Atomic layer deposition of barrier materials
Methods for processing substrate to deposit barrier layers of one or more material layers by atomic layer deposition are provided. In one aspect, a method is provided for processing a substrate including depositing a metal nitride barrier layer on at least a portion of a substrate surface by alternately introducing one or more pulses of a metal containing compound and one or more pulses of a nitrogen containing compound and depositing a metal barrier layer on at least a portion of the metal nitride barrier layer by alternately introducing one or more pulses of a metal containing compound and one or more pulses of a reductant. A soak process may be performed on the substrate surface before deposition of the metal nitride barrier layer and/or metal barrier layer.
1. A method for forming metal interconnect structures on a substrate surface, comprising:
exposing a substrate to tungsten hexafluoride and a reducing gas to form an initiation layer on the substrate during a soak process;
depositing a barrier layer comprising tungsten nitride on the substrate during a first atomic layer deposition process;
exposing the barrier layer to a first processing gas comprising silane or diborane prior to depositing a tungsten-containing layer;
depositing the tungsten-containing layer on the barrier layer during a second atomic layer deposition process;
exposing the tungsten-containing layer to a second processing gas comprising silane or diborane prior to depositing a bulk metal layer comprising tungsten; and
depositing the bulk metal layer comprising tungsten on the substrate during a chemical vapor deposition process.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first processing gas or the second processing gas further comprises hydrogen gas.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the substrate is exposed to the first processing gas or the second processing gas for a time period within a range from about 5 seconds to about 330 seconds.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the reducing gas comprises a reductant selected from the group consisting of silane, diborane, hydrogen, plasmas thereof, derivatives thereof, and combinations thereof.
5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the reducing gas comprises hydrogen and silane.
6. The method of claim 4 , wherein the reducing gas comprises hydrogen and diborane.
7. The method of claim 4 , wherein the soak process comprises exposing the substrate to the tungsten hexafluoride and subsequently exposing the substrate to the reducing gas.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the tungsten-containing layer comprises a material selected from the group consisting of metallic tungsten, tungsten boride, tungsten silicide, alloys thereof, and combinations thereof.
9. A method for forming metal interconnect structures on a substrate surface, comprising:
exposing a substrate to tungsten hexafluoride and a reducing gas to form an initiation layer on the substrate during a soak process;
depositing a barrier layer comprising tungsten nitride on the substrate during a first atomic layer deposition process;
depositing a tungsten-containing layer on the barrier layer during a second atomic layer deposition process; and
depositing a bulk metal layer comprising tungsten on the substrate during a chemical vapor deposition process.
10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the reducing gas comprises a reductant selected from the group consisting of silane, diborane, hydrogen, plasmas thereof, derivatives thereof, and combinations thereof.
11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the reducing gas comprises hydrogen and silane.
12. The method of claim 10 , wherein the reducing gas comprises hydrogen and diborane.
13. The method of claim 10 , wherein the soak process comprises exposing the substrate to the tungsten hexafluoride and subsequently exposing the substrate to the reducing gas.
14. The method of claim 9 , wherein the tungsten-containing layer comprises a material selected from the group consisting of metallic tungsten, tungsten boride, tungsten silicide, alloys thereof, and combinations thereof.
15. The method of claim 9 , wherein another metal layer is deposited on the substrate subsequent to the tungsten-containing layer and prior to the bulk metal layer comprising tungsten.
16. The method of claim 9 , wherein the barrier layer is exposed to a processing gas comprising silane or diborane prior to depositing the tungsten-containing layer.
17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the processing gas further comprises hydrogen gas.
18. The method of claim 16 , wherein the barrier layer is exposed to the processing gas for a time period within a range from about 5 seconds to about 330 seconds.
19. The method of claim 9 , wherein the tungsten-containing layer is exposed to a processing gas comprising silane or diborane prior to depositing the bulk metal layer.
20. The method of claim 19 , wherein the processing gas further comprises hydrogen gas.
21. The method of claim 19 , wherein the tungsten-containing layer is exposed to the processing gas for a time period within a range from about 5 seconds to about 330 seconds.
22. A method for forming metal interconnect structures on a substrate surface, comprising:
exposing a substrate to tungsten hexafluoride and a reducing gas to form an initiation layer on the substrate during a soak process;
depositing a barrier layer comprising tungsten nitride on the substrate during a first atomic layer deposition process;
depositing a ruthenium-containing layer on the barrier layer during a second atomic layer deposition process; and
depositing a bulk metal layer on the substrate.
23. The method of claim 22 , wherein the reducing gas comprises a reductant selected from the group consisting of silane, diborane, hydrogen, plasmas thereof, derivatives thereof, and combinations thereof.
24. The method of claim 23 , wherein the reducing gas comprises hydrogen and silane.
25. The method of claim 23 , wherein the reducing gas comprises hydrogen and diborane.
26. The method of claim 23 , wherein the soak process comprises exposing the substrate to the tungsten hexafluoride and subsequently exposing the substrate to the reducing gas.
27. The method of claim 22 , wherein the ruthenium-containing layer comprises a material selected from the group consisting of metallic ruthenium ruthenium boride, ruthenium silicide, alloys thereof, and combinations thereof.
28. The method of claim 27 , wherein another metal layer is deposited on the substrate subsequent to the ruthenium-containing layer and prior to the bulk metal layer.
29. The method of claim 28 , wherein the other metal layer comprises copper or a copper alloy.
30. The method of claim 29 , wherein the other metal layer is deposited by a physical vapor deposition process, an electroplating process, or an electroless plating process.
31. The method of claim 22 , wherein the barrier layer is exposed to a processing gas comprising silane or diborane prior to depositing the ruthenium-containing layer.
32. The method of claim 31 , wherein the processing gas further comprises hydrogen gas.
33. The method of claim 31 , wherein the barrier layer is exposed to the processing gas for a time period within a range from about 5 seconds to about 330 seconds.
34. The method of claim 22 , wherein the ruthenium-containing layer is exposed to a processing gas comprising silane or diborane prior to depositing the bulk metal layer.
35. The method of claim 34 , wherein the processing gas further comprises hydrogen gas.
36. The method of claim 34 , wherein the ruthenium-containing layer is exposed to the processing gas for a time period within a range from about 5 seconds to about 330 seconds.
37. The method of claim 30 , wherein the bulk metal layer comprises copper or a copper alloy.
38. The method of claim 37 , wherein the bulk metal layer is deposited by a physical vapor deposition process, an electroplating process, or an electroless plating process.
39. The method of claim 22 , wherein the bulk metal layer comprises copper or a copper alloy.
40. The method of claim 39 , wherein the bulk metal layer is deposited by a physical vapor deposition process, an electroplating process, or an electroless plating process.
41. The method of claim 22 , wherein the bulk metal layer comprises tungsten or a tungsten alloy.
42. The method of claim 41 , wherein the bulk metal layer is deposited by a physical vapor deposition process or a chemical vapor deposition process.