamino)disilane.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the plasma comprises a noble gas selected from the group consisting of neon (Ne), argon (Ar), Xenon (Xe), krypton (Kr) and mixtures thereof.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the method is conducted at one or more temperatures of about 400° C. or less.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the method is conducted at one or more temperatures of about 300° C. or less.

6. A plasma enhanced atomic layer deposition method of forming a silicon nitride film onto at least a surface of a substrate, the method comprising the steps of:

a. providing a substrate in a reactor;

b. introducing into the reactor at least one organoaminosilane precursor is selected from the group consisting of di-iso-propylaminosilane, di-sec-butylaminosilane, phenylmethylaminosilane, 2,6-dimethylpiperidinosilane, N-methylcyclohexylaminosilane, N-ethylcyclohexylaminosilane, N-isopropylcyclohexylaminosilane, 2-methylpiperidinosilane, N-silyldecahydroquinoline, 2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidinosilane, 2-(N-silylmethylamino)pyridine, N-t-butyldisilazane, N-t-pentyldisilazane, N-(3-methyl-2-pyridyl)disilazane, N-(2-methylphenyl)disilazane, N-(2-ethylphenyl)disilazane, N-(2,4,6-trimethylphenyl)disilazane, N-(2,6-di-iso-pripylphenyl)disilazane, di-iso-propylaminodisilane, di-iso-butylaminodisilane, di-sec-butylaminodisilane, 2,6-dimethylpiperidinosilane, N-methylcyclohexylaminodisilane, N-ethylcyclohexylaminodisilane, phenylmethylaminodisilane, 2-(N-disilylmethylamino)pyridine, N-phenylethyldisilane, N-isopropylcyclohexylaminodisilane, 1,1-(N,N′-di-tert-butylethylenediamino)disilane wherein said introducing is for a period of 0.2 to 5 seconds and the at least one organoaminosilane reacts on at least a portion of the surface of the substrate;

c. purging the reactor with a purge gas comprising at least one selected from nitrogen, a noble gas, and combinations thereof;

d. introducing a nitrogen-noble gas containing plasma into the reactor; and

e. purge the reactor with an inert gas; and wherein the steps b through e are repeated until a desired thickness of the silicon nitride film is obtained wherein the nitride film has a refractive index of greater than 1.9 and a density of greater than 2.7 g/cc.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the method is conducted at a temperature of 400° C. or less.

8. The method of claim 6 wherein the method is conducted at a temperature of 300° C. or less.

9. The method of claim 6 where the nitrogen-noble gas containing plasma consists essentially of a member selected from the group consisting of an argon/nitrogen plasma, a neon/nitrogen plasma, a krypton/nitrogen plasma, a xenon/nitrogen plasma, and combinations thereof.

10. A plasma enhanced atomic layer deposition method of forming a silicon nitride film onto at least a surface of a substrate, the method comprising the steps of:

a. providing a substrate in a reactor;

b. introducing into the reactor at least one organoaminosilane precursor is selected from the group consisting of di-iso-propylaminosilane, di-sec-butylaminosilane, phenylmethylaminosilane, 2,6-dimethylpiperidinosilane, N-methylcyclohexylaminosilane, N-ethylcyclohexylaminosilane, N-isopropylcyclohexylaminosilane, 2-methylpiperidinosilane, N-silyldecahydroquinoline, 2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidinosilane, 2-(N-silylmethylamino)pyridine, N-t-butyldisilazane, N-t-pentyldisilazane, N-(3-methyl-2-pyridyl)disilazane, N-(2-methylphenyl)disilazane, N-(2-ethylphenyl)disilazane, N-(2,4,6-trimethylphenyl)disilazane, N-(2,6-di-iso-pripylphenyl)disilazane, di-iso-propylaminodisilane, di-iso-butylaminodisilane, di-sec-butylaminodisilane, 2,6-dimethylpiperidinosilane, N-methylcyclohexylaminodisilane, N-ethylcyclohexylaminodisilane, phenylmethylaminodisilane, 2-(N-disilylmethylamino)pyridine, N-phenylethyldisilane, N-isopropylcyclohexylaminodisilane, 1,1-(N,N′-di-tert-butylethylenediamino)disilane wherein the at least one organoaminosilane reacts on at least a portion of the surface of the substrate to provide a chemisorbed layer;

c. purging the reactor with a purge gas comprising at least one selected from nitrogen, a noble gas, and combinations thereof;

d. introducing a plasma comprising a noble gas into the reactor to react with at least a portion of the chemisorbed layer and provide an at least one reactive site wherein the plasma is generated at a power density ranging from about 0.01 to about 1.5 W/cm 2 ; and

e. purge the reactor with an inert gas; and wherein the steps b through e are repeated until a desired thickness of the silicon nitride film is obtained; wherein the silicon nitride film has a density of at least 2.7 g/cc.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the method is conducted at a temperature of 400° C. or less.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein the noble gas plasma comprises a noble gas selected from the group consisting of neon (Ne), argon (Ar), Xenon (Xe), krypton (Kr) and mixtures thereof.

13. A plasma enhanced atomic layer deposition method of forming a silicon nitride film onto at least a surface of a substrate, the method comprising

a. providing a substrate in a reactor;

b. introducing into the reactor an at least one organoaminosilane represented by the following Formula below:

wherein R 1 is selected from a linear or branched C 3 to C 10 alkyl group, a linear or branched C 3 to C 10 alkenyl group, a linear or branched C 3 to C 10 alkynyl group, a C 1 to C 6 dialkylamino group, an electron withdrawing group, and a C 6 to C 10 aryl group; R 2 is selected from hydrogen, a linear or branched C 1 to C 10 alkyl group, a linear or branched C 3 to C 6 alkenyl group, a linear or branched C 3 to C 6 alkynyl group, a C 1 to C 6 dialkylamino group, a C 6 to C 10 aryl group, an electron withdrawing group, and a C 4 to C 10 aryl group; optionally wherein R 1 and R 2 are linked together to form a ring selected from a substituted or unsubstituted aromatic ring or a substituted or unsubstituted aliphatic ring, and n=1 or 2;

c. purging the reactor with a purge gas;

d. introducing a plasma consisting essentially of nitrogen into the reactor; and

e. purge the reactor with an inert gas; and wherein the steps b through e are repeated until a desired thickness of the silicon nitride film is obtained; and wherein the silicon nitride film has a refractive index of greater than 1.9 and a density of greater than 2.7 g/cc.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the organoaminosilane comprises at least one member selected from the group consisting of di-iso-propylaminodisilane, di-iso-butylaminodisilane, di-sec-butylaminodisilane, 2,6-dimethylpiperidinosilane, N-methylcyclohexylaminodisilane, N-ethylcyclohexylaminodisilane, phenylmethylaminodisilane, 2-(N-disilylmethylamino)pyridine, N-phenylethyldisilane, N-isopropylcyclohexylaminodisilane, and 1,1-(N,N′-di-tert-butylethylenediamino)disilane; and the plasma further consists essentially of a argon.

15. A plasma enhanced atomic layer deposition method of forming a silicon nitride film onto at least a surface of a substrate, the method comprising

a. providing a substrate in a reactor;

b. introducing into the reactor for a period of about 0.001 to about 500 seconds at least one organoaminosilane represented by the following Formula I below:

wherein R 1 is selected from a linear or branched C 3 to C 10 alkyl group, a linear or branched C 3 to C 10 alkenyl group, a linear or branched C 3 to C 10 alkynyl group, a C 1 to C 6 dialkylamino group, an electron withdrawing group, and a C 6 to C 10 aryl group; R 2 is selected from hydrogen, a linear or branched C 1 to C 10 alkyl group, a linear or branched C 3 to C 6 alkenyl group, a linear or branched C 3 to C 6 alkynyl group, a C 1 to C 6 dialkylamino group, a C 6 to C 10 aryl group, an electron withdrawing group, and a C 4 to C 10 aryl group; optionally wherein R 1 and R 2 are linked together to form a ring selected from a substituted or unsubstituted aromatic ring or a substituted or unsubstituted aliphatic ring;

c. purging the reactor with a purge gas;

d. introducing a plasma consisting essentially of nitrogen and noble gas into the reactor for a period of about 0.1 to about 100 seconds; and

e. purge the reactor with an inert gas; and wherein the steps b through e are repeated until a desired thickness of the silicon nitride film is obtained; wherein the silicon nitride film has a density of at least 2.7 g/cc.