Method for forming introgen-containing oxide thin film using plasma enhanced atomic layer deposition

Abstract

A method for forming a nitrogen-containing oxide thin film by using plasma enhanced atomic layer deposition is provided. In the method, the nitrogen-containing oxide thin film is deposited by supplying a metal source compound and oxygen gas into a reactor in a cyclic fashion with sequential alternating pulses of the metal source compound and the oxygen gas, wherein the oxygen gas is activated into plasma in synchronization of the pulsing thereof, and a nitrogen source gas is further sequentially pulsed into the reactor and activated into plasma over the substrate in synchronization with the pulsing thereof. According to the method, a dense nitrogen-containing oxide thin film can be deposited at a high rate, and a trace of nitrogen atoms can be incorporated in situ into the nitrogen-containing oxide thin film, thereby increasing the breakdown voltage of the film.

Description

[0001] This application claims priority from Korean Patent Application No. 2002-64524, filed on Oct. 22, 2002, in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein in its entirety by reference.[0002] 1. Field of the Invention[0003] The present invention relates to a method for forming an insulating thin film in the manufacture of a variety of electronic devices, and more particularly, to a method for forming a metal oxide thin film using atomic layer deposition (ALD).[0004] 2. Description of the Related Art[0005] Generally, insulating films for electronic devices have been formed using physical vapor deposition (PVD) or chemical vapor deposition (CVD). Recently, the application of atomic layer deposition (ALD) in forming such insulating films is gradually increasing. As is well known, rather than simultaneously supplying source gases into a reactor, ALD involves sequentially alternating pulses of different kinds of source gases to form a thin fi...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The present invention provides a method for forming an insulating layer with a large dielectric constant and high breakdown voltage even with a small thickness. This is achieved by incorporating nitrogen atoms into a metal oxide thin film using plasma based on atomic layer deposition (ALD). The resulting thin film has improved breakdown characteristics and can be used as a dielectric film for gate dielectric or memory dielectric layers of semiconductor devices, as well as for passivation purposes in electronic devices. It is also suitable for use as an insulating layer in electroluminescence devices.

Problems solved by technology

In general, when using a high-dielectric thin film, the breakdown voltage becomes low, and the leakage current becomes high.

When a thin film is formed using plasma, the resulting thin film becomes dense, and the breakdown voltage becomes high.

However, when a breakdown occurs in an insulating layer having a high dielectric constant by a high electric field applied to induce luminescence, the breakdown spreads, causing current leakage and dispersing the electric field.

However, it causes the problem of an increase in the threshold voltage of devices.

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