Method of depositing metal-containing films by inductively coupled physical vapor deposition
AssigneeTokyo Electron Limited
InventorsRodney L. Robison, Frank M. Cerio, JR.
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Abstract
A method for depositing a metal-containing film on a substrate using an inductively coupled (ICP) physical vapor deposition (PVD) system. The ICP PVD deposition is performed under process conditions that thermalize neutral sputtered metal atoms by collisions with a process gas and minimize or eliminate exposure of ions to the substrate.
Claims23
A method of operating an Inductively Coupled Plasma (ICP) Physical Vapor Deposition (PVD) system, the method comprising:
- positioning a substrate on a substrate holder within a process chamber of the ICP PVD system, the ICP PVD system further comprising a metal target, a dielectric window, and an antenna;
- performing a film deposition process, comprising:
- flowing a process gas containing a sputtering gas into the process chamber,
- applying electrical power to the metal target,
- creating an ICP argon ion sputtering plasma in the process chamber by applying radio frequency (RF) power to the antenna to sputter neutral metal atoms from the metal target, wherein the RF power is below a power level required to ionize a significant portion the sputtered neutral metal atoms,
- selecting a combination of process gas pressure in the process chamber and distance between the metal target and the substrate effective to thermalize the neutral metal atoms by collisions with the process gas prior to reaching the substrate, and
- depositing a metal-containing film containing the neutral sputtered metal atoms on the substrate;
- and
- removing the substrate from the process chamber.
A method of operating an Inductively Coupled Plasma (ICP) Physical Vapor Deposition (PVD) system to deposit a titanium nitride film on a substrate, the method comprising:
- positioning the substrate on a substrate holder within a process chamber of the ICP PVD system, the ICP PVD system further comprising a titanium target, a dielectric window, and an antenna;
- performing a titanium nitride deposition process in metal mode, comprising:
- flowing a process gas containing argon gas and nitrogen gas into the process chamber,
- establishing a process chamber pressure between 25 mTorr and 65 mTorr in the process chamber,
- applying DC power between 1,000 W and 10,000 W to the titanium target,
- creating an ICP argon ion sputtering plasma in the process chamber by applying radio frequency (RF) power to the antenna to sputter neutral titanium atoms from the titanium target, wherein the RF power is below a power level required to ionize a significant portion of the sputtered neutral titanium atoms,
- selecting a combination of the process gas pressure in the process chamber and the distance between the titanium target and the substrate effective to thermalize the neutral titanium atoms by collisions with the process gas, and
- reacting the neutral titanium atoms with the nitrogen gas proximate and/or on the substrate to deposit the titanium nitride film on the substrate;
- and
- removing the substrate from the process chamber.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.