Method of forming a conductive contact

A method of forming a contact, comprising the steps of:

• depositing a source gas comprising a chlorine-containing precursor onto a substrate to fill a contact hole;
• removing excess material from the substrate to form the contact in the contact hole;
• and
• heating the contact in a nitrogen-containing gas to remove chlorine from the contact.

A method of forming a contact, comprising the steps of:

• depositing a source gas comprising a titanium and chlorine-containing precursor onto a substrate to fill a contact hole;
• removing excess material from the substrate to form the contact in the contact hole;
• and
• heating the contact in a nitrogen-containing gas to remove chlorine from the contact.

A method of forming a contact, comprising the steps of:

• depositing a source gas comprising a titanium and chlorine-containing precursor onto a substrate to fill a contact hole;
• the titanium and chlorine-containing precursor comprising TiCl4;
• removing excess material from the substrate to form the contact in the contact hole;
• and
• thermally annealing the contact in a nitrogen-containing gas to remove chlorine from the contact;
• the nitrogen-containing gas comprising ammonia.

A method of forming a contact, comprising the steps of:

• forming a titanium silicide layer over a substrate and within a contact hole;
• depositing a titanium nitride layer onto the titanium silicide layer and to fill the contact hole by combining a titanium and chlorine-containing precursor with a nitrogen-containing precursor to form titanium nitride;
• removing excess material from the substrate to form the contact in the contact hole;
• and
• thermally annealing the contact in a nitrogen-containing gas to remove chlorine from the contact.

A method of forming a contact, comprising the steps of:

• forming a titanium silicide layer over a substrate and within a contact hole;
• depositing a boron-doped titanium nitride layer onto the titanium suicide layer and to fill the contact hole by combining a titanium and chlorine-containing precursor with a nitrogen-containing precursor and a borane precursor to form boron-doped titanium nitride;
• removing excess material from the substrate to form the contact in the contact hole;
• and
• thermally annealing the contact in a nitrogen-containing gas to remove chlorine from the contact.

A method of forming a conductive contact on a semiconductor substrate comprising an opening through an insulative layer, the opening having sidewalls and extending to an underlying silicon-comprising substrate, the method comprising the steps of:

• forming a titanium silicide layer over the insulative layer and within the opening;
• depositing a source gas over the titanium suicide layer overlying the insulative layer and within the opening to form a layer comprising titanium nitride;
• the source gas comprising a chlorine-containing precursor;
• removing excess of the layers overlying the insulative layer to form the contact within the opening;
• the contact having a concentration of chlorine;
• and
• subjecting the contact to a heat treatment in a nitrogen-containing gas to reduce the concentration of chlorine within the contact.

A method of forming a contact, comprising:

• depositing a first source gas comprising TiCl4, H2, and SiH4 precursors onto a substrate to form a titanium silicide layer in an opening;
• depositing a second source gas comprising TiCl4 and NH3 precursors onto the titanium silicide layer to form a titanium nitride layer;
• removing excess of the layers overlying the substrate by chemical mechanical polishing while maintaining the layers within the opening to form the contact;
• the contact having a concentration of chlorine;
• and
• exposing the contact to a nitrogen-containing gas by thermal anneal to reduce the concentration of chlorine of the contact.

A method of forming a contact, comprising:

• depositing a first source gas comprising TiCl4, H2, and SiH4 precursors onto a substrate to form a titanium silicide layer in an opening;
• depositing a second source gas comprising TiCl4, NH3, and B2H6 precursors onto the titanium silicide layer to form a boron-doped titanium nitride layer;
• removing excess of the layers overlying the substrate by chemical mechanical polishing while maintaining the layers within the opening to form the contact;
• the contact having a concentration of chlorine;
• and
• exposing the contact to a nitrogen-containing gas by thermal anneal to reduce the concentration of chlorine of the conductive contact.

A method of forming a conductive contact in a semiconductor device comprising an opening through an insulative layer, the opening having sidewalls and extending to an underlying silicon-comprising substrate, the method comprising the steps of:

• forming a layer comprising titanium silicide over the insulative layer and the substrate within the opening;
• depositing a layer of boron-doped titanium nitride over the titanium silicide layer from a titanium and chlorine-containing precursor to fill the opening;
• removing excess of the titanium nitride layer overlying the insulative layer while leaving the titanium nitride layer within the opening to form the contact;
• and
• heat treating the contact to remove chlorine from the contact.

A method of forming a conductive contact in an opening of a semiconductor substrate, the opening formed in an insulative layer and extending to an underlying silicon-comprising substrate, the opening defined by sidewalls and a bottom portion;

• the method comprising the steps of:
• forming a layer comprising titanium silicide over the substrate and within the opening;
• and
• depositing a boron-doped titanium nitride material over the titanium silicide layer and into the opening;
• removing excess material from the substrate while leaving the titanium nitride material in the opening to form the contact;
• and
• heating the contact in a nitrogen-containing gas to reduce the concentration of chlorine to less than about 3% by wt.;
• wherein the-conductive contact comprises an amount of boron to substantially eliminate peeling of the contact from the sidewall of the opening and cracking of the insulative layer, and an amount of nitrogen to provide an effective amount of conductivity to an active area within the substrate.

A method of forming a conductive contact in a semiconductor device comprising an opening through an insulative layer, the opening having sidewalls and extending to an underlying silicon-comprising substrate, the method comprising the steps of:

• depositing a layer comprising titanium silicide over the insulative layer and the substrate within the opening;
• and
• forming a titanium nitride layer over the titanium silicide by depositing a layer of titanium nitride over the titanium silicide layer;
• and sequentially depositing overlying layers of boron-doped titanium nitride and titanium nitride to fill the opening, wherein the boron-doped titanium nitride layer is interposed between two titanium nitride layers;
• removing excess material overlying the insulative layer while leaving the contact within the opening;
• the contact having a concentration of chlorine;
• and
• heating the contact in a nitrogen-containing gas to reduce the concentration of chlorine to less than about 3% by wt.;
• wherein the contact comprises an amount of boron to substantially eliminate peeling of the contact from the sidewall of the opening and cracking of the insulative layer, and an amount of nitrogen to provide an effective amount of conductivity to an active area within the substrate.

A method of forming a semiconductor device, comprising the steps of forming an insulative layer over a silicon-comprising substrate comprising an active area;

• forming an opening in the insulative layer to expose the active area of the substrate, the opening having sidewalls;
• forming a seed layer comprising titanium silicide over the insulative layer and the substrate within the opening;
• and
• forming a layer comprising titanium nitride over the seed layer to fill the opening;
• removing excess material overlying the insulative layer while leaving the contact within the opening;
• the contact having a concentration of chlorine;
• and
• heating the contact in a nitrogen-containing gas to reduce the concentration of chlorine to less than about 3% by wt.

A method of forming a semiconductor device, comprising the steps of:

• forming an insulative layer over a silicon-comprising substrate comprising an active area;
• forming an opening in the insulative layer to expose the active area of the substrate, the opening having sidewalls;
• forming a seed layer comprising titanium suicide over the insulative layer and the substrate within the opening;
• and
• forming a layer comprising boron-doped titanium nitride over the seed layer to fill the opening;
• removing excess material overlying the insulative layer while leaving the contact within the opening;
• the contact having a concentration of chlorine;
• and
• heating the contact in a nitrogen-containing gas to reduce the concentration of chlorine to less than about 3% by wt.;
• whereby the contact comprises an amount of boron effective to provide the contact with a level of adhesion to the insulative layer within the opening to substantially eliminate peeling of the contact from the sidewalls of the opening, and a level of thermal stress to substantially eliminate cracking of the insulative layer;
• and an amount of nitrogen effective to maintain the conductivity of the contact at a predetermined level for an effective electrical contact with the active area.

A method of forming a semiconductor device, comprising the steps of:

• forming an insulative layer over a silicon-comprising substrate comprising a conductive area;
• forming an opening in the insulative layer to expose the conductive area of the substrate, the opening having sidewalls;
• forming a seed layer comprising titanium silicide over the insulative layer and the substrate within the opening;
• and
• filling the opening with alternating layers of titanium nitride and boron-doped titanium nitride material;
• removing excess material overlying the insulative layer while leaving the contact within the opening;
• the contact having a concentration of chlorine;
• and
• heating the contact in a nitrogen-containing gas to reduce the concentration of chlorine to less than about 3% by wt.;
• wherein the boron-doped titanium nitride layer is interposed between two titanium nitride layers, and the boron-doped titanium nitride layer comprises an amount of boron effective to provide the conductive contact with a level of adhesion to the insulative layer within the opening to substantially eliminate peeling of the conductive contact from the sidewalls of the opening, and a level of thermal stress to substantially eliminate cracking of the insulative layer;
• and an amount of nitrogen effective to maintain the conductivity of the contact at a predetermined level for an effective electrical contact with the conductive area.

A method for filling high aspect ratio contact openings, comprising the steps of:

• providing a substrate having a silicon-comprising substrate and an insulative layer formed thereon, the insulative layer having a surface and at least one contact opening formed therein to the substrate;
• the contact opening having an aspect ratio of at least 3:1;
• forming a seed layer comprising titanium silicide over the insulative layer and the surface of the substrate within the contact opening;
• and
• forming a titanium nitride film over the seed layer;
• removing excess material overlying the insulative layer while leaving the contact within the opening;
• the contact having a concentration of chlorine;
• and
• heating the contact in a nitrogen-containing gas to reduce the concentration of chlorine to less than about 3% by wt.

A method for filling high aspect ratio contact openings, comprising the steps of:

• providing a substrate having a silicon-comprising substrate and an insulative layer formed thereon, the insulative layer having a surface and at least one contact opening formed therein to the substrate;
• the contact opening having an aspect ratio of at least 3:1;
• forming a seed layer comprising titanium silicide over the insulative layer and the surface of the substrate within the contact opening;
• and
• forming a boron-doped titanium nitride film over the seed layer;
• removing excess material overlying the insulative layer while leaving the contact within the opening;
• the contact having a concentration of chlorine;
• and
• heating the contact in a nitrogen-containing gas to reduce the concentration of chlorine to less than about 3% by wt.

A method for filling high aspect ratio contact openings, comprising the steps of:

• providing a substrate having a silicon-comprising substrate and an insulative layer formed thereon, the insulative layer having a surface and at least one contact opening formed therein to the substrate;
• the contact opening having an aspect ratio of at least 3:1;
• forming a seed layer comprising titanium silicide over the insulative layer and the surface of the substrate within the contact opening;
• and
• forming a multi-layered film over the seed layer, the film comprising a layer comprising boron-doped titanium nitride interposed between two layers comprising titanium nitride layer;
• removing excess material overlying the insulative layer while leaving the contact within the opening;
• the contact having a concentration of chlorine;
• and
• heating the contact in a nitrogen-containing gas to reduce the concentration of chlorine to less than about 3% by wt.

A semiconductor circuit, comprising:

• a conductive contact comprising thermally annealed boron-doped titanium nitride having a chlorine concentration of less than about 3% by wt., and disposed within a contact opening extending through an insulative layer to an underlying silicon-comprising substrate of a semiconductor device, a layer comprising titanium silicide overlying the silicon-comprising substrate;
• the contact opening defined by sidewalls;
• wherein the contact comprises an amount of boron effective to provide the contact with a level of adhesion to the insulative layer within the opening to substantially eliminate peeling of the conductive contact from the sidewalls of the opening, and a level of thermal stress to substantially eliminate cracking of the insulative layer;
• and an amount of nitrogen effective to maintain the conductivity of the contact at a predetermined level for an effective electrical contact with an active area within the substrate.

An integrated circuit memory device, comprising:

• an array of memory cells;
• internal circuitry;
• and
• at least one generally vertical contact coupled to the memory array and internal circuitry, the contact comprising thermally annealed titanium nitride disposed within a contact opening over a titanium silicide layer overlying a silicon-comprising conductive area of a memory array, the contact having a chlorine concentration of less than about 3% by wt., whereby the opening is defined by sidewalls.

An integrated circuit memory device, comprising:

• an array of memory cells;
• internal circuitry;
• and
• at least one generally vertical contact coupled to the memory array and internal circuitry, the contact comprising thermally annealed boron-doped titanium nitride disposed within a contact opening over a titanium silicide layer overlying a silicon-comprising conductive area of a memory array, the contact having a chlorine concentration of less than about 3% by wt., whereby the opening is defined by sidewalls, and the conductive contact comprises an amount of boron effective to provide a level of adhesion of the conductive contact to the insulative layer to substantially eliminate peeling of the conductive contact from the sidewalls of the opening and cracking of the insulative layer, and an amount of nitrogen effective to maintain the conductivity of the contact at a predetermined level for an effective electrical contact with the conductive area of the memory array.

An integrated circuit memory device, comprising:

• an array of memory cells;
• internal circuitry;
• and
• at least one generally vertical thermally annealed contact coupled to the memory array and internal circuitry, the contact comprising alternating layers of titanium nitride and boron-doped titanium nitride disposed within a contact opening over a titanium silicide layer overlying a silicon-comprising an active area of a memory array, the boron-doped titanium nitride layer disposed between two layers of titanium nitride;
• whereby the opening is defined by sidewalls, and the contact comprises an amount of boron effective to provide a level of adhesion of the contact to the insulative layer to substantially eliminate peeling of the contact from the sidewalls of the opening and cracking of the insulative layer, and an amount of nitrogen effective to maintain the conductivity of the contact at a predetermined level for an effective electrical contact with the active area of the memory array;
• and the contact having a chlorine concentration of less than about 3% by wt.