Plasma enhanced atomic layer deposition
According to one example, a process includes performing a first plurality of layer deposition cycles of a deposition process on a substrate, and after performing the first plurality of layer deposition cycles, performing a plasma enhanced layer deposition cycle comprising a plasma treatment process. The first plurality of layer deposition cycles are performed without a plasma treatment process.
1. A method comprising:
performing a first plurality of layer deposition cycles of a deposition process on a substrate, each of the first plurality of layer deposition cycles having a purge process of a first duration of time; and
after performing the first plurality of layer deposition cycles, performing a plasma enhanced layer deposition cycle comprising a plasma treatment process, the plasma enhanced layer deposition cycle comprising a purge process of a second duration of time that is longer than the first duration of time;
wherein the first plurality of layer deposition cycles are performed without a plasma treatment process.
2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising, after performing the plasma enhanced layer deposition cycle, performing a second plurality of layer deposition cycles, the second plurality of layer deposition cycles being without a plasma treatment process.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first plurality of layer deposition cycles comprises a number within a range of 20-80 of cycles.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first plurality of layer deposition cycles forms a film having a thickness within a range of 1-4 nanometers.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein a ratio of total number of layer deposition cycles of the deposition process to a total number of plasma enhanced layer deposition cycles of the deposition process is within a range of 20:1 to 5:1.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second duration of time is within a range of about 2-5 seconds.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the plasma enhanced layer deposition cycle comprises:
depositing material on the substrate;
performing a first chamber purge process;
performing the plasma treatment process; and
performing a second chamber purge process.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first duration of time is less than 1 second.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first duration of time is about 0.3 seconds.
10. A method for performing a deposition process, the method comprising:
performing a first plurality of plasma enhanced atomic layer deposition (PEALD) cycles on a substrate, the first plurality of cycles comprising:
performing a purge process for a first time duration; and
after performing the first plurality of layer deposition cycles, performing a charge relief layer deposition cycle comprising:
performing a plasma treatment process; and
performing a post-plasma-treatment purge process for a second time duration that is greater than the first time duration.
11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the first time duration is about 0.3 seconds and the second time duration is within a range of about 2-5 seconds.
12. The method of claim 10 , wherein a total number of the charge relief layer deposition cycles in the deposition process is one of: 50, 100, and 200.
13. The method of claim 10 , wherein each of the first plurality of layer deposition cycles further comprises:
depositing material on the substrate; and
after depositing the material, performing the purge process.
14. The method of claim 10 , wherein the first plurality of layer deposition cycles comprises a number within a range of 20-80 of cycles.
15. The method of claim 10 , wherein the first plurality of layer deposition cycles forms a thin film having a thickness within a range of 1-4 nanometers.
16. A system comprising:
a Plasma Enhanced Atomic Layer Deposition (PEALD) fabrication tool; and
a control system in communication with the PEALD fabrication tool, the control system comprising:
a processor; and
a memory with machine readable instructions that when executed by the processor, cause the PEALD fabrication tool to:
perform a first plurality of layer deposition cycles on a substrate, the first plurality of layer deposition cycles having a purge process of a first time duration; and
after the first plurality of layer deposition cycles are performed, perform a plasma enhanced layer deposition cycle comprising a plasma treatment process, the plasma enhanced layer deposition cycle having a purge process of a second time duration that is longer than the first time duration;
wherein the first plurality of layer deposition cycles are performed without the plasma treatment process.
17. The system of claim 16 , wherein the first time duration is less than 1 second.
18. The system of claim 16 , wherein the second time duration is about 0.3 seconds.