Methods for forming conductive titanium oxide thin films

A process for producing a doped titanium oxide thin film on a substrate in a reaction chamber by atomic layer deposition, the process comprising:

• a titanium oxide deposition cycle comprising:
• providing a vapor phase reactant pulse comprising a titanium precursor into the reaction chamber to form no more than about a single molecular layer of the titanium precursor on the substrate;
• removing excess reactant from the reaction chamber, if any;
• providing a vapor phase reactant pulse comprising an oxygen precursor to the reaction chamber such that the oxygen precursor reacts with the titanium precursor on the substrate;
• removing excess second reactant and any reaction byproducts from the reaction chamber;
• and
• a dopant oxide deposition cycle comprising:
• providing a vapor phase reactant pulse comprising a niobium or tantalum precursor to the reaction chamber;
• removing excess reactant from the reaction chamber;
• providing a vapor phase reactant pulse comprising an oxygen precursor to the reaction chamber such that the oxygen precursor reacts with the niobium or tantalum precursor on the substrate;
• removing excess reactant and any reaction byproducts from the reaction chamber;
• wherein the titanium oxide cycle and dopant oxide cycles are repeated until a thin film of a desired thickness and composition comprising Ti1−xNbxOy or Ti1−xTaxOy is obtained, wherein x is between 0 and 1, wherein y is about 2;
• wherein the doped titanium oxide thin film is electrically conductive;
• and
• wherein the doped titanium oxide thin film is in direct contact with a dielectric layer in a semiconductor device.