# US 7,745,329 B2 · Tungsten nitride atomic layer deposition processes

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- Number: US 7,745,329 B2
- Document ID: US7745329B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 12/195,263
- Filed: 2008-08-20
- Published: 2008-12-11
- Granted: 2010-06-29
- Earliest claimed: 2002-02-26
- Assignees: Applied Materials, Inc.
- Inventors: Shulin Wang; Ulrich Kroemer; Lee Luo; Aihua Chen; Ming Li
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US7745329B2

## CPC

- C23C 16/45527: {characterized by the ALD cycle, e.g. different flows or temperatures during half-reactions, unusual pulsing sequence, use of precursor mixtures or auxiliary reactants or activations}
- C23C 16/02: Pretreatment of the material to be coated (C23C16/04 takes precedence)
- C23C 16/34: Nitrides {(C23C16/303 takes precedence)}
- C23C 16/45525: {Atomic layer deposition [ALD]}
- H10D 1/047: {of conductor-insulator-semiconductor capacitors, e.g. trench capacitors}
- H10D 1/692: {Electrodes}
- H10D 64/01312: {the additional layer comprising a metal or metal silicide formed by deposition, i.e. without a silicidation reaction, e.g. sputter deposition}
- H10D 64/664: {the additional layers comprising a barrier layer between the layer of silicon and an upper metal or metal silicide layer}
- H10P 14/418: {the conductive layers comprising transition metals}
- H10P 14/432: {using selective deposition}
- H10W 20/032: {of conductive barrier, adhesion or liner layers}
- H10B 12/038: {the capacitor being in a trench in the substrate}
- 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)
- H10D: INORGANIC ELECTRIC SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES
- H10P: GENERIC PROCESSES OR APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10
- H10W: GENERIC PACKAGES, INTERCONNECTIONS, CONNECTORS OR OTHER CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10
- H10B: ELECTRONIC MEMORY DEVICES

## Abstract

In one embodiment, a method for forming a tungsten barrier material on a substrate is provided which includes depositing a tungsten layer on a substrate during a vapor deposition process and exposing the substrate sequentially to a tungsten precursor and a nitrogen precursor to form a tungsten nitride layer on the tungsten layer. Some examples provide that the tungsten layer may be deposited by sequentially exposing the substrate to the tungsten precursor and a reducing gas (e.g., diborane or silane) during an atomic layer deposition process. The tungsten layer may have a thickness of about 50 Å or less and tungsten nitride layer may have an electrical resistivity of about 380 μΩ-cm or less. Other examples provide that a tungsten bulk layer may be deposited on the tungsten nitride layer by a chemical vapor deposition process.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method for forming a tungsten layer, comprising:
depositing a tungsten layer on a substrate; and
repeatedly exposing the substrate to sequential pulses of a tungsten precursor and a nitrogen precursor to form a tungsten nitride layer over the tungsten layer.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the tungsten layer is deposited by chemical vapor deposition.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the nitrogen precursor is nitrogen gas.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the nitrogen precursor is ammonia.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising depositing a bulk tungsten layer over the tungsten nitride layer.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The method of claim 5, wherein the bulk tungsten layer is deposited by a chemical vapor deposition process.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the nitrogen precursor is selected from the group consisting of nitrogen gas, ammonia, and combinations thereof.

### Claim 8

A method for forming a tungsten layer, comprising: depositing a tungsten layer on a substrate;
repeatedly exposing the substrate to sequential pulses of a tungsten hexafluoride and a nitrogen precursor to form a tungsten nitride layer over the tungsten layer, wherein the nitrogen precursor is selected from the group consisting of nitrogen gas, ammonia, and combinations thereof; and
depositing a bulk tungsten layer over the tungsten nitride layer.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, wherein the bulk tungsten layer is deposited by sequentially exposing the substrate to tungsten hexafluoride and a reducing gas.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9, wherein the reducing gas is selected from the group consisting of silane, disilane, diborane, and combinations thereof.

### Claim 11 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, wherein the tungsten layer is deposited by chemical vapor deposition.

### Claim 12 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, wherein the bulk tungsten layer is deposited by physical vapor deposition.

### Claim 13 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, wherein the bulk tungsten layer is deposited by atomic layer deposition.

### Claim 14 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, wherein the bulk tungsten layer is deposited by chemical vapor deposition.