Pretreatment processes within a batch ALD reactor
AssigneeApplied Materials, Inc.
InventorMaitreyee Mahajani
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Abstract
Embodiments of the invention provide methods for forming a material on a substrate which includes exposing a plurality of substrates within a batch process chamber to a first oxidizing gas during a pretreatment process, exposing the substrates sequentially to a precursor and a second oxidizing gas during an ALD cycle and repeating the ALD cycle to form a material on the substrates. In a preferred example, a hafnium precursor is used during the ALD process to form a hafnium-containing material, such as hafnium oxide. In one example, the first and second oxidizing gases are the same oxidizing gases. In a preferred example, the first and second oxidizing gases are different oxidizing gases, such that the pretreatment process contains ozone and the ALD process contains water vapor.
Claims32
A method for forming a hafnium material on a substrate within a process chamber, comprising:
- exposing a plurality of substrates within a batch process chamber to a first oxidizing gas during a pretreatment process, wherein the first oxidizing gas comprises an O3/O2 mixture having an ozone concentration within a range from about 5 atomic percent to about 30 atomic percent;
- exposing the plurality of substrates sequentially to a second oxidizing gas and a process gas containing a hafnium precursor gas during an ALD cycle, wherein the second oxidizing gas comprises water and the hafnium precursor gas comprises a hafnium amino compound;
- and
- repeating the ALD cycle to form a hafnium-containing layer having a thickness within a range from about 5 Å to about 300 Å.
A method for forming a hafnium material on a substrate within a process chamber, comprising:
- exposing a substrate within a process chamber to a first oxidizing gas for a predetermined time during a pretreatment process, wherein the first oxidizing gas comprises an O3/O2 mixture having an ozone concentration within a range from about 1 atomic percent to about 50 atomic percent;
- conducting an ALD cycle, comprising:
- exposing the substrate to a hafnium precursor gas comprising a hafnium amino compound for a time period of at least about 30 seconds;
- exposing the process chamber to a first purge process;
- exposing the substrate to a second oxidizing gas comprising water for a time period of at least about 30 seconds;
- and
- exposing the process chamber to a second purge process;
- and
- repeating the ALD cycle to form a hafnium-containing layer having a thickness within a range from about 5 Å to about 300 Å.
A method for forming a hafnium material on a substrate within a process chamber, comprising:
- exposing a substrate to water within a process chamber during a pretreatment process;
- exposing the substrate sequentially to a hafnium precursor gas and an oxidizing precursor gas during an ALD cycle, wherein the substrate is heated to a temperature within a range from about 200° C. to about 400° C. during the ALD cycle, the oxidizing precursor gas comprises an O3/O2 mixture having an ozone concentration within a range from about 5 atomic percent to about 30 atomic percent, and the hafnium precursor gas comprises a hafnium amino compound;
- and
- repeating the ALD cycle to form a hafnium-containing layer having a thickness within a range from about 5 Å to about 300 Å.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.