US 7,732,870 B2 · Eliminating metal-rich silicides using an amorphous Ni alloy silicide structure

Abstract

The present invention provides a method for producing thin nickel (Ni) monosilicide or NiSi films (having a thickness on the order of about 30 nm or less), as contacts in CMOS devices wherein an amorphous Ni alloy silicide layer is formed during annealing which eliminates (i.e., completely by-passing) the formation of metal-rich silicide layers. By eliminating the formation of the metal-rich silicide layers, the resultant NiSi film formed has improved surface roughness as compared to a NiSi film formed from a metal-rich silicide phase. The method of the present invention also forms Ni monosilicide films without experiencing any dependence of the dopant type concentration within the Si-containing substrate that exists with the prior art NiSi films.

Claims10

Dependent claims

A film comprising:

a layer of Ni monosilicide comprising about 8 atomic percent or greater of one or more alloying additives, wherein said amount of one or more alloying additives is sufficient to permit an amorphous structure to form during fabrication of the layer of Ni monosilicide, while preventing a metal rich silicide to form, and wherein said one or more alloying additives comprises at least one anti-agglomeration additive, at least one Ni phase stabilization additive or mixtures thereof, and said layer of Ni monosilicide having an interface roughness such that the thickness variation is less than about 10% of the film.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application

12/105,034Filed 17 Apr 2008 · continuation

Priority

1 Jul 2005

Published

US 2008/0217780 A111 Sep 2008

Granted

8 Jun 2010

Term ends

Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification4 codes

H10D 64/0112
To Group IV semiconductors: using conductive layers comprising silicides
H10P 14/44
Using a gas or vapour: physical vapour deposition [PVD]
H10D
Inorganic electric semiconductor devices
H10P
Generic processes or apparatus for the manufacture or treatment of devices covered

Family

Application11/173,038Parent of this continuation · filed 1 Jul 2005

US 2008/0217780 A1Pre-grant publication · published 11 Sep 2008

US 7,419,907 B2Parent of this continuation

US 2007/0004205 A1Published application

US 7,732,870 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.

Eliminating metal-rich silicides using an amorphous Ni alloy silicide structure

Life of this patent

Eliminating metal-rich silicides using an amorphous Ni alloy silicide structure

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims10