# US 10,872,814 B2 · Film forming method and film forming apparatus

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- Number: US 10,872,814 B2
- Document ID: US10872814B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/574,757
- Filed: 2019-09-18
- Published: 2020-03-26
- Granted: 2020-12-22
- Earliest claimed: 2018-09-21
- Assignees: Tokyo Electron Limited
- Applicants: Tokyo Electron Limited
- Inventors: Kensaku Narushima; Takanobu Hotta; Atsushi Matsumoto
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10872814B2

## CPC

- H10P 72/7618: {characterised by a movable susceptor, stage or support, others than those only rotating on their own vertical axis, e.g. susceptors on a rotating carrousel}
- H10W 20/033: {in openings in dielectrics}
- C23C 16/0236: {by etching with a reactive gas}
- C23C 16/0272: {Deposition of sub-layers, e.g. to promote the adhesion of the main coating}
- C23C 16/045: {Coating cavities or hollow spaces, e.g. interior of tubes; Infiltration of porous substrates}
- C23C 16/14: Deposition of only one other metal element
- C23C 16/45527: {characterized by the ALD cycle, e.g. different flows or temperatures during half-reactions, unusual pulsing sequence, use of precursor mixtures or auxiliary reactants or activations}
- C23C 28/00: Coating for obtaining at least two superposed coatings either by methods not provided for in a single one of groups C23C2/00 - C23C26/00 or by combinations of methods provided for in subclasses C23C and C25C or C25D
- C23C 28/02: only coatings {only including layers} of metallic material
- C23C 28/42: {characterized by the composition of the alternating layers}
- H10P 14/418: {the conductive layers comprising transition metals}
- H10P 14/432: {using selective deposition}
- H10P 50/266: {by vapour etching only}
- H10P 72/0421: {for drying etching}
- H10P 72/7612: {characterised by lifting arrangements, e.g. lift pins}
- H10W 20/054: {by selectively removing parts thereof (H10W20/034 takes precedence)}
- H10W 20/056: {by filling conductive material into holes, grooves or trenches}
- H10W 20/057: {by selectively depositing, e.g. by using selective CVD or plating}
- H10P: GENERIC PROCESSES OR APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10
- H10W: GENERIC PACKAGES, INTERCONNECTIONS, CONNECTORS OR OTHER CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10
- C23C: COATING METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING MATERIAL WITH METALLIC MATERIAL; SURFACE TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL BY DIFFUSION INTO THE SURFACE, BY CHEMICAL CONVERSION OR SUBSTITUTION; COATING BY VACUUM EVAPORATION, BY SPUTTERING, BY ION IMPLANTATION OR BY CHEMICAL VAPOUR DEPOSITION, IN GENERAL (making metal-coated products by extrusion B21C23/22; covering with metal by connecting pre-existing layers to articles, see the relevant places, e.g. B21D39/00, B23K; metallising of glass C03C; metallising mortars, concrete, artificial stone, ceramics or natural stone C04B41/00; enamelling of, or applying a vitreous layer to, metals C23D; treating metal surfaces or coating of metals by electrolysis or electrophoresis C25D; single-crystal film growth C30B; by metallising textiles D06M11/83; decorating textiles by locally metallising D06Q1/04)

## Abstract

There is provided a film forming method including: an etching step of etching a portion of a base film to reduce a film thickness of the base film by intermittently supplying a tungsten chloride gas into a processing container while performing a purging step in the course of the intermittent supply of the tungsten chloride gas, wherein the processing container accommodates a substrate, and the base film is formed on a surface of the substrate; and a film forming step of forming a tungsten film on the base film by alternately supplying the tungsten chloride gas and a reducing gas for reducing the tungsten chloride gas into the processing container while performing the purging step in the course of the alternate supply of the tungsten chloride gas and the reducing gas, wherein the film forming step occurs after the etching step.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A film forming method comprising:
an etching step of etching a portion of a base film to reduce a film thickness of the base film by intermittently supplying a tungsten chloride gas into a processing container while performing a purging step in the course of the intermittent supply of the tungsten chloride gas, wherein the processing container accommodates a substrate, and the base film is formed on a surface of the substrate; and
a film forming step of forming a tungsten film on the base film by alternately supplying the tungsten chloride gas and a reducing gas for reducing the tungsten chloride gas into the processing container while performing the purging step in the course of the alternate supply of the tungsten chloride gas and the reducing gas, wherein the film forming step occurs after the etching step.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The film forming method of claim 1, wherein the etching step and the film forming step are performed in a same processing container in a continuous manner.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The film forming method of claim 1, wherein the film forming step comprises repeating a first cycle, the first cycle including a first step of supplying the tungsten chloride gas into the processing container, a second step of supplying a purge gas into the processing container, a third step of supplying the reducing gas into the processing container, and a fourth step of supplying the purge gas into the processing container, the first step, the second step, the third step and the fourth step being performed in a sequential manner in the first cycle, and
the etching step comprises repeating a second cycle, the second cycle including the first step, the second step, the third step, and the fourth step, which are performed in a sequential manner, wherein in the third step of the etching step, the reducing gas is not supplied into the processing container.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The film forming method of claim 1, further comprising:
an initial flow rate stabilization step of supplying the tungsten chloride gas to an Evac line connected to an exhaust pipe provided to bypass the processing container, and exhausting the tungsten chloride gas, wherein the initial flow rate stabilization step occurs before the etching step.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The film forming method of claim 4, wherein the initial flow rate stabilization step includes intermittently supplying the tungsten chloride gas in the same frequency or substantially the same frequency as that of the etching step.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The film forming method of claim 1, wherein a recess is formed in the surface of the substrate,
the base film is formed at least in the recess, and
the film forming step comprises forming the tungsten film in the recess to fill the recess.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The film forming method of claim 1, wherein the base film is a TiN film,
the tungsten chloride gas is a gas generated by sublimating WCl6, and
the reducing gas is an H2 gas.

### Claim 8

A film forming apparatus comprising:
a processing container in which a substrate having a base film formed thereon is accommodated;
a processing gas supply mechanism configured to supply a tungsten chloride gas and a reducing gas for reducing the tungsten chloride gas into the processing container; and
a controller,
wherein the controller is configured to execute:
an etching step of etching a portion of the base film to reduce a film thickness of the base film by intermittently supplying the tungsten chloride gas into the processing container while performing a purging step in the course of the intermittent supply of the tungsten chloride gas; and
a film forming step of forming a tungsten film on the base film by alternately supplying the tungsten chloride gas and the reducing gas for reducing the tungsten chloride gas into the processing container while performing the purging step in the course of the alternate supply of the tungsten chloride gas and the reducing gas.