# US 12,014,985 B2 · Semiconductor interconnect, electrode for semiconductor device, and method of preparing multielement compound thin film

> Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt

- Number: US 12,014,985 B2
- Document ID: US12014985B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 18/342,145
- Filed: 2023-06-27
- Published: 2023-10-26
- Granted: 2024-06-18
- Earliest claimed: 2020-07-27
- Assignees: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.; Ajou University Industry-Academic Cooperation Foundation
- Applicants: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.; Ajou University Industry-Academic Cooperation Foundation
- Inventors: Youngjae Kang; SangWoon Lee; Joungeun Yoo; Duseop Yoon
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12014985B2

## CPC

- H10P 14/412: {Deposition of metallic or metal-silicide materials}
- H10W 20/44: Conductive materials thereof
- C23C 14/024: {Deposition of sublayers, e.g. to promote adhesion of the coating (C23C14/027 takes precedence)}
- C23C 14/0635: {Carbides}
- C23C 14/3414: {Metallurgical or chemical aspects of target preparation, e.g. casting, powder metallurgy}
- C30B 23/02: Epitaxial-layer growth
- C30B 29/10: Inorganic compounds or compositions
- C30B 29/36: Carbides
- H10D 64/62: Electrodes ohmically coupled to a semiconductor
- H10P 14/44: Physical vapour deposition [PVD]
- H10W 20/435: {Cross-sectional shapes or dispositions of interconnections}
- H10W 20/4403: {based on metals, e.g. alloys, metal silicides (H10W20/4484 takes precedence)}
- H10W 20/4437: {the principal metal being a transition metal}
- H10W 20/4446: {Refractory-metal alloys}
- 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)
- C30B: SINGLE-CRYSTAL GROWTH (by using ultra-high pressure, e.g. for the formation of diamonds, B01J3/06); UNIDIRECTIONAL SOLIDIFICATION OF EUTECTIC MATERIAL OR UNIDIRECTIONAL DEMIXING OF EUTECTOID MATERIAL; REFINING BY ZONE-MELTING OF MATERIAL (zone-refining of metals or alloys C22B); PRODUCTION OF A HOMOGENEOUS POLYCRYSTALLINE MATERIAL WITH DEFINED STRUCTURE (casting of metals, casting of other substances by the same processes or devices B22D; working of plastics B29; modifying the physical structure of metals or alloys C21D, C22F); SINGLE CRYSTALS OR HOMOGENEOUS POLYCRYSTALLINE MATERIAL WITH DEFINED STRUCTURE; AFTER-TREATMENT OF SINGLE CRYSTALS OR A HOMOGENEOUS POLYCRYSTALLINE MATERIAL WITH DEFINED STRUCTURE (for producing semiconductor devices or parts thereof H10); APPARATUS THEREFOR
- H10D: INORGANIC ELECTRIC SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES

## Abstract

A semiconductor interconnect and an electrode for semiconductor devices may include a thin film including a multielement compound represented by Formula 1 and having a thickness equal to or less than about 50 nm, a grain size (A) to thickness (B) ratio (A/B) equal to or greater than about 1.2, and a resistivity equal to or less than about 200 μΩ·cm: Mn+1AXn Formula 1 In Formula 1, M, A, X, and n are as described in the specification.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A semiconductor interconnect, comprising:
a thin film that includes a multielement compound represented by Formula 1, wherein the thin film has a thickness equal to or less than about 50 nm, a grain size equal to or greater than the thickness, and a resistivity equal to or less than about 200 μΩ·cm,
Mn+1AXn Formula 1
wherein in Formula 1,
M includes at least one transition metal selected from elements of periodic table groups 3, 4, 5, and 6,
A includes at least one element selected from elements of periodic table groups 12, 13, 14, 15, and 16,
X is carbon (C), nitrogen (N), or any combination thereof, and
n is 1, 2, or 3.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The semiconductor interconnect of claim 1, wherein the grain size is equal to or greater than about 65 nm.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The semiconductor interconnect of claim 1, wherein the thickness is in a range of about 0.1 nm to about 50 nm.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The semiconductor interconnect of claim 1, wherein the multielement compound comprises at least one compound selected from V2AlC, V2GaC, V2GeC, V2AsC, V2GaN, V2PC, V3AlC2, V4AlC3, Ti2CdC, Ti2AlC, Ti2GaC, Ti2InC, Ti2TlC, Ti2AlN, Ti2GaN, Ti2InN, Ti2GeC, Ti2SnC, Ti2PbC, Ti2SC, Ti3AlC2, Ti3SiC2, Ti3GeC2, Ti3SnC2, Ti4AlN3, Ti4GaC3, Ti4SiC3, Ti4GeC3, Cr2GaC, Cr2GaN, Cr2AlC, Cr2GeC, Zr2InC, Zr2TlC, Zr2InN, Zr2TIN, Zr2SnC, Zr2PbC, Zr2SC, Nb2AlC, Nb2GaC, Nb2InC, Nb2SnC, Nb2PC, Nb2AsC, Nb2SC, Nb4AlC3, Ta2AlC, Ta2GaC, Ta3AlC2, Ta4AlC3, Hf2InC, Hf2TlC, Hf2SnC, Hf2PbC, Hf2SnN, Hf2SC, Sc2InC, and Mo2GaC.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The semiconductor interconnect of claim 1, wherein the thin film is an epitaxially grown deposited film.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The semiconductor interconnect of claim 1, wherein the thin film has a layered structure aligned in an in-plane direction.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The semiconductor interconnect of claim 1, further comprising a seed layer or liner layer on one surface of the thin film.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The semiconductor interconnect of claim 7, wherein the seed layer or liner layer comprises TiC, TiN, TaC, TaN, VC, VN, or any combination thereof.

### Claim 9

An electrode for a semiconductor device, the electrode comprising:
a thin film including a multielement compound represented by Formula 1, wherein the thin film has a thickness equal to or less than about 50 nm, a grain size equal to or greater than the thickness, and a resistivity equal to or less than about 200 μΩ·cm:
Mn+1AXn Formula 1
wherein in Formula 1,
M includes at least one transition metal selected from elements of periodic table groups 3, 4, 5, and 6,
A comprises at least one element selected from elements of periodic table groups 12, 13, 14, 15, and 16,
X is carbon (C), nitrogen (N), or any combination thereof, and
n is 1, 2, or 3.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The electrode of claim 9, wherein the grain size is equal to or greater than about 65 nm.

### Claim 11 (depends on 9)

The electrode of claim 9, wherein the thickness is in a range of about 0.1 nm to about 50 nm.

### Claim 12 (depends on 9)

The electrode of claim 9, wherein the thin film comprises at least one compound selected from V2AlC, V2GaC, V2GeC, V2AsC, V2GaN, V2PC, V3AlC2, V4AlC3, Ti2CdC, Ti2AlC, Ti2GaC, Ti2InC, Ti2TlC, Ti2AlN, Ti2GaN, Ti2InN, Ti2GeC, Ti2SnC, Ti2PbC, Ti2SC, Ti3AlC2, Ti3SiC2, Ti3GeC2, Ti3SnC2, Ti4AlN3, Ti4GaC3, Ti4SiC3, Ti4GeC3, Cr2GaC, Cr2GaN, Cr2AlC, Cr2GeC, Zr2InC, Zr2TlC, Zr2InN, Zr2TIN, Zr2SnC, Zr2PbC, Zr2SC, Nb2AlC, Nb2GaC, Nb2InC, Nb2SnC, Nb2PC, Nb2AsC, Nb2SC, Nb4AlC3, Ta2AlC, Ta2GaC, Ta3AlC2, Ta4AlC3, Hf2InC, Hf2TlC, Hf2SnC, Hf2PbC, Hf2SnN, Hf2SC, Sc2InC, and Mo2GaC.

### Claim 13 (depends on 9)

The electrode of claim 9, wherein the thin film is an epitaxially grown deposited film.

### Claim 14 (depends on 9)

The electrode of claim 9, wherein the thin film has a layered structure aligned in an in-plane direction.

### Claim 15 (depends on 9)

The electrode of claim 9, further comprising:
a capacitor electrode or a transistor electrode.

### Claim 16

A method, the method comprising:
preparing a substrate; and
forming a multielement compound thin film represented by Formula 1 and epitaxially grown on one surface of the substrate by deposition, wherein the multielement compound thin film has a thickness equal to or less than about 50 nm, a grain size equal to or greater than the thickness, and a resistivity equal to or less than about 200 μΩ·cm:
Mn+1AXn Formula 1
wherein in Formula 1,
M includes at least one transition metal selected from elements of periodic table groups 3, 4, 5, and 6,
A comprises at least one element selected from elements of periodic table groups 12, 13, 14, 15, and 16,
X is carbon (C), nitrogen (N), or any combination thereof, and
n is 1, 2, or 3.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The method of claim 16, wherein the deposition comprises direct current (DC) sputtering, radio frequency (RF) sputtering, or any combination thereof.

### Claim 18 (depends on 16)

The method of claim 16, wherein the deposition is performed at a temperature of about 650° C. to about 800° C.

### Claim 19 (depends on 16)

The method of claim 16, wherein the grain size-A is equal to or greater than about 65 nm.

### Claim 20 (depends on 16)

The method of claim 16, wherein the multielement compound thin film comprises at least one compound selected from V2AlC, V2GaC, V2GeC, V2AsC, V2GaN, V2PC, V3AlC2, V4AlC3, Ti2CdC, Ti2AlC, Ti2GaC, Ti2InC, Ti2TlC, Ti2AlN, Ti2GaN, Ti2InN, Ti2GeC, Ti2SnC, Ti2PbC, Ti2SC, Ti3AlC2, Ti3SiC2, Ti3GeC2, Ti3SnC2, Ti4AlN3, Ti4GaC3, Ti4SiC3, Ti4GeC3, Cr2GaC, Cr2GaN, Cr2AlC, Cr2GeC, Zr2InC, Zr2TlC, Zr2InN, Zr2TIN, Zr2SnC, Zr2PbC, Zr2SC, Nb2AlC, Nb2GaC, Nb2InC, Nb2SnC, Nb2PC, Nb2AsC, Nb2SC, Nb4AlC3, Ta2AlC, Ta2GaC, Ta3AlC2, Ta4AlC3, Hf2InC, Hf2TlC, Hf2SnC, Hf2PbC, Hf2SnN, Hf2SC, Sc2InC, and Mo2GaC.

### Claim 21 (depends on 16)

The method of claim 16, wherein the multielement compound thin film has a layered structure aligned in an in-plane direction.

### Claim 22 (depends on 16)

The method of claim 16, further comprising incorporating the multielement compound thin film in a semiconductor interconnect or an electrode for semiconductor devices.

### Claim 23 (depends on 16)

The method of claim 16, further comprising forming a barrier layer on the multielement compound thin film after the forming of the multielement compound thin film.

### Claim 24 (depends on 16)

The method of claim 16, further comprising:
forming an electronic device that includes the multielement compound thin film.

### Claim 25 (depends on 1)

An electronic device, comprising the semiconductor interconnect of claim 1.

### Claim 26 (depends on 9)

An electronic device, comprising the electrode of claim 9.

### Claim 27

A device, comprising:
a thin film that includes a multielement compound represented by Formula 1, wherein the thin film has a thickness between about 6 nm and about 42 nm, a grain size equal to or greater than the thickness, and a resistivity between about 40 μΩ·cm to about 50 μΩ·cm,
Mn+1AXn Formula 1
wherein in Formula 1,
M includes at least one transition metal selected from elements of periodic table groups 3, 4, 5, and 6,
A includes at least one element selected from elements of periodic table groups 12, 13, 14, 15, and 16,
X is carbon (C), nitrogen (N), or any combination thereof, and
n is 1, 2, or 3.

### Claim 28 (depends on 27)

The device of claim 27, wherein the thin film has a grain size to thickness (B) ratio (A/B) equal to or greater than about 1.2.

### Claim 29 (depends on 27)

The device of claim 27, wherein the device is a semiconductor interconnect or an electrode for a semiconductor device.

### Claim 30 (depends on 27)

An electronic device, comprising the device of claim 27.