Synthesis and use of precursors for ALD of tellurium and selenium thin films
AssigneeASM International N.V.
InventorsViljami Pore, Timo Hatanpää, Mikko Ritala, Markku Leskelä
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Abstract
Atomic layer deposition (ALD) processes for forming Te-containing thin films, such as Sb—Te, Ge—Te, Ge—Sb—Te, Bi—Te, and Zn—Te thin films are provided. ALD processes are also provided for forming Se-containing thin films, such as Sb—Se, Ge—Se, Ge—Sb—Se, Bi—Se, and Zn—Se thin films are also provided. Te and Se precursors of the formula (Te,Se)(SiR1R2R3)2 are preferably used, wherein R1, R2, and R3 are alkyl groups. Methods are also provided for synthesizing these Te and Se precursors. Methods are also provided for using the Te and Se thin films in phase change memory devices.
Claims42
An atomic layer deposition (ALD) process for forming a Te and/or Se containing thin film on a substrate in a reaction chamber comprising a plurality of deposition cycles, each cycle comprising:
- providing a pulse of a first vapor phase reactant into the reaction chamber to form no more than about a single molecular layer of the first reactant on the substrate, wherein the first reactant comprises a metal halide;
- removing excess first reactant from the reaction chamber;
- providing a pulse of a second vapor phase reactant to the reaction chamber such that the second reactant reacts with the first reactant on the substrate to form Te or Se containing compound thin film, wherein the second reactant is Te(SiR1R2R3)2 or Se(SiR1R2R3)2, wherein R1, R2, and R3 are alkyl groups with one or more carbon atoms;
- and
- removing excess second reactant and reaction byproducts, if any, from the reaction chamber,
- wherein no reactants other than metal halides, Te(SiR1R2R3)2 and Se(SiR1R2R3)2 are provided in the deposition process.
An atomic layer deposition (ALD) method for forming a Te or Se containing thin film comprising:
- alternately and sequentially contacting a substrate with a vapor phase reactant pulse comprising a first reactant and a vapor phase reactant pulse comprising a second precursor comprising Te or Se, wherein the first reactant comprises a metal halide, wherein the second precursor is Te(SiR1R2R3)2 or Se(SiR1R2R3)2, wherein R1, R2, and R3 are alkyl groups with one or more carbon atoms, and wherein a different reactant is not provided while alternately and sequentially contacting the substrate with the vapor phase reactant pulse comprising the first reactant and the vapor phase reactant pulse comprising the second reactant;
- and
- repeating the alternate and sequential pulses until a compound thin film of a desired thickness is obtained.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.