Sequential deposition of tantalum nitride using a tantalum-containing precursor and a nitrogen-containing precursor
Embodiments of the invention provide a method for forming tantalum nitride materials on a substrate by employing an atomic layer deposition (ALD) process. The method includes heating a tantalum precursor within an ampoule to a predetermined temperature to form a tantalum precursor gas and sequentially exposing a substrate to the tantalum precursor gas and a nitrogen precursor to form a tantalum nitride material. Thereafter, a nucleation layer and a bulk layer may be deposited on the substrate. In one example, a radical nitrogen compound may be formed from the nitrogen precursor during a plasma-enhanced ALD process. A nitrogen precursor may include nitrogen or ammonia. In another example, a metal-organic tantalum precursor may be used during the deposition process.
1. A method for forming a tantalum-containing material on a substrate, comprising:
heating a substrate to a deposition temperature within a process chamber;
heating an ampoule containing a tantalum precursor to a predetermined temperature within a range from about 50° C. to about 170° C. to form a tantalum precursor gas;
flowing the tantalum precursor gas through a conduit and into the process chamber while maintaining the conduit at a temperature within a range from about 50° C. to about 170° C.; and
exposing the substrate to at least sequential pulses of the tantalum precursor gas and a nitrogen precursor during an atomic layer deposition process to deposit a tantalum nitride material thereon.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the predetermined temperature of the ampoule is within a range from about 65° C. to about 150° C.
3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the temperature of the conduit is within a range from about 65° C. to about 150° C.
4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising depositing a nucleation layer on the tantalum nitride material.
5. The method of claim 4 , further comprising depositing a bulk layer on the nucleation layer.
6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the bulk layer comprises copper.
7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising depositing a bulk layer on the tantalum nitride material.
8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the bulk layer comprises copper.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the nitrogen precursor comprises a radical nitrogen compound.
10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the radical nitrogen compound is produced by a plasma during the atomic layer deposition process.
11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the nitrogen precursor is selected from the group consisting of nitrogen, ammonia, hydrazine, and azide.
12. The method of claim 10 , wherein the radical nitrogen compound is selected from the group consisting of N 3 , N 2 , N, NH, and NH 2 .
13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the atomic layer deposition process further comprises a carrier gas of hydrogen.
14. The method of claim 10 , wherein the tantalum precursor is a metal-organic precursor.
15. A method for forming a tantalum-containing material on a substrate, comprising:
heating a substrate to a deposition temperature within a process chamber;
heating an ampoule containing a tantalum precursor to a predetermined temperature within a range from about 50° C. to about 170° C. to form a tantalum precursor gas;
flowing the tantalum precursor gas through a conduit and into the process chamber while maintaining the conduit at a temperature within a range from about 50° C. to about 170° C.;
exposing the substrate to at least sequential pulses of the tantalum precursor gas and a nitrogen precursor during an atomic layer deposition process to deposit a tantalum nitride material thereon;
depositing a nucleation layer on the tantalum nitride material; and
depositing a bulk layer on the nucleation layer.
16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the predetermined temperature of the ampoule is within a range from about 65° C. to about 150° C.
17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the temperature of the conduit is within a range from about 65° C. to about 150° C.
18. The method of claim 15 , wherein the nucleation layer comprises copper.
19. The method of claim 15 , wherein the bulk layer comprises copper.
20. The method of claim 15 , wherein the nitrogen precursor comprises radical nitrogen compound.
21. The method of claim 20 , wherein the radical nitrogen compound is produced by a plasma during the atomic layer deposition process.
22. The method of claim 15 , wherein the nitrogen precursor is selected from the group consisting of nitrogen, ammonia, hydrazine, and azide.
23. The method of claim 21 , wherein the radical nitrogen compound is selected from the group consisting of N 3 , N 2 , N, NH, and NH 2 .
24. The method of claim 15 , wherein the atomic layer deposition process further comprises a carrier gas of hydrogen.
25. The method of claim 21 , wherein the tantalum precursor is a metal-organic precursor.
26. A method for forming a tantalum-containing material on a substrate, comprising:
heating a substrate to a deposition temperature within a process chamber;
heating an ampoule containing a tantalum precursor to a predetermined temperature within a range from about 50° C. to about 170° C. to form a tantalum precursor gas;
flowing the tantalum precursor gas through a conduit and into the process chamber while maintaining the conduit at a temperature within a range from about 50° C. to about 170° C.; and
exposing the substrate to at least sequential pulses of the tantalum precursor gas and a nitrogen precursor during a plasma-enhanced atomic layer deposition process to deposit a tantalum nitride material thereon.
27. The method of claim 26 , wherein the predetermined temperature of the ampoule is within a range from about 65° C. to about 150° C.
28. The method of claim 27 , wherein the temperature of the conduit is within a range from about 65° C. to about 150° C.
29. The method of claim 26 , further comprising depositing a nucleation layer on the tantalum nitride material.
30. The method of claim 29 , further comprising depositing a bulk layer on the nucleation layer.
31. The method of claim 30 , wherein the bulk layer comprises copper.
32. The method of claim 26 , wherein the nitrogen precursor comprises a radical nitrogen compound.
33. The method of claim 26 , wherein the nitrogen precursor is selected from the group consisting of nitrogen, ammonia, hydrazine, and azide.
34. The method of claim 32 , wherein the radical nitrogen compound is selected from the group consisting of N 3 , N 2 , N, NH, and NH 2 .
35. The method of claim 26 , wherein the atomic layer deposition process further comprises a carrier gas of hydrogen.
36. The method of claim 35 , wherein the tantalum precursor is a metal-organic precursor.
37. A method for forming a tantalum-containing material on a substrate, comprising:
heating a substrate to a deposition temperature within a process chamber;
heating an ampoule containing a metal-organic tantalum precursor to a predetermined temperature within a range from about 50° C. to about 170° C. to form a tantalum precursor gas;
flowing the tantalum precursor gas through a conduit and into the process chamber while maintaining the conduit at a temperature within a range from about 50° C. to about 170° C.; and
exposing the substrate to at least sequential pulses of the tantalum precursor gas and a radical nitrogen compound during a plasma-enhanced atomic layer deposition process to deposit a tantalum nitride material thereon.
38. A method for forming a tantalum-containing material on a substrate comprising:
heating a substrate to a deposition temperature within a process chamber;
heating an ampoule containing a metal-organic tantalum precursor to a predetermined temperature within a range from about 50° C. to about 170° C. to form a tantalum precursor gas;
flowing the tantalum precursor gas through a conduit and into the process chamber while maintaining the conduit at a temperature within a range from about 50° C. to about 170° C.;
exposing the substrate to at least sequential pulses of the tantalum precursor gas and a radical nitrogen compound during a plasma-enhanced atomic layer deposition process to deposit a tantalum nitride material thereon;
depositing a nucleation layer on the tantalum nitride material; and
depositing a bulk layer on the nucleation layer.