Silicon chalcogenate precursors, methods of forming the silicon chalcogenate precursors, and related methods of forming silicon nitride and semiconductor structures
View Patent ↗A silicon chalcogenate precursor comprising the chemical formula of Si(XR 1 ) n R 2 4-n , where X is sulfur, selenium, or tellurium, R 1 is hydrogen, an alkyl group, a substituted alkyl group, an alkoxide group, a substituted alkoxide group, an amide group, a substituted amide group, an amine group, a substituted amine group, or a halogen group, each R 2 is independently hydrogen, an alkyl group, a substituted alkyl group, an alkoxide group, a substituted alkoxide group, an amide group, a substituted amide group, an amine group, a substituted amine group, or a halogen group, and n is 1, 2, 3, or 4. Methods of forming the silicon chalcogenate precursor, methods of forming silicon nitride, and methods of forming a semiconductor structure are also disclosed.
1. A method of forming silicon nitride, comprising:
reacting a silicon chalcogenate precursor and a nitrogen-containing precursor to form silicon nitride, the silicon chalcogenate precursor comprising the chemical formula of Si(XR 1 ) n R 2 4-n , where X is sulfur, selenium, or tellurium, R 1 is hydrogen, an alkyl group, a substituted alkyl group, an alkoxide group, a substituted alkoxide group, an amide group, a substituted amide group, an amine group, a substituted amine group, or a halogen group, each R 2 is independently hydrogen, an alkyl group, a substituted alkyl group, an alkoxide group, a substituted alkoxide group, an amide group, a substituted amide group, an amine group, a substituted amine group, or a halogen group, and n is 1, 2, 3, or 4.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein reacting a silicon chalcogenate precursor and a nitrogen-containing precursor to form silicon nitride comprises forming the silicon nitride by atomic layer deposition.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein reacting a silicon chalcogenate precursor and a nitrogen-containing precursor to form silicon nitride comprises forming the silicon nitride by chemical vapor deposition.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein reacting a silicon chalcogenate precursor and a nitrogen-containing precursor to form silicon nitride comprises conformally forming the silicon nitride on a substrate.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein reacting a silicon chalcogenate precursor and a nitrogen-containing precursor to form silicon nitride comprises reacting the silicon chalcogenate precursor with ammonia, hydrazine, t-butyl hydrazine, a monoalkylhydrazine, a dialkylhydrazine, or combinations thereof.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein reacting a silicon chalcogenate precursor and a nitrogen-containing precursor to form silicon nitride comprises forming the silicon nitride at a temperature of less than or equal to about 350° C.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein reacting a silicon chalcogenate precursor and a nitrogen-containing precursor to form silicon nitride comprises forming the silicon nitride at a temperature of less than or equal to about 250° C.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein reacting a silicon chalcogenate precursor and a nitrogen-containing precursor to form silicon nitride comprises reacting the silicon chalcogenate precursor and the nitrogen-containing precursor in a plasma-free environment.
9. A method of forming silicon nitride, comprising:
reacting a silicon chalcogenate precursor with a substrate to form silicon on the substrate, the silicon chalcogenate precursor comprising the chemical formula of Si(XR 1 ) n R 2 4-n , where X is sulfur, selenium, or tellurium, R 1 is hydrogen, an alkyl group, a substituted alkyl group, an alkoxide group, a substituted alkoxide group, an amide group, a substituted amide group, an amine group, a substituted amine group, or a halogen group, each R 2 is independently hydrogen, an alkyl group, a substituted alkyl group, an alkoxide group, a substituted alkoxide group, an amide group, a substituted amide group, an amine group, a substituted amine group, or a halogen group, and n is 1, 2, 3, or 4;
reacting the silicon with a nitrogen-containing precursor to form nitrogen on the silicon; and
repeating the reacting a silicon chalcogenate precursor and reacting the silicon with a nitrogen-containing precursor acts to form silicon nitride on the substrate.
10. The method of claim 9 , wherein reacting a silicon chalcogenate precursor with a substrate to form silicon on the substrate comprises reacting a silicon chalcogenate precursor comprising Si(XR 1 )(R 2 )(R 3 )(R 4 ), Si(XR 1 )(XR 2 )(R 3 )(R 4 ), Si(XR 1 )(R 2 )(XR 3 )(R 4 ), Si(XR 1 )(XR 2 )(R 3 )(XR 4 ), Si(XR 1 )(XR 2 )(XR 3 )(R 4 ), Si(XR 1 )(R 2 )(XR 3 )(XR 4 ), or Si(XR 1 )(XR 2 )(XR 3 )(XR 4 ) with the substrate.
11. The method of claim 9 , wherein reacting a silicon chalcogenate precursor with a substrate to form silicon on the substrate comprises reacting silicon tetramethylselenoate with the substrate.
12. The method of claim 9 , wherein reacting the silicon with a nitrogen-containing precursor to form nitrogen on the silicon comprises reacting the silicon with ammonia.
13. A method of forming silicon nitride on a semiconductor structure, comprising:
forming a substrate comprising at least one feature having an aspect ratio of greater than about 10:1; and
reacting a silicon chalcogenate precursor and a nitrogen-containing precursor to form silicon nitride on the at least one feature, the silicon chalcogenate precursor comprising the chemical formula of Si(XR 1 ) n R 2 4-n , where X is sulfur, selenium, or tellurium, R 1 is hydrogen, an alkyl group, a substituted alkyl group, an alkoxide group, a substituted alkoxide group, an amide group, a substituted amide group, an amine group, a substituted amine group, or a halogen group, each R 2 is independently hydrogen, an alkyl group, a substituted alkyl group, an alkoxide group, a substituted alkoxide group, an amide group, a substituted amide group, an amine group, a substituted amine group, or a halogen group, and n is 1, 2, 3, or 4.
14. The method of claim 13 , wherein reacting a silicon chalcogenate precursor and a nitrogen-containing precursor to form silicon nitride on the at least one feature comprises conformally forming the silicon nitride on the at least one feature.
15. The method of claim 13 , wherein reacting a silicon chalcogenate precursor and a nitrogen-containing precursor comprises forming the silicon nitride by atomic layer deposition.
16. The method of claim 13 , wherein reacting a silicon chalcogenate precursor and a nitrogen-containing precursor comprises forming the silicon nitride by chemical vapor deposition.
17. The method of claim 13 , wherein forming a substrate comprising at least one feature having an aspect ratio of greater than about 10 comprises forming the at least one feature on a thermally sensitive substrate.
18. The method of claim 13 , wherein reacting a silicon chalcogenate precursor and a nitrogen-containing precursor to form silicon nitride on the at least one feature comprises forming the silicon nitride on the at least one feature etchable by a halide.