# US 12,014,925 B2 · Metal-doped carbon hardmasks

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- Number: US 12,014,925 B2
- Document ID: US12014925B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/330,035
- Filed: 2021-05-25
- Published: 2022-12-01
- Granted: 2024-06-18
- Earliest claimed: 2021-05-25
- Assignees: Applied Materials, Inc.
- Applicants: Applied Materials, Inc.
- Inventors: Eswaranand Venkatasubramanian; Bhaskar Jyoti Bhuyan; Mark J. Saly; Abhijit Basu Mallick
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12014925B2

## CPC

- H10P 76/405: {characterised by their composition, e.g. multilayer masks}
- C23C 16/30: Deposition of compounds, mixtures or solid solutions, e.g. borides, carbides, nitrides
- C23C 16/32: Carbides
- C23C 16/45523: {Pulsed gas flow or change of composition over time}
- C23C 16/45557: {Pulsed pressure or control pressure}
- C23C 16/50: using electric discharges {(generation and control of plasma in discharge tubes for surface treatment H01J37/32, H01J37/34)}
- C23C 16/505: using radio frequency discharges
- H01J 37/32449: {Gas control, e.g. control of the gas flow}
- H01J 37/32816: {Pressure}
- H10P 14/6336: {in the presence of a plasma [PECVD]}
- H10P 14/6902: {composed of carbon, e.g. alpha-C, diamond or hydrogen doped carbon}
- H10P 14/6939: {characterised by the metal}
- H01J 2237/332: Coating
- H10P 14/668: {the materials being characterised by the deposition precursor materials}
- H10P 50/285: {of materials not containing Si, e.g. PZT or Al2O3}
- H10P 50/73: {using masks for insulating materials}
- H10P: GENERIC PROCESSES OR APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT 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)
- H01J: ELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS (spark-gaps H01T; electric arc lamps H05B31/00; particle accelerators H05H)

## Abstract

Exemplary deposition methods may include delivering a ruthenium-containing precursor and a hydrogen-containing precursor to a processing region of a semiconductor processing chamber. At least one of the ruthenium-containing precursor or the hydrogen-containing precursor may include carbon. The methods may include forming a plasma of all precursors within the processing region of a semiconductor processing chamber. The methods may include depositing a ruthenium-and-carbon material on a substrate disposed within the processing region of the semiconductor processing chamber.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A deposition method comprising:
delivering a ruthenium-containing precursor and a hydrogen-containing precursor to a processing region of a semiconductor processing chamber, wherein at least one of the ruthenium-containing precursor or the hydrogen-containing precursor comprises carbon;
forming a plasma of all precursors within the processing region of a semiconductor processing chamber; and
depositing a ruthenium-and-carbon material on a substrate disposed within the processing region of the semiconductor processing chamber, wherein the ruthenium-and-carbon material is characterized by an as-deposited surface roughness of less than or about 1.0 nm.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The deposition method of claim 1, wherein the ruthenium-and-carbon material is characterized by an as-deposited surface roughness of less than or about 0.5 nm.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The deposition method of claim 1, wherein the ruthenium-and-carbon material is characterized by a concentration of ruthenium greater than or about 5 at. %.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The deposition method of claim 1, wherein the ruthenium-and-carbon material is characterized by a grain size of less than or about 50 Å.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The deposition method of claim 1, wherein a temperature of the substrate is maintained above or about 300° C. during the depositing the ruthenium-and-carbon material on the substrate.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The deposition method of claim 1, wherein a pressure is maintained below or about 15 Torr during the depositing the ruthenium-and-carbon material on the substrate.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The deposition method of claim 1, wherein a low-frequency plasma power is maintained at greater than or about 100 W while depositing the ruthenium-and-carbon material on the substrate.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The deposition method of claim 1, further comprising
ramping one or more of a chamber pressure or a plasma power while depositing the ruthenium-and-carbon material on the substrate.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The deposition method of claim 1, further comprising:
providing an argon precursor with the ruthenium-containing precursor and the hydrogen-containing precursor.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The deposition method of claim 1, further comprising
providing a boron-containing precursor or a nitrogen-containing precursor with the ruthenium-containing precursor and the hydrogen-containing precursor.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The deposition method of claim 1, further comprising
removing the ruthenium-and-carbon material utilizing ozone.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The deposition method of claim 11, wherein removing the ruthenium-and-carbon material is performed at a substrate temperature below or about 300° C.

### Claim 13

A deposition method comprising:
delivering a transition-metal-containing precursor and a hydrogen-containing precursor to a processing region of a semiconductor processing chamber, wherein at least one of the transition-metal-containing precursor or the hydrogen-containing precursor comprises carbon;
forming a plasma of all precursors within the processing region of a semiconductor processing chamber; and
depositing a transition-metal-and-carbon material on a substrate disposed within the processing region of the semiconductor processing chamber, wherein a temperature of the substrate is maintained above or about 450° C. during the depositing the transition-metal-and-carbon material on the substrate, and wherein the transition-metal-and-carbon material is characterized by an as-deposited surface roughness of less than or about 1.5 nm.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The deposition method of claim 13, wherein the transition metal comprises ruthenium or osmium, and wherein the transition-metal-and-carbon material is characterized by a ruthenium or osmium concentration of greater than 55 at. %.

### Claim 15 (depends on 13)

The deposition method of claim 13, further comprising:
ashing the transition-metal-and-carbon material from the substrate, wherein the ashing is performed with ozone or plasma-enhanced oxygen.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The deposition method of claim 15, wherein ashing the transition-metal-and-carbon material is performed at a substrate temperature below or about 300° C.

### Claim 17 (depends on 13)

The deposition method of claim 13, further comprising:
ramping one or more of a chamber pressure or a plasma power while depositing the transition-metal-and-carbon material on the substrate.

### Claim 18 (depends on 13)

The deposition method of claim 13, wherein a low-frequency plasma power is maintained at greater than or about 100 W while depositing the transition-metal-and-carbon material on the substrate.

### Claim 19 (depends on 13)

The deposition method of claim 13, wherein the transition-metal-containing precursor comprises an organometallic precursor, or a metal-halide precursor.

### Claim 20

A deposition method comprising:
delivering a transition-metal-containing precursor and a hydrogen-containing precursor to a processing region of a semiconductor processing chamber, wherein at least one of the transition-metal-containing precursor or the hydrogen-containing precursor comprises carbon;
forming a plasma of all precursors within the processing region of a semiconductor processing chamber;
depositing a transition-metal-and-carbon material on a substrate disposed within the processing region of the semiconductor processing chamber, wherein a temperature of the substrate is maintained above or about 450° C. during the depositing the transition-metal-and-carbon material on the substrate, wherein the transition-metal-and-carbon material is characterized by an as-deposited surface roughness of less than or about 1.5 nm, and wherein the transition-metal-and-carbon material is characterized by a transition metal concentration of greater than or about 55 at. %; and
ashing the transition-metal-and-carbon material from the substrate, wherein the ashing is performed with ozone or plasma-enhanced oxygen.