Method for forming a ruthenium metal layer

A method used during the formation of a semiconductor device to form a plurality of storage capacitors, comprising:

• providing a semiconductor substrate assembly comprising a semiconductor wafer and a plurality of transistor control gates formed over said semiconductor wafer;
• forming a plurality of contact pads electrically coupled with said semiconductor wafer;
• forming a dielectric layer overlying said contact pads;
• forming a patterned photoresist layer to define openings which overlie said contact pads;
• etching said dielectric layer to form cross-sectional sidewalls in said dielectric layer and to expose said contact pads;
• with said semiconductor wafer in a chamber, providing a ruthenium precursor at a flow rate of between about 100 sccm and 1000 sccm and O2 at a flow rate of between about 10 sccm and 1000 sccm in a chamber environment comprising a temperature of between about 100° C. and about 600° C. and a pressure of from about 1 Torr to about 9 Torr for about 2 minutes to form a conformal blanket ruthenium oxide layer which contacts said sidewalls in said dielectric layer and contacts said contact pads;
• subsequent to forming said ruthenium oxide layer, providing at least one of hydrogen gas and ammonia in said chamber at a flow rate of between about 500 sccm and 5000 sccm at a temperature of between about 475° C. and about 750° C. and at a pressure of between about 5 Torr and about 660 Torr for a duration of between about 1 minute and about 3 minutes to convert said ruthenium oxide layer to a ruthenium metal layer;
• subsequent to converting said ruthenium oxide layer to a ruthenium metal layer, forming a sacrificial protective material within recesses defined by said ruthenium metal layer;
• subsequent to forming said sacrificial protective material, removing said ruthenium metal layer from horizontal surfaces of said dielectric layer;
• subsequent to removing said ruthenium metal layer from said horizontal surfaces of said dielectric layer, removing said protective material from said recesses defined by said ruthenium metal layer to expose said ruthenium metal layer;
• forming a capacitor dielectric layer over said ruthenium metal layer;
• and
• forming a capacitor top plate over said ruthenium metal layer.

A method used to form a semiconductor device comprising:

• providing a semiconductor wafer assembly comprising a semiconductor wafer;
• placing said wafer assembly into a chamber;
• with said semiconductor wafer in a chamber, providing a ruthenium precursor at a flow rate of between about 100 and 1000 sccm and providing O2 at a flow rate of between about 10 to about 100 sccm in a chamber environment comprising a temperature of between about 150° C. and about 450° C. and a pressure of from about 1 Torr to about 9 Torr for about 2 minutes to form a conformal blanket ruthenium oxide layer which contacts said semiconductor wafer substrate assembly;
• and
• subsequent to forming said ruthenium oxide layer, providing at least one of hydrogen gas and ammonia in said chamber at a flow rate of between about 500 sccm and 5000 sccm at a temperature of between about 475° C. and about 750° C. and at a pressure of between about 5 Torr and about 660 Torr for a duration of between about 1 minute and about 3 minutes to convert said ruthenium oxide layer to a ruthenium metal layer.