# US 12,760,414 B2 · Method for an amorphous boron nitride layer and associated amorphous boron nitride layers > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,760,414 B2 - Document ID: US12760414B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/620,116 - Filed: 2024-03-28 - Published: 2024-10-03 - Granted: 2026-10-13 - Earliest claimed: 2023-03-31 - Assignees: ASM IP Holding B.V. - Applicants: ASM IP Holding B.V. - Inventors: Gaurav Pathak; Mikko Ruoho; Viljami J. Pore; Ming Liu - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12760414B2 ## CPC - C23C 16/45542: {Plasma being used non-continuously during the ALD reactions} - C23C 16/342: {Boron nitride} - C23C 16/45553: {characterized by the use of precursors specially adapted for ALD} - C23C 16/46: characterised by the method used for heating the substrate (C23C16/48, C23C16/50 take 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 Methods for depositing amorphous boron nitride layers on a substrate are provided. Exemplary methods include providing a boron precursor to a reaction chamber and providing nitrogen reactive species to the reaction chamber. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for forming an amorphous boron nitride layer, the method comprising: seating a non-planar substrate within a reaction chamber; and depositing the amorphous boron nitride layer on the non-planar substrate by performing one or more deposition cycles of a plasma enhanced atomic layer deposition (PEALD) process, wherein a unit deposition cycle of the PEALD process comprises: contacting the non-planar substrate with a vapor phase reactant comprising a boron precursor; and contacting the non-planar substrate with one or more reactive species generated from a plasma produced from a gas selected from the group consisting of hydrogen (H2), nitrogen (N2), ammonia (NH3), and mixtures thereof, wherein the one or more reactive species react with the boron precursor to form the amorphous boron nitride layer, and wherein the amorphous boron nitride layer is deposited conformally with a step coverage greater than 90%. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the boron precursor comprises boron triiodide (BI3). ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the plasma is produced from a gas consisting essentially of nitrogen (N2) and hydrogen (H2). ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the plasma is produced from a gas consisting essentially of nitrogen (N2). ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising heating the non-planar substrate to a deposition temperature between 150° C. and 350° C. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the amorphous boron nitride layer is deposited at a growth rate per cycle (GPC) between 0.2 nm/cycle and 0.4 nm/cycle. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the amorphous boron nitride layer is deposited with a dielectric constant of less than 4. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, wherein the amorphous boron nitride layer is deposited with a dielectric constant of less than 3. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the amorphous boron nitride layer is deposited with a composition ratio of boron to nitrogen of 1:1 or greater. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the amorphous boron nitride layer is deposited with a wet etch rate ratio (WERR) of less than 0.2. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more reactive species are generated by a direct plasma. ### Claim 12 A method for forming an amorphous boron nitride layer, the method comprising: seating a substrate within a reaction chamber; and depositing the amorphous boron nitride layer on the substrate by performing one or more deposition cycles of a plasma enhanced atomic layer deposition (PEALD) process, wherein a unit deposition cycle of the PEALD process comprises: contacting the substrate with a vapor phase reactant comprising a boron triiodide (BI3) precursor; and contacting the substrate with one or more nitrogen reactive species generated from a gas consisting essentially of nitrogen (N2) and hydrogen (H2), wherein the one or more nitrogen reactive species react with the boron triiodide (BI3) precursor to form the amorphous boron nitride laver. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein the substrate comprises a non-planar substrate including a number of high aspect ratio features having an aspect ratio greater than 20:1. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein the amorphous boron nitride layer is deposited conformally over the non-planar substrate with a step coverage greater than 90%. ### Claim 15 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein the amorphous boron nitride layer is deposited with a dielectric constant of less than 3. ### Claim 16 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein the amorphous boron nitride layer is deposited with a wet etch rate ratio (WERR) of less than 0.2. ### Claim 17 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein a plasma power is between 100 W and 800 W. ### Claim 18 A method for forming an amorphous boron nitride layer, the method comprising: seating a substrate within a reaction chamber; and depositing the amorphous boron nitride layer on the substrate by performing one or more deposition cycles of a plasma enhanced atomic layer deposition (PEALD) process, wherein a unit deposition cycle of the PEALD process comprises: heating the substrate to a temperature between 150° C. and 300° C.: contacting the substrate with a vapor phase reactant comprising boron triiodide (BI3); and contacting the substrate with one or more reactive species generated from a plasma produced from a gas consisting essentially of nitrogen (N2), and hydrogen (H2), wherein the one or more reactive species react with the boron triiodide (BI3) to form the amorphous boron nitride layer. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The method of claim 18, wherein the amorphous boron nitride layer is deposited with a composition ratio of boron to nitrogen of 1:1, or greater. ### Claim 20 (depends on 18) The method of claim 18, wherein the amorphous boron nitride layer is deposited with a wet etch rate ratio (WERR) of less than 0.2.