IP Library Granted Patent US 10,269,633
Granted Patent B2
US 10,269,633 · App. 15/811,647 · Granted Apr 23, 2019

Method of enabling seamless cobalt gap-fill

Inventors: Bhushan N. Zope (Santa Clara, CA); Avgerinos V. Gelatos (Redwood City, CA); Bo Zheng (Saratoga, CA); Yu Lei (Belmont, CA); Xinyu Fu (Pleasanton, CA); Srinivas Gandikota (Santa Clara, CA); Sang-Ho Yu (Cupertino, CA); Mathew Abraham (Mountain View, CA)
Assignee: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
H01L21/76879H01L21/02057H01L21/2855H01L21/28556H01L21/4846H01L21/76814H01L21/76843H01L21/76846H01L21/76856H01L21/76877H01L21/76883H01L23/5329H01L23/53209H01L29/66621
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,269,633
App. No.
15/811,647
Granted
Apr 23, 2019
Kind
B2
Abstract

Methods for depositing a contact metal layer in contact structures of a semiconductor device are provided. In one embodiment, a method for depositing a contact metal layer for forming a contact structure in a semiconductor device is provided. The method comprises performing a cyclic metal deposition process to deposit a contact metal layer on a substrate and annealing the contact metal layer disposed on the substrate. The cyclic metal deposition process comprises exposing the substrate to a deposition precursor gas mixture to deposit a portion of the contact metal layer on the substrate, exposing the portion of the contact metal layer to a plasma treatment process, and repeating the exposing the substrate to a deposition precursor gas mixture and exposing the portion of the contact metal layer to a plasma treatment process until a predetermined thickness of the contact metal layer is achieved.

Claims (38)

1. A method for depositing a contact structure in a semiconductor device, comprising:

performing a cyclic metal deposition process to deposit at least part of a gate electrode in openings formed on a silicon containing substrate, the at least part of the gate electrode comprising a cobalt contact metal adjacent a metal containing layer, the cyclic metal deposition process comprising:

exposing the substrate to a deposition precursor gas mixture to deposit a portion of the cobalt contact metal on the substrate;

exposing the portion of the cobalt contact metal to a plasma or thermal treatment process; and

repeating the exposing the substrate to a deposition precursor gas mixture and the exposing the portion of the cobalt contact metal to a plasma or thermal treatment process until a predetermined thickness of the cobalt contact metal is achieved; and

annealing the portion of the cobalt contact metal disposed on the substrate.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the deposition precursor gas mixture includes a cobalt containing precursor and a reducing gas.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the cobalt containing precursor is dicobalt hexacarbonyl butylacetylene (CCTBA) and the reducing gas is hydrogen (H2).

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

supplying a pretreatment gas comprising NH3to pretreat the substrate prior to the performing a cyclic metal deposition process.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the exposing the substrate to a deposition precursor gas mixture to deposit a portion of the cobalt contact metal on the substrate and the exposing the portion of the cobalt contact metal to a plasma or thermal treatment process are performed simultaneously.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the exposing the portion of the cobalt contact metal to a plasma or thermal treatment process comprises supplying a gas selected from hydrogen (H 2 ), nitrogen (N 2 ), ammonia (NH 3 ), and combinations thereof to reduce roughness of the portion of the cobalt contact metal.

7. A method for depositing a contact metal layer for forming a contact structure in a semiconductor device, comprising:

performing a barrier layer deposition process to deposit a barrier layer on a substrate;

performing a wetting layer deposition process to deposit a wetting layer on the barrier layer;

performing an annealing process on the deposited wetting layer;

performing a PVD metal deposition process to deposit a contact metal layer on the deposited wetting layer by exposing the wetting layer to a process gas to deposit a portion of the contact metal layer on the substrate, wherein the performing the PVD metal deposition process comprises depositing a PVD Co layer, wherein the PVD Co layer is sputtered onto the substrate at a temperature of between about 200° C. and about 500° C., an RF power of between about 5000W and 6000W, and a process chamber pressure of between about 50 mTorr and about 200 mTorr; and

annealing the deposited PVD Co layer and the deposited wetting layer formed on the substrate.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the barrier layer is deposited to a thickness of between about 5 Å and about 75 Å.

9. The method of claim 7 , wherein the barrier layer is an ALD TiN barrier layer.

10. The method of claim 7 , wherein the performing a wetting layer deposition process comprises depositing a non-oxidized Ti or TiN layer, a CVD Co layer, or a PVD Co layer.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the CVD Co layer is deposited by a thermal deposition process.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the substrate is heated to a temperature of between about 100° C. and about 200° C. during the thermal deposition process.

13. The method of claim 7 , wherein the performing a wetting layer deposition process comprises depositing a CVD TiN layer, a CVD Ru layer, an ALD TaN layer, and combinations thereof.

14. The method of claim 7 , wherein the wetting layer annealing process is performed at a temperature of between about 200° C. and about 500° C. and for a duration of between about 30 seconds and about 90 seconds.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the wetting layer annealing process is performed in an argon or hydrogen containing chamber environment.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the chamber environment is purged after performing the wetting layer annealing process.

17. A method for depositing a contact metal layer for forming a contact structure in a semiconductor device, comprising:

performing a barrier layer deposition process to deposit a barrier layer on a substrate, the performing a barrier layer deposition process comprising depositing a barrier layer;

performing a wetting layer deposition process to deposit a wetting layer on the barrier layer;

performing an annealing process on the wetting layer;

performing a cyclic metal deposition process to deposit at least part of a gate electrode in openings formed on a silicon containing substrate, the at least part of the gate electrode comprising a cobalt contact metal adjacent a metal containing layer, the cyclic metal deposition process comprising:

exposing the substrate to a deposition precursor gas mixture to deposit a portion of the cobalt contact metal on the substrate;

exposing the portion of the cobalt contact metal to a plasma or thermal treatment process; and

repeating the exposing the substrate to a deposition precursor gas mixture and the exposing the portion of the cobalt contact metal to a plasma or thermal treatment process until a predetermined thickness of the cobalt contact metal is achieved; and

annealing the portion of the cobalt contact metal disposed on the substrate.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the performing a barrier layer deposition process comprises depositing an ALD TiN wetting layer.

19. The method of claim 17 , wherein annealing the cobalt contact metal disposed on the substrate occurs at a temperature of about 400° C.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 18, 2019
From: ZOPE, BHUSHAN N.; GELATOS, AVGERINOS V.; ZHENG, BO; LEI, YU; FU, XINYU; GANDIKOTA, SRINIVAS; YU, SANG-HO; ABRAHAM, MATHEW
To: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
Reel/Frame 048054/0775 →
Continuity (4)
Continuation 15145578 · May 3, 2016
Division 13786644 · Mar 6, 2013
Provisional Application 61616842 · Mar 28, 2012
Related Publication 20180068890A1 · Mar 8, 2018