# US 7,608,539 B2 · ALD method and apparatus

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- Number: US 7,608,539 B2
- Document ID: US7608539B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 11/820,460
- Filed: 2007-06-18
- Published: 2007-10-18
- Granted: 2009-10-27
- Earliest claimed: 2002-03-08
- Assignees: Sundew Technologies, LLC
- Inventors: Ofer Sneh
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US7608539B2

## CPC

- C23C 16/45529: {specially adapted for making a layer stack of alternating different compositions or gradient compositions}
- C23C 16/02: Pretreatment of the material to be coated (C23C16/04 takes precedence)
- C23C 16/14: Deposition of only one other metal element
- C23C 16/306: {AII BVI compounds, where A is Zn, Cd or Hg and B is S, Se or Te}
- C23C 16/34: Nitrides {(C23C16/303 takes precedence)}
- C23C 16/40: Oxides
- C23C 16/402: {Silicon dioxide}
- C23C 16/403: {of aluminium, magnesium or beryllium}
- C23C 16/405: {of refractory metals or yttrium}
- C23C 16/45534: {Use of auxiliary reactants other than used for contributing to the composition of the main film, e.g. catalysts, activators or scavengers}
- 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 and an apparatus for executing efficient and cost-effective Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD) at low temperatures are presented. ALD films such as oxides and nitrides are produced at low temperatures under controllable and mild oxidizing conditions over substrates and devices that are moisture- and oxygen-sensitive. ALD films, such as oxides, nitrides, semiconductors and metals, are efficiently and cost-effectively deposited from conventional metal precursors and activated nonmetal sources. Additionally, substrate preparation methods for optimized ALD are disclosed.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method for cleaning a semiconductor surface comprising exposing said surface to a hydride/fluoride mixture of catalyzing reactants to generate hydrogen adsorbate on the surface to volatilize an atom selected from the group consisting of O, N, C, Sn, and Al from said surface:
wherein said catalyzing reactants react in a catalyzing reaction which consumes said hydride/fluoride mixture of catalyzing reactants;
said catalyzing reaction is continuous and non-saturating;
said catalyzing reaction generates a volatile by-product and an intermediate reactive hydrogen adsorbate on said surface; and
said intermediate hydrogen adsorbate reacts with said atom in a fragment-surface reaction.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

A method as in claim 1 wherein said substrate comprises silicon or germanium and wherein a native oxide or nitride film is removed, and silicon or germanium from said oxide or nitride films is volatilized as SiH4 or GeH4, and said surface is thereby smoothed and becomes terminated with hydrogen.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

A method as in claim 1 wherein said mixture of catalyzing reactants is selected from the group consisting of SiH4/F2, B2H6/F2, Si2H6/F2, SiH2Cl2/F2, PH3/F2, SiH4/ClF3, B2H6/ClF3, Si2H6/ClF3, SiH2Cl2/ClF3, PH3/ClF3, SiH4/HF, B2H6/HF, Si2H6/HF, SiH2Cl2/HF, and PH3/HF.