# US 12,110,582 B2 · Interfacial layer for optical film performance > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,110,582 B2 - Document ID: US12110582B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/698,566 - Filed: 2022-03-18 - Published: 2022-10-06 - Granted: 2024-10-08 - Earliest claimed: 2021-03-24 - Assignees: Applied Materials, Inc. - Applicants: Kenichi Ohno; Takashi Kuratomi; Fariah Hayee; Andrew Ceballos; Rami Hourani; Ludovic Godet - Inventors: Kenichi Ohno; Takashi Kuratomi; Fariah Hayee; Andrew Ceballos; Rami Hourani; Ludovic Godet - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12110582B2 ## CPC - C23C 14/083: {of refractory metals or yttrium} - C23C 14/0036: {Reactive sputtering} - C23C 14/3485: {using pulsed power to the target} - C23C 14/35: by application of a magnetic field, e.g. magnetron sputtering {(C23C14/3457 takes precedence)} - 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 A method of forming an optical device is provided. The method includes disposing an optical device substrate on a substrate support in a process volume of a process chamber, the optical device substrate having a first surface; and forming a first optical layer on the first surface of the optical device substrate during a first time period when the optical device substrate is on the substrate support, wherein the first optical layer comprises one or more metals in a metal-containing oxide, a metal-containing nitride, or a metal-containing oxynitride, and the first optical layer is formed without an RF-generated plasma over the optical device substrate; and forming a second optical layer with an RF-generated plasma over the first optical layer during a second time period when the optical device substrate is on the substrate support. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of forming an optical device, the method comprising: disposing an optical device substrate on a substrate support in a process volume of a process chamber, the optical device substrate having a first surface; forming a first optical layer on the first surface of the optical device substrate during a first time period when the optical device substrate is on the substrate support, wherein the first optical layer comprises a metal-containing oxide, a metal-containing nitride, or a metal-containing oxynitride, and the first optical layer is formed without an RF-generated plasma over the optical device substrate; forming a second optical layer with an RF-generated plasma on and in contact with the first optical layer during a second time period when the optical device substrate is on the substrate support, wherein the first optical layer is disposed between the optical device substrate and the second optical layer, the second optical layer is spaced apart from the optical device substrate in a first direction, the second optical layer comprises a metal-containing oxide, a metal-containing nitride, or a metal-containing oxynitride, the first optical layer and the second optical layer consist of a single metal and one or more of oxygen and nitrogen, the single metal is selected from the group consisting of titanium (Ti), niobium (Nb), silicon (Si), tantalum (Ta), aluminum (Al), chromium (Cr), ruthenium (Ru), hafnium (Hf), magnesium (Mg), zirconium (Zr), molybdenum (Mo), tungsten (W), manganese (Mn), iron (Fe), cobalt (Co), nickel (Ni), copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), gallium (Ga), tin (Sn), bismuth (Bi), antimony (Sb), gadolinium (Gd), and yttrium (Y), the first optical layer has a thickness in the first direction between an atomic layer and about 10 nm, and the second optical layer has a thickness in the first direction of greater than about 20 nm; and forming a plurality of optical device structures over the substrate, the plurality of optical device structures spaced apart from each other in a second direction that is perpendicular to the first direction, wherein each optical device structure includes a portion of the first optical layer and a portion of the second optical layer. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the first optical layer and the second optical layer comprise a same material. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein the first optical layer and the second optical layer are each formed of titanium oxide. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the thickness of the second optical layer in the first direction is at least ten times greater than the thickness of the first optical layer in the first direction. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein a temperature of the substrate during the first time period is less than 50° C. and the temperature of the substrate during the second time period is greater than 300° C. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein a target containing a metal in the first optical layer is positioned in the process volume, a pulsed direct current voltage is applied between the target and the substrate support during the first time period, and the pulsed direct current voltage is pulsed during the first time period at frequency from about 50 kHz to about 300 KHz. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the first optical layer and the second optical layer consist of a single material that is the same material in both the first optical layer and the second optical layer. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein forming the first optical layer comprises: depositing a metal-containing film in an absence of oxygen and nitrogen during a first portion of the first time period, and providing one or more of oxygen and nitrogen to the process volume during a second portion of the first time period, wherein the second portion of the first time period occurs after the first portion of the first time period. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein each optical device structure of the plurality of optical device structures has a sub-micron width in the second direction. ### Claim 10 A method of forming an optical device, the method comprising: disposing an optical device substrate on a first substrate support in a first process volume of a first process chamber, the optical device substrate having a first surface; forming a first optical layer on the first surface of the optical device substrate during a first time period when the optical device substrate is on the first substrate support in the first process volume, wherein the first optical layer comprises a metal-containing oxide, a metal-containing nitride, or a metal-containing oxynitride, and the first optical layer is formed without an RF-generated plasma over the optical device substrate; disposing the optical device substrate on a second substrate support in a second process volume of a second process chamber; and forming a second optical layer with an RF-generated plasma on an in contact with the first optical layer during a second time period when the optical device substrate is on the second substrate support, wherein the first optical layer is disposed between the optical device substrate and the second optical layer, the second optical layer is spaced apart from the optical device substrate in a first direction, the second optical layer comprises a metal-containing oxide, a metal-containing nitride, or a metal-containing oxynitride, the first optical layer and the second optical layer consist of a single metal and one or more of oxygen and nitrogen, the single metal is selected from the group consisting of titanium (Ti), niobium (Nb), silicon (Si), tantalum (Ta), aluminum (Al), chromium (Cr), ruthenium (Ru), hafnium (Hf), magnesium (Mg), zirconium (Zr), molybdenum (Mo), tungsten (W), manganese (Mn), iron (Fe), cobalt (Co), nickel (Ni), copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), gallium (Ga), tin (Sn), bismuth (Bi), antimony (Sb), gadolinium (Gd), and yttrium (Y), the first optical layer has a thickness in the first direction between an atomic layer and about 10 nm, and the second optical layer has a thickness in the first direction of greater than about 20 nm; and forming a plurality of optical device structures over the substrate, the plurality of optical device structures spaced apart from each other in a second direction that is perpendicular to the first direction, wherein each optical device structure includes a portion of the first optical layer and a portion of the second optical layer. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein the first optical layer and the second optical layer comprise a same material. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein the first optical layer and the second optical layer are each formed of titanium oxide. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein the thickness of the second optical layer in the first direction is at least ten times greater than the thickness of the first optical layer in the first direction, and the thickness of the first optical layer is from about 2 nm to about 6 nm. ### Claim 14 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein a temperature of the substrate during the first time period is less than 50° C. and the temperature of the substrate during the second time period is greater than 300ºC. ### Claim 15 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein a target containing a metal in the first optical layer is positioned in the first process volume, a direct current voltage is applied between the target and the first substrate support during the first time period, and the direct current voltage is pulsed on and off during the first time period at frequency from 50 kHz to about 300 KHz. ### Claim 16 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein the first optical layer and the second optical layer consist of a single material that is the same material in both the first optical layer and the second optical layer. ### Claim 17 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein forming the first optical layer comprises: depositing a metal-containing film in an absence of oxygen and nitrogen during a first portion of the first time period, and providing one or more of oxygen and nitrogen to the first process volume during a second portion of the first time period, wherein the second portion of the first time period occurs after the first portion of the first time period. ### Claim 18 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein each optical device structure of the plurality of optical device structures has a sub-micron width in the second direction. ### Claim 19 A method of forming an optical device, the method comprising: disposing an optical device substrate on a substrate support in a process volume of a process chamber, the optical device substrate having a first surface; forming a first optical layer on the first surface of the optical device substrate during a first time period when the optical device substrate is on the substrate support, wherein the first optical layer comprises a metal-containing oxide, a metal-containing nitride, or a metal-containing oxynitride, and the first optical layer is formed without an RF-generated plasma over the optical device substrate; forming a second optical layer with an RF-generated plasma on and in contact with the first optical layer during a second time period when the optical device substrate is on the substrate support, wherein the first optical layer is disposed between the optical device substrate and the second optical layer, the second optical layer is spaced apart from the optical device substrate in a first direction, the second optical layer comprises a metal-containing oxide, a metal-containing nitride, or a metal-containing oxynitride, the first optical layer and the second optical layer consist of a single metal and one or more of oxygen and nitrogen, the single metal is selected from the group consisting of titanium (Ti), niobium (Nb), silicon (Si), tantalum (Ta), aluminum (AI), chromium (Cr), ruthenium (Ru), hafnium (Hf), magnesium (Mg), zirconium (Zr), molybdenum (Mo), tungsten (W), manganese (Mn), iron (Fe), cobalt (Co), nickel (Ni), copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), gallium (Ga), tin (Sn), bismuth (Bi), antimony (Sb), gadolinium (Gd), and yttrium (Y), the first optical layer has a thickness in the first direction between about 2 nm and about 6 nm, the second optical layer has a thickness in the first direction of greater than about 40 nm, and the first optical layer and the second optical layer are each formed of titanium oxide; and forming a plurality of optical device structures over the substrate, the plurality of optical device structures spaced apart from each other in a second direction that is perpendicular to the first direction, wherein each optical device structure includes a portion of the first optical layer and a portion of the second optical layer. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The method of claim 19, wherein each optical device structure of the plurality of optical device structures has a sub-micron width in the second direction.