# US 2018/0025908 A1 · Monolayer film mediated precision film deposition

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- Number: US 2018/0025908 A1
- Document ID: US20180025908A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 15/658,133
- Filed: 2017-07-24
- Published: 2018-01-25
- Earliest claimed: 2016-07-25
- Assignees: Tokyo Electron Limited
- Applicants: Tokyo Electron Limited
- Inventors: Peter Ventzek; Alok Ranjan
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20180025908A1

## CPC

- H10P 14/6502: {of treatments performed before formation of the materials}
- C23C 14/024: {Deposition of sublayers, e.g. to promote adhesion of the coating (C23C14/027 takes precedence)}
- C23C 16/325: {Silicon carbide}
- C23C 16/45542: {Plasma being used non-continuously during the ALD reactions}
- C23C 16/45553: {characterized by the use of precursors specially adapted for ALD}
- H10P 14/6336: {in the presence of a plasma [PECVD]}
- H10P 14/6339: {deposition by cyclic CVD, e.g. ALD, ALE or pulsed CVD}
- H10P 14/6514: {by exposure to a plasma}
- H10P 14/6516: {of treatments performed after formation of the materials}
- H10P 14/6905: {being a silicon carbide or silicon carbonitride and not containing oxygen, e.g. SiC or SiC:H}
- H10P 95/06: {Planarisation of inorganic insulating materials}
- H10P: GENERIC PROCESSES OR APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10
- 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

A method of forming a thin film is described. The method includes treating at least a portion of a surface exposed on a substrate with an adsorption-promoting agent to alter a functionality of the exposed surface and cause subsequent adsorption of an organic precursor, and thereafter, adsorbing the organic precursor to the functionalized surface to form a carbon-containing film. Then, at least a portion of the surface of the carbon-containing film is exposed to an ion flux to mix the adsorbed carbon-containing film with the material of the underlying substrate and form a mixed film.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method of forming a thin film, comprising:
treating at least a portion of a surface exposed on a substrate with an adsorption-promoting agent to alter a functionality of the exposed surface and cause subsequent adsorption of an organic precursor;
thereafter, adsorbing the organic precursor to the functionalized surface to form a carbon-containing film; and
exposing at least a portion of the surface of the carbon-containing film to an ion flux to mix the adsorbed carbon-containing film with the material of the underlying substrate and form a mixed film.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the substrate comprises silicon, germanium, or a silicon-germanium alloy.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the adsorption-promoting agent is NH2 formed using an ammonia-based plasma.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising:
pre-treating the surface of the substrate with a pre-treatment charged particle flux prior to treating the surface with the adsorption-promoting agent.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The method of claim 4, wherein the pre-treatment charged particle flux includes an ion flux from an inert gas plasma.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the organic precursor includes a —CH containing precursor.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the mixed film includes an Si-C containing film.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising:
adsorbing a Si-containing precursor onto the surface of the substrate prior to treating the substrate with the adsorption-promoting agent.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising:
annealing the mixed film.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising:
adsorbing a Si-containing precursor onto the surface of the substrate following the formation of the mixed film.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10, further comprising:
repeating the treating, adsorbing, and exposing steps to create a multi-layer mixed film.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising:
purging the environment following the treating step and preceding the adsorbing step.