Madhu Moorthy

US Patent:

7429402, Sep 30, 2008

Filed:

Dec 10, 2004

Appl. No.:

11/009331

Inventors:

Srinivas Gandikota - Santa Clara CA, US
Madhu Moorthy - Santa Clara CA, US
Amit Khandelwal - Santa Clara CA, US
Avgerinos V. Gelatos - Redwood City CA, US
Mei Chang - Saratoga CA, US
Kavita Shah - Mountain View CA, US
Seshadri Ganguli - Sunnyvale CA, US

Assignee:

Applied Materials, Inc. - Santa Clara CA

International Classification:

C23C 16/00
H01L 21/20
H01L 21/469

US Classification:

4272481, 24725523, 2472557, 24725528, 438584, 438758, 438761

Abstract:

In one embodiment, a method for depositing a tungsten-containing film on a substrate is provided which includes depositing a barrier layer on the substrate, such as a titanium or tantalum containing barrier layer and depositing a ruthenium layer on the barrier layer. The method further includes depositing a tungsten nucleation layer on the ruthenium layer and depositing a tungsten bulk layer on the tungsten nucleation layer. The barrier layer, the ruthenium layer, the tungsten nucleation layer and the tungsten bulk layer are independently deposited by an ALD process, a CVD process or a PVD process, preferably by an ALD process. In some examples, the substrate is exposed to a soak process prior to depositing a subsequent layer, such as between the deposition of the barrier layer and the ruthenium layer, the ruthenium layer and the tungsten nucleation layer or the tungsten nucleation layer and the tungsten bulk layer.

US Patent:

7691442, Apr 6, 2010

Filed:

Aug 22, 2008

Appl. No.:

12/197049

Inventors:

Srinivas Gandikota - Santa Clara CA, US
Madhu Moorthy - Santa Clara CA, US
Amit Khandelwal - Santa Clara CA, US
Avgerinos V. Gelatos - Redwood City CA, US
Mei Chang - Saratoga CA, US
Kavita Shah - Mountain View CA, US
Seshadri Ganguli - Sunnyvale CA, US

Assignee:

Applied Materials, Inc. - Santa Clara CA

International Classification:

B32B 15/00
B32B 15/01
C23C 16/06

US Classification:

4272481, 427250, 42725525, 42725528, 4272557, 428655, 428661, 428668, 428670

Abstract:

Embodiments of the invention provide a method for depositing materials on substrates. In one embodiment, the method includes depositing a barrier layer containing tantalum or titanium on a substrate, depositing a ruthenium layer or a cobalt layer on the barrier layer, and depositing a tungsten bulk layer thereover. In some examples, the barrier layer may contain tantalum nitride deposited by an atomic layer deposition (ALD) process, the tungsten bulk layer may be deposited by a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) process, and the ruthenium or cobalt layer may be deposited by an ALD process. The ruthenium or cobalt layer may be exposed to a soak compound, such as hydrogen, diborane, silane, or disilane, during a soak process prior to depositing the tungsten bulk layer. In some examples, a tungsten nucleation layer may be deposited on the ruthenium or cobalt layer, such as by ALD, prior to depositing the tungsten bulk layer.

US Patent:

7745333, Jun 29, 2010

Filed:

Jul 24, 2008

Appl. No.:

12/179002

Inventors:

Ken Kaung Lai - Milpitas CA, US
Ravi Rajagopalan - Sunnyvale CA, US
Amit Khandelwal - Santa Clara CA, US
Madhu Moorthy - Santa Clara CA, US
Srinivas Gandikota - Santa Clara CA, US
Joseph Castro - Fremont CA, US
Avgerinos V. Gelatos - Redwood City CA, US
Cheryl Knepfler - Fremont CA, US
Ping Jian - San Jose CA, US
Hongbin Fang - Mountain View CA, US
Chao-Ming Huang - Hsin Chu, TW
Ming Xi - Palo Alto CA, US
Michael X. Yang - Palo Alto CA, US
Hua Chung - San Jose CA, US
Jeong Soo Byun - Cupertino CA, US

Assignee:

Applied Materials, Inc. - Santa Clara CA

International Classification:

H01L 21/44

US Classification:

438680, 257E2117, 257E21171, 257E21585

Abstract:

In one embodiment of the invention, a method for forming a tungsten-containing layer on a substrate is provided which includes positioning a substrate containing a barrier layer disposed thereon in a process chamber, exposing the substrate to a first soak process for a first time period and depositing a nucleation layer on the barrier layer by flowing a tungsten-containing precursor and a reductant into the process chamber. The method further includes exposing the nucleation layer to a second soak process for a second time period and depositing a bulk layer on the nucleation layer. In one example, the barrier layer contains titanium nitride, the first and second soak processes independently comprise at least one reducing gas selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, silane, disilane, dichlorosilane, borane, diborane, derivatives thereof and combinations thereof and the nucleation layer may be deposited by an atomic layer deposition process or a pulsed chemical vapor deposition process while the bulk layer may be deposited by a chemical vapor deposition process or a physical vapor deposition process.

US Patent:

7964505, Jun 21, 2011

Filed:

May 15, 2008

Appl. No.:

12/121209

Inventors:

Amit Khandelwal - Cupertino CA, US
Madhu Moorthy - San Jose CA, US
Kai Wu - Palo Alto CA, US

Assignee:

Applied Materials, Inc. - Santa Clara CA

International Classification:

H01L 21/44

US Classification:

438680, 438677, 257E21171, 257E21585

Abstract:

Embodiments of the invention provide an improved process for depositing tungsten-containing materials. The process utilizes soak processes and vapor deposition processes, such as atomic layer deposition (ALD) to provide tungsten films having significantly improved surface uniformity and production level throughput. In one embodiment, a method for forming a tungsten-containing material on a substrate is provided which includes positioning a substrate within a process chamber, wherein the substrate contains an underlayer disposed thereon, exposing the substrate sequentially to a tungsten precursor and a reducing gas to deposit a tungsten nucleation layer on the underlayer during an ALD process, wherein the reducing gas contains a hydrogen/hydride flow rate ratio of about 40:1, 100:1, 500:1, 800:1, 1,000:1, or greater, and depositing a tungsten bulk layer on the tungsten nucleation layer. The reducing gas contains a hydride compound, such as diborane, silane, or disilane.

US Patent:

8211799, Jul 3, 2012

Filed:

Jun 14, 2011

Appl. No.:

13/160378

Inventors:

Amit Khandelwal - Cupertino CA, US
Madhu Moorthy - San Jose CA, US
Avgerinos V. Gelatos - Redwood City CA, US
Kai Wu - Palo Alto CA, US

Assignee:

Applied Materials, Inc. - Santa Clara CA

International Classification:

H01L 21/44

US Classification:

438680, 438677, 257E21171, 257E21585

Abstract:

Embodiments of the invention provide a method for depositing tungsten-containing materials. In one embodiment, a method includes forming a tungsten nucleation layer over an underlayer disposed on the substrate while sequentially providing a tungsten precursor and a reducing gas into a process chamber during an atomic layer deposition (ALD) process and depositing a tungsten bulk layer over the tungsten nucleation layer, wherein the reducing gas contains hydrogen gas and a hydride compound (e. g. , diborane) and has a hydrogen/hydride flow rate ratio of about 500:1 or greater. In some examples, the method includes flowing the hydrogen gas into the process chamber at a flow rate within a range from about 1 slm to about 20 slm and flowing a mixture of the hydride compound and a carrier gas into the process chamber at a flow rate within a range from about 50 sccm to about 500 sccm.

US Patent:

8513116, Aug 20, 2013

Filed:

Jun 7, 2012

Appl. No.:

13/491191

Inventors:

Amit Khandelwal - Cupertino CA, US
Madhu Moorthy - San Jose CA, US
Avgerinos V. Gelatos - Redwood City CA, US
Kai Wu - Palo Alto CA, US

Assignee:

Applied Materials, Inc. - Santa Clara CA

International Classification:

H01L 21/285

US Classification:

438653, 438677, 438680, 257E2116, 257E21171, 257E21585

Abstract:

Embodiments of the invention provide a method for depositing tungsten-containing materials. In one embodiment, a method includes forming a tungsten nucleation layer over an underlayer disposed on the substrate while sequentially providing a tungsten precursor and a reducing gas into a process chamber during an atomic layer deposition (ALD) process and depositing a tungsten bulk layer over the tungsten nucleation layer, wherein the reducing gas contains hydrogen gas and a hydride compound (e. g. , diborane) and has a hydrogen/hydride flow rate ratio of about 500:1 or greater. In some examples, the method includes flowing the hydrogen gas into the process chamber at a flow rate within a range from about 1 slm to about 20 slm and flowing a mixture of the hydride compound and a carrier gas into the process chamber at a flow rate within a range from about 50 sccm to about 500 sccm.

US Patent:

20060009034, Jan 12, 2006

Filed:

Jan 19, 2005

Appl. No.:

11/038592

Inventors:

Ken Lai - Milpitas CA, US
Ravi Rajagopalan - Sunnyvale CA, US
Amit Khandelwal - Santa Clara CA, US
Madhu Moorthy - Santa Clara CA, US
Srinivas Gandikota - Santa Clara CA, US
Joseph Castro - Fremont CA, US
Cheryl Knepfler - Fremont CA, US
Ping Jian - San Jose CA, US
Hongbin Fang - Mountain View CA, US
Chao-Ming Huang - Hsin Chu, TW
Ming Xi - Palo Alto CA, US
Michael Yang - Palo Alto CA, US
Hua Chung - San Jose CA, US
Jeong Byun - Cupertino CA, US

International Classification:

H01L 21/44

US Classification:

438680000

Abstract:

In one embodiment of the invention, a method for forming a tungsten-containing layer on a substrate is provided which includes positioning a substrate containing a barrier layer disposed thereon in a process chamber, exposing the substrate to a first soak process for a first time period and depositing a nucleation layer on the barrier layer by flowing a tungsten-containing precursor and a reductant into the process chamber. The method further includes exposing the nucleation layer to a second soak process for a second time period and depositing a bulk layer on the nucleation layer. In one example, the barrier layer contains titanium nitride, the first and second soak processes independently comprise at least one reducing gas selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, silane, disilane, dichlorosilane, borane, diborane, derivatives thereof and combinations thereof and the nucleation layer may be deposited by an atomic layer deposition process or a pulsed chemical vapor deposition process while the bulk layer may be deposited by a chemical vapor deposition process or a physical vapor deposition process.