Direct plasma densification process and semiconductor devices
AssigneeIntel Corporation
InventorsJason A. Farmer, Jeffrey S. Leib, Daniel B. Bergstrom
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An aspect of the present disclosure relates to a method of forming a barrier layer on a semiconductor device. The method includes placing a substrate into a reaction chamber and depositing a barrier layer over the substrate. The barrier layer includes a metal and a non-metal and the barrier layer exhibits an as-deposited thickness of 4 nm or less. The method further includes densifying the barrier layer by forming plasma from a gas proximate to said barrier layer and reducing the thickness and increasing the density of the barrier layer. In embodiments, during densification 300 Watts or less of power is applied to the plasma at a frequency of 350 kHz to 40 MHz.
Claims21
A semiconductor device, comprising:
- a substrate comprising at least one feature having a critical dimension in the range of about 5 nanometers (nm) to less than about 30 nm;
- an underlayer on the substrate, the underlayer comprising an upper surface, lower surface, and first and second side surfaces;
- a barrier layer comprising a nitride on the underlayer;
- and
- a fin on the substrate;
- wherein:
- nitrogen is present in said underlayer to a depth of less than 5 nm from said upper surface, lower surface, or first or second side surfaces;
- said barrier layer has a first thickness of greater than 0 to less than or equal to 2 nanometers (nm);
- at least a portion of said underlayer is disposed on said fin;
- and
- at least a portion of the barrier layer is disposed on at least the portion of the underlayer that is disposed on said fin.
A semiconductor device, comprising:
- a substrate comprising at least one feature having a critical dimension in the range of about 5 nanometers (nm) to less than about 30 nm;
- an underlayer comprising titanium on the substrate, the underlayer comprising an upper surface, lower surface, and first and second side surfaces;
- a barrier layer comprising titanium nitride on the underlayer;
- wherein:
- nitrogen is present in said underlayer to a depth of less than 5 nm from said upper surface, lower surface, or first or second side surfaces;
- and
- said barrier layer has a first thickness of greater than 0 to less than or equal to 2 nanometers (nm);
- said underlayer has a second thickness between the upper and lower surfaces or between the first and second side surfaces;
- and
- said second thickness is greater than 5 nm.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.