# US 12,595,555 B2 · Toposelective vapor deposition using an inhibitor

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

- Number: US 12,595,555 B2
- Document ID: US12595555B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 18/891,092
- Filed: 2024-09-20
- Published: 2026-03-26
- Granted: 2026-04-07
- Earliest claimed: 2020-12-09
- Assignees: ASM IP Holding B.V.
- Applicants: ASM IP Holding B.V.
- Inventors: Andrea Illiberi; Varun Sharma; Michael Givens; Marko Tuominen; Shaoren Deng
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12595555B2

## CPC

- C23C 16/04: Coating on selected surface areas, e.g. using masks
- H10P 50/287: {by chemical means}
- C23C 16/042: {using masks}
- C23C 16/045: {Coating cavities or hollow spaces, e.g. interior of tubes; Infiltration of porous substrates}
- C23C 16/455: characterised by the method used for introducing gases into reaction chamber or for modifying gas flows in reaction chamber
- C23C 16/45525: {Atomic layer deposition [ALD]}
- C23C 16/46: characterised by the method used for heating the substrate (C23C16/48, C23C16/50 take precedence)
- C23C 16/56: After-treatment
- H10P 14/61: using masks
- H10P 14/6334: {using decomposition or reaction of gaseous or vapour phase compounds, i.e. chemical vapour deposition (deposition by physical ablation of a target H10P14/6329)}
- H10P 14/6339: {deposition by cyclic CVD, e.g. ALD, ALE or pulsed CVD}
- H10P 14/683: {carbon-based polymeric organic materials, e.g. polyimides, poly cyclobutene or PVC}
- H10P 14/69215: {the material being a silicon oxide, e.g. SiO2}
- H10P 14/69391: {the material containing aluminium, e.g. Al2O3}
- H10P 76/4085: {characterised by the processes involved to create the masks}
- 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

## Abstract

The current disclosure generally relates to the manufacture of semiconductor devices. Specifically, the disclosure relates to methods of depositing a layer on a substrate comprising a recess. The method comprises providing the substrate comprising a recess in a reaction chamber, depositing inhibition material on the substrate to fill the recess with inhibition material, removing the inhibition material from the substrate for exposing a deposition area and depositing a layer on the deposition area by a vapor deposition process. A vapor deposition assembly for performing the method is also disclosed.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method of depositing one or more layers on a substrate comprising a recess, wherein the method comprises:
depositing an inhibition material on the substrate to fill the recess;
removing the inhibition material from a top part of the recess; and
depositing, by a selective vapor deposition process, the one or more layers on the substrate where the inhibition material was removed until the one or more layers fill the top part of the recess to form an air gap in a lower part of the recess.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, comprising:
removing, prior to the depositing of the one or more layers, some of the inhibition material from the lower part of the recess where the air gap is formed.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the depositing of the one or more layers comprises multiple phases of depositing the one or more layers, and wherein the method further comprises:
removing, between the multiple phases, some or all of the inhibition material from the lower part of the recess where the air gap is formed.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, comprising:
removing the inhibition material from a top surface of the substrate outside of the recess prior to the removing of the inhibition material from the top part of the recess; and
depositing one layer of the one or more layers on the top surface where the inhibition material was removed.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more layers comprises multiple lavers, and wherein each of the multiple layers comprises a different material.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the selective vapor deposition process is a cyclic vapor deposition process.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The method of claim 6, wherein the cyclic vapor deposition process comprises supplying at least two precursors in an alternating and sequential manner.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein the inhibition material comprises organic material.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, wherein the organic material comprises a polymer or polyimide.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the inhibition material inhibits the selective vapor deposition process from depositing the one or more layers on the substrate.

### Claim 11

A method of deposition of layers on a substrate comprising a recess filled with an inhibition material, wherein the method comprises:
removing a portion of the inhibition material from the substrate to expose a first deposition area;
depositing a first layer on the first deposition area by a selective vapor deposition process;
removing, after the depositing of the first layer, an additional portion of the inhibition material to expose a second deposition area in a top part of the recess; and
depositing a second layer on the second deposition area to form an air gap in a lower part of the recess covered by the second layer.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The method of claim 11, further comprising:
depositing the second layer on the first layer, wherein the first layer and the second layer comprise different materials.

### Claim 13 (depends on 11)

The method of claim 11, wherein the first deposition area and the first layer extend into the recess, and the second layer is deposited over the first layer.

### Claim 14 (depends on 11)

The method of claim 11, comprising:
removing, prior to the depositing of the second layer, some of the inhibition material from the lower part of the recess where the air gap is formed.

### Claim 15 (depends on 11)

The method of claim 11, wherein the depositing of the second layer comprises:
depositing an initial portion of the second layer;
removing, after the depositing of the initial portion of the second layer, a remaining portion of the inhibition material from the lower part of the recess where the air gap is formed; and
depositing a remaining portion of the second layer after the removing of the remaining portion of the inhibition material.

### Claim 16 (depends on 11)

The method of claim 11, wherein the selective vapor deposition process is a cyclic vapor deposition process that comprises supplying at least two precursors in an alternating and sequential manner.

### Claim 17 (depends on 11)

The method of claim 11, wherein:
the removing of the portion of the inhibition material from the substrate to expose the first deposition area is performed in a first reaction chamber; and
the depositing of the first layer on the first deposition area is performed in a second reaction chamber.

### Claim 18

A vapor deposition assembly for depositing a layer on a substrate comprising a recess, the vapor deposition assembly comprising:
a first chamber configured and arranged to deposit an inhibition material on the substrate to fill the recess, and to remove the inhibition material from a top part of the recess; and
a second chamber configured and arranged to deposit, by a selective vapor deposition process, one or more layers on the substrate where the inhibition material was removed until the one or more layers fill the top part of the recess to form an air gap in a lower part of the recess.

### Claim 19 (depends on 18)

The vapor deposition assembly of claim 18, wherein the vapor deposition assembly is a cluster tool.

### Claim 20 (depends on 18)

The vapor deposition assembly of claim 18, further comprising:
an inhibition material precursor vessel coupled to the first chamber;
a layer precursor vessel coupled to the second chamber; and
a controller configured to control flow of precursors from the inhibition material precursor vessel and the layer precursor vessel into the first chamber and the second chamber, respectively.