Method of Selective Metal Deposition Using Separated Reactant Activation and Plasma Discharging Zone

A method of depositing titanium silicide on a substrate, comprising:

• creating a plasma comprising a first gas including a noble gas in a plasma region in a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) chamber, wherein the plasma region is disposed between a lid heater and a showerhead;
• flowing the first gas through a plurality of first openings of the showerhead to an activation region in the CVD chamber disposed between the showerhead and the substrate;
• flowing a second gas comprising a titanium precursor in a non-plasma state through a plurality of second openings of the showerhead to the activation region, wherein the plurality of second openings are fluidly independent from the plurality of first openings within the showerhead;
• mixing the first gas with the second gas to activate the second gas in the activation region to form radicals of the titanium precursor;
• and
• exposing a silicon surface of the substrate to the radicals of the titanium precursor to deposit titanium silicide on the substrate.

A method of depositing titanium silicide on a substrate, comprising:

• applying RF power to a showerhead or lid heater in a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) chamber,
• flowing a first gas including argon gas and hydrogen gas in a plasma region disposed between the lid heater and the showerhead to form a plasma comprising the first gas;
• flowing the first gas through a plurality of first openings of the showerhead to an activation region in the CVD chamber disposed between the showerhead and the substrate;
• flowing a second gas comprising titanium tetrachloride (TiCl4) in a non-plasma state through a plurality of second openings of the showerhead to the activation region, wherein the plurality of second openings are fluidly independent from the plurality of first openings within the showerhead;
• mixing the first gas with the second gas to activate the second gas in the activation region to form titanium trichloride (TiCl3) radicals, wherein a pressure in the activation region is between about 2 to about 10 Torr;
• and
• exposing the TiCl3 radicals to the substrate to form titanium silicide on the substrate.