Methods of manufacturing metal-silicide features
View Patent ↗A method of manufacturing a microelectronic device including forming a dielectric layer surrounding a dummy feature located over a substrate, removing the dummy feature to form an opening in the dielectric layer, and forming a metal-silicide layer conforming to the opening. The metal-silicide layer may then be annealed.
1. A method comprising:
forming a dielectric layer over a substrate having a plurality of openings therein; and
depositing a plurality of metal-silicide layers, each of the metal-silicide layers substantially conforming to one of the plurality of openings, wherein the depositing the plurality of metal-silicide layers includes performing a co-sputtering deposition process, wherein depositing the metal-silicide layers includes varying a concentration of a metal constituent relative to a concentration of a silicide constituent by varying biases of a metal target and a silicon-containing target, such that the metal-silicide layers exhibit varying electrical characteristics.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein the co-sputtering deposition process employs the metal target and the silicon-containing target.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein the varying the concentration of the metal constituent relative to the concentration of the silicide constituent, such that the metal-silicide layers exhibit varying electrical characteristics includes varying the concentrations of the metal and silicide constituents to achieve metal-silicide layers that exhibit varying work functions.
4. The method of claim 1 wherein the forming the dielectric layer over the substrate having a plurality of openings therein includes:
forming a plurality of dummy features over the substrate;
depositing the dielectric layer over the substrate, such that the dielectric layer surrounds the dummy features; and
removing the dummy features, such that the plurality of openings are formed in the dielectric layer.
5. A method comprising:
forming a dielectric layer substantially surrounding a dummy feature located over a substrate;
removing the dummy feature to form an opening in the dielectric layer; and
depositing a metal-silicide layer substantially conforming to the opening, wherein the depositing the metal-silicide layer includes depositing the metal-silicide layer by a co-sputtering deposition process that varies a concentration gradient between a metal constituent and a silicide constituent by varying biases of the metal constituent and the silicide constituent such that a greater concentration of the silicon constituent forms adjacent a bottom of the opening relative to the metal constituent.
6. The method of claim 5 , wherein depositing the metal-silicide layer substantially conforming to the opening includes the metal-silicide layer completely filling the opening.
7. The method of claim 5 , wherein depositing the metal-silicide layer substantially conforming to the opening includes the metal-silicide layer having a substantially u-shaped profile within the opening.
8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the metal-silicide layer having the substantially u-shaped profile defines a recess within the opening, the method further comprising:
forming a conductive material in the recess.
9. A method comprising:
forming a dielectric layer having an opening therein over a substrate; and
forming a metal-silicide layer substantially conforming to the opening, wherein forming the metal-silicide layer is performed by a co-sputtering deposition process, wherein forming the metal-silicide layer includes varying biases of a metal target and a silicon-containing target to achieve a concentration gradient between a metal constituent and a silicide constituent, such that a greater concentration of one of the metal and silicide constituent forms near a bottom of the opening and a greater concentration of the other of the metal and silicide constituent forms distal from the bottom of the opening.
10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the co-sputtering deposition process employs the metal target and the silicon-containing target.
11. The method of claim 9 , wherein a greater concentration of the silicide constituent forms adjacent the bottom of the opening relative to the metal constituent.
12. The method of claim 9 , wherein a greater concentration of the metal constituent forms adjacent the bottom of the opening relative to the silicide constituent.
13. The method of claim 9 , wherein forming the dielectric layer includes forming the dielectric layer substantially surrounding a dummy feature located over the substrate and removing the dummy feature to form the opening in the dielectric layer.
14. The method of claim 9 , furthering comprising depositing a gate dielectric within the opening.
15. The method of claim 9 , furthering comprising annealing the metal-silicide layer.
16. The method of claim 9 , wherein the metal target is selected from the group consisting of cobalt, nickel, tungsten, bismuth, titanium, tantalum, aluminum, gold, silver, and combinations thereof.
17. The method of claim 9 ,wherein forming the metal-silicide layer substantially conforming to the opening includes the metal-silicide layer completely filling the opening.
18. The method of claim 9 , wherein forming the metal-silicide layer substantially conforming to the opening includes the metal-silicide layer having a substantially u-shaped profile within the opening.