# US 11,441,221 B2 · Method of performing atomic layer deposition

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- Number: US 11,441,221 B2
- Document ID: US11441221B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/018,797
- Filed: 2020-09-11
- Published: 2021-08-26
- Granted: 2022-09-13
- Earliest claimed: 2020-02-26
- Assignees: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
- Applicants: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
- Inventors: Po-Hsien Cheng; Chung-Ting Ko; Tsung-Hsun Yu; Tze-Liang Lee; Chi On Chui
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11441221B2

## CPC

- C23C 16/4404: {Coatings or surface treatment on the inside of the reaction chamber or on parts thereof}
- C23C 16/45553: {characterized by the use of precursors specially adapted for ALD}
- C23C 16/403: {of aluminium, magnesium or beryllium}
- C23C 16/45525: {Atomic layer deposition [ALD]}
- C23C 16/56: After-treatment
- H10P 14/6339: {deposition by cyclic CVD, e.g. ALD, ALE or pulsed CVD}
- H10P 14/69391: {the material containing aluminium, e.g. Al2O3}
- H10P 50/71: {using masks for conductive or resistive materials}
- H10P 76/405: {characterised by their composition, e.g. multilayer masks}
- H10P 76/4085: {characterised by the processes involved to create the masks}
- H10D 84/0177: {the gate conductors having different materials or different implants}
- H10D 84/038: {using silicon technology, e.g. SiGe}
- 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)
- H10P: GENERIC PROCESSES OR APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10
- H10D: INORGANIC ELECTRIC SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES

## Abstract

In an embodiment, a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device includes preparing a deposition processing chamber by flowing first precursors to form a dielectric coat along an inner sidewall of the deposition processing chamber and flowing a second precursor to form a hydrophobic layer over the dielectric coat. In addition one or more deposition cycles are performed. Next, the second precursor is flowed again to repair the hydrophobic layer.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, the method comprising:
preparing a deposition processing chamber, the preparing comprising:
flowing first precursors to form a dielectric coat along an inner sidewall of the deposition processing chamber; and
flowing a second precursor to form a hydrophobic layer over the dielectric coat;
performing one or more deposition cycles; and
after performing the one or more deposition cycles, flowing the second precursor to repair the hydrophobic layer.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the first precursors comprise a silicon precursor and a first oxygen precursor.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The method of claim 2, wherein each of the one or more deposition cycles comprises:
flowing a second oxygen precursor; and
flowing a metal precursor.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the second precursor comprises a fluorinated hydrocarbon functional group.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The method of claim 4, wherein the dielectric coat comprises silicon oxide.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more deposition cycles form aluminum oxide.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The method of claim 6, wherein the aluminum oxide comprises a hardmask for patterning.

### Claim 8

A method of forming a semiconductor device, the method comprising:
depositing a metal oxide layer over a wafer, the depositing the metal oxide layer comprising:
depositing a silicon oxide coat over an inner sidewall of a processing chamber;
flowing a hydrophobic precursor into the processing chamber to form a hydrophobic layer over the silicon oxide coat;
after flowing the hydrophobic precursor, placing the wafer into the processing chamber;
flowing an oxygen precursor over the wafer;
flowing a metal precursor over the wafer; and
patterning the metal oxide layer.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, wherein the metal oxide layer comprises aluminum oxide.

### Claim 10 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, wherein the hydrophobic layer is bonded to the silicon oxide coat.

### Claim 11 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, wherein the steps of flowing the oxygen precursor over the wafer and flowing the metal precursor over the wafer are performed a predetermined number of times in alternating fashion.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The method of claim 11 further comprising, after the predetermined number of times:
removing the wafer from the processing chamber; and
repeating the step of flowing the hydrophobic precursor.

### Claim 13 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, wherein the hydrophobic precursor is a fluorinated hydrocarbon.

### Claim 14 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, wherein the depositing a metal oxide layer over the wafer further comprises:
depositing the silicon oxide coat within openings in a showerhead of the processing chamber; and
forming the hydrophobic layer over the silicon oxide coat within the openings in the showerhead of the processing chamber.

### Claim 15 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8 further comprising, before the flowing the hydrophobic precursor, flowing water over the silicon oxide coat.

### Claim 16

A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, the method comprising:
performing first processing steps on a first wafer;
performing a first treatment process on an ALD tool comprising forming a hydrophobic coat over inner sidewalls of the ALD tool;
placing the first wafer into the ALD tool;
performing a first ALD process on the first wafer;
removing the first wafer from the ALD tool;
performing second processing steps on a second wafer;
after removing the first wafer from the ALD tool, placing the second wafer into the ALD tool;
performing a second ALD process on the second wafer;
removing the second wafer from the ALD tool; and
after removing the second wafer from the ALD tool, performing a second treatment process on the ALD tool comprising replenishing the hydrophobic coat over the inner sidewalls of the ALD tool.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The method of claim 16, wherein the performing the first treatment process comprises:
flowing silicon oxide precursors to form a silicon oxide coat over the inner sidewalls of the ALD tool; and
flowing a hydrophobic precursor to form a hydrophobic coat over the silicon oxide coat.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The method of claim 17, wherein the performing the second treatment process comprises flowing the hydrophobic precursor to replenish the hydrophobic coat.

### Claim 19 (depends on 16)

The method of claim 16, wherein the first ALD process comprises depositing a metal oxide layer as a hardmask for patterning.

### Claim 20 (depends on 16)

The method of claim 16, wherein the first ALD process comprises depositing a metal oxide layer as part of an etch stop layer.