Physical vapor deposition methods

A subatmospheric pressure physical vapor deposition method of forming a high k ABO3 comprising dielectric layer on a substrate, where “A” is selected from the group consisting of Sn and Group IIA metal elements and mixtures thereof, where “B” is selected from the group consisting of Group IVA elements and mixtures thereof, the method comprising:

• providing a sputtering target comprising ABO3 and a substrate to be deposited upon within a -physical vapor deposition chamber;
• feeding a sputtering gas to the chamber under conditions effective to sputter the target and deposit a high k ABO3 comprising dielectric layer over the substrate;
• and
• during at least some of the feeding, continuously varying pressure within the chamber effective to produce a gradient in concentration of B across at least a majority of the thickness of the deposited layer and where higher comparative pressure produces greater concentration of B in the deposited layer.

A subatmospheric pressure physical vapor deposition method of forming a high k ABO3 comprising dielectric layer on a substrate, where “A” is selected from the group consisting of Sn and Group IIA metal elements and mixtures thereof, where “B” is selected from the group consisting of Group IVA elements and mixtures thereof, the method comprising:

• providing a sputtering target comprising ABO3 and a substrate to be deposited upon within a -physical vapor deposition chamber;
• feeding a sputtering gas to the chamber under first conditions effective to sputter the target and deposit a substantially homogenous first portion of a high k ABO3 comprising dielectric layer over the substrate, the first conditions comprising a substantially constant first pressure;
• and
• while feeding the sputtering gas, changing the first conditions to second conditions that at least include a substantially constant second pressure which is different from the first pressure effective to deposit a substantially homogenous second portion of the high k ABO3 comprising dielectric layer on the first portion, the first and second portions having different concentrations of B and where higher comparative pressure produces greater concentration of B.

A subatmospheric pressure physical vapor deposition method of forming a high k ABO3 comprising dielectric layer on a substrate, where “A” is selected from the group consisting of Sn and Group IIA metal elements and mixtures thereof, where “B” is selected from the group consisting of Group IVA elements and mixtures thereof, the method comprising:

• providing a sputtering target comprising ABO3 and a substrate to be deposited upon within a physical vapor deposition chamber;
• feeding a sputtering gas to the chamber under conditions effective to sputter the target and deposit a high k ABO3 comprising dielectric layer over the substrate;
• and
• during the feeding, manipulating a vacuum pressure control device associated with the chamber to change deposition pressure within the chamber effective to produce different concentrations of B at different elevations in the deposited layer and where higher comparative pressure produces greater concentration of B in the deposited layer.