Apparatus and method for plasma assisted deposition

A gas distribution system, comprising:

• a top shower plate coupled to a power source;
• a bottom shower plate coupled through a switch to the power source and a ground;
• an insulator disposed between the top shower plate and the bottom shower plate;
• a substrate support;
• and
• a controller adapted to control the power source and the switch to selectively provide power to the top shower plate and to ground the bottom shower plate to generate a plasma therebetween and to provide power to the top shower plate and to the bottom shower plate to generate a plasma between the bottom shower plate and the substrate support.

A substrate processing chamber, comprising:

• a top shower plate;
• a bottom shower plate;
• an insulator disposed between the top shower plate and the bottom shower plate;
• a first pathway and a second pathway formed through the top shower plate and the bottom shower plate;
• a power source coupled to the top shower plate;
• and
• a gas box having a first gas outlet in communication with the first pathway and a second outlet in communication with the second pathway, the first gas outlet and the second gas outlet proximate a central portion of the top shower plate.

A method of depositing a layer over a substrate structure of a substrate comprising providing at least one cycle of gases, the at least one cycle comprising:

• providing a continuous flow of a gas selected from the group consisting of a hydrogen containing gas and a hydrogen/nitrogen containing gas;
• providing a pulse of a refractory metal containing compound during the continuous flow of the hydrogen containing gas;
• and
• providing a pulse of a plasma power to generate a plasma from the continuous flow of the gas.

A method of processing a substrate in a single chamber, comprising:

• depositing a first layer, wherein depositing the first layer comprises:
• (i) selectively providing a flow of a first gas selected from the group consisting of a continuous flow of a hydrogen containing gas and a continuous flow of a hydrogen/nitrogen containing gas;
• (ii) selectively providing a flow of a second gas selected from the group consisting of pulses of a refractory metal containing compound and a continuous flow of a refractory metal containing compound;
• (iii) selectively providing a flow of a plasma power selected from the group consisting of pulses of a plasma power to a top shower plate, a continuous flow of plasma power to a top shower plate, pulses of a plasma power to a top shower plate and a bottom shower plate, continuous flow of plasma power to a top shower plate and a bottom shower plate, and no plasma power to the chamber;
• and
• depositing a second layer over the first layer, wherein depositing the second layer comprises changing one or more of the parameters (i) through (iii)