367 results about "Tungsten nitride" patented technology

Embodiments of the invention provide a method for forming a material on a substrate during an atomic layer deposition (ALD) process, such as a plasma-enhanced ALD (PE-ALD) process. In one embodiment, a method is provided which includes flowing at least one process gas through at least one conduit to form a circular gas flow pattern, exposing a substrate to the circular gas flow pattern, sequentially pulsing at least one chemical precursor into the process gas and igniting a plasma from the process gas to deposit a material on the substrate. In one example, the circular gas flow pattern has circular geometry of a vortex, a helix, a spiral, or a derivative thereof. Materials that may be deposited by the method include ruthenium, tantalum, tantalum nitride, tungsten or tungsten nitride. Other embodiments of the invention provide an apparatus configured to form the material during the PE-ALD process.

Methods for depositing a tungsten nitride layer are described. The methods form a tungsten nitride layer using a carefully controlled deposition technique such as pulsed nucleation layer (PNL). Initially, a tungsten layer is formed on a substrate surface. The tungsten layer is then exposed to a nitriding agent to form a tungsten nitride layer. Methods of forming relatively thick layers of involve repeated cycles of contact with reducing agent, tungsten precursor and nitriding agent. In some cases, the cycle may also include contact with a dopant precursor such as phosphine or arsine.

The invention provides a method for preparing ethylene glycol and 1,2-propylene glycol by using a high-concentration saccharide solution. Reaction raw materials comprise cane sugar, glucose, fructose, fructosan, xylose, soluble lower polyxylose and soluble starch. According to the method, high-concentration saccharide is used as a reaction raw material, and a high-pressure pump feeding mode is used in a reaction process which is performed in a high-pressure reaction kettle; iron, cobalt, nickel, ruthenium, rhodium, palladium, iridium and platinum which serve as transition metal in eighth, ninth and tenth groups are used as hydrogenation active ingredients; the hydrogenation active ingredients form a composite catalyst together with metal tungsten, tungsten carbide, tungsten nitride, tungsten phosphide, tungsten oxide, tungsten sulfide, tungsten chloride, tungsten hydroxide, tungsten bronze, tungstic acid, tungstate, metatungstic acid, metatungstate, paratungstic acid, paratungstate, peroxotungstic acid, peroxotungstate and tungsten-containing heteropolyacid which serve as catalytic active ingredients; and the high-concentration saccharide solution can be efficiently prepared into the ethylene glycol and the propylene glycol at high selectivity and high yield in a one-step catalytic conversion process under the hydrothermal condition that the temperature is 120 to 300 DEG C and the hydrogen pressure is 1 to 13MPa. By the method, the problem of coking of the high-concentration saccharide in the catalytic conversion process can be effectively solved, and high-concentration ethylene glycol and propylene glycol can be prepared by the high-concentration saccharide.

The present method provides tools for growing conformal metal nitride, metal carbide and metal thin films, and nanolaminate structures incorporating these films, from aggressive chemicals. The amount of corrosive chemical compounds, such as hydrogen halides, is reduced during the deposition of transition metal, transition metal carbide and transition metal nitride thin films on various surfaces, such as metals and oxides. Getter compounds protect surfaces sensitive to hydrogen halides and ammonium halides, such as aluminum, copper, silicon oxide and the layers being deposited, against corrosion. Nanolaminate structures (20) incorporating metal nitrides, such as titanium nitride (30) and tungsten nitride (40), and metal carbides, and methods for forming the same, are also disclosed.

Embodiments of the invention provide an improved process for depositing tungsten-containing materials. The process utilizes soak processes and vapor deposition processes to provide tungsten films having significantly improved surface uniformity while increasing the production level throughput. In one embodiment, a method is provided which includes depositing a tungsten silicide layer on the substrate by exposing the substrate to a continuous flow of a silicon precursor while also exposing the substrate to intermittent pulses of a tungsten precursor. The method further provides that the substrate is exposed to the silicon and tungsten precursors which have a silicon / tungsten precursor flow rate ratio of greater than 1, for example, about 2, about 3, or greater. Subsequently, the method provides depositing a tungsten nitride layer on the tungsten suicide layer, depositing a tungsten nucleation layer on the tungsten nitride layer, and depositing a tungsten bulk layer on the tungsten nucleation layer.

The present invention provides improved methods of depositing tungsten-containing films on substrates, particularly on silicon substrates. The methods involve depositing an interfacial or “flash” layer of tungsten on the silicon prior to deposition of tungsten nitride. The tungsten flash layer is typically deposited by a CVD reaction of a tungsten precursor and a reducing agent. According to various embodiments, the tungsten flash layer may be deposited with a high reducing agent to tungsten-precursor ratio and / or at low temperature to reduce attack by the tungsten precursor. In many cases, the substrate is a semiconductor wafer or a partially fabricated semiconductor wafer. Applications include depositing tungsten nitride as (or as part of) a diffusion barrier and / or adhesion layer for tungsten contacts.

A hydrogen diffusion barrier in an integrated circuit is located to inhibit diffusion of hydrogen to a thin film of metal oxide material in an integrated circuit. The hydrogen diffusion barrier comprises at least one of the following nitrides: aluminum titanium nitride (Al2Ti3N6), aluminum silicon nitride (Al2Si3N6), aluminum niobium nitride (AlNb3N6), aluminum tantalum nitride (AlTa3N6), aluminum copper nitride (Al2Cu3N4), tungsten nitride (WN), and copper nitride (Cu3N2). The thin film of metal oxide is ferroelectric or high-dielectric, nonferroelectric material. Preferably, the metal oxide comprises ferroelectric layered superlattice material. Preferably, the hydrogen barrier layer is located directly over the thin film of metal oxide.

Methods of improving the adhesion of low resistivity tungsten / tungsten nitride layers are provided. Low resistivity tungsten / tungsten nitride layers with good adhesion are formed by treating a tungsten or tungsten nitride layer before depositing low resistivity tungsten. Treatments include a plasma treatment and a temperature treatment. According to various embodiments, the treatment methods involve different gaseous atmospheres and plasma conditions.

The present invention provides improved methods of depositing tungsten-containing films on substrates, particularly on silicon substrates. The methods involve depositing an interfacial or “flash” layer of tungsten on the silicon prior to deposition of tungsten nitride. The tungsten flash layer is typically deposited by a CVD reaction of a tungsten precursor and a reducing agent. According to various embodiments, the tungsten flash layer may be deposited with a high reducing agent to tungsten-precursor ratio and / or at low temperature to reduce attack by the tungsten precursor. In many cases, the substrate is a semiconductor wafer or a partially fabricated semiconductor wafer. Applications include depositing tungsten nitride as (or as part of) a diffusion barrier and / or adhesion layer for tungsten contacts.

Methods of improving the adhesion of low resistivity tungsten / tungsten nitride layers are provided. Low resistivity tungsten / tungsten nitride layers with good adhesion are formed by treating a tungsten or tungsten nitride layer before depositing low resistivity tungsten. Treatments include a plasma treatment and a temperature treatment. According to various embodiments, the treatment methods involve different gaseous atmospheres and plasma conditions.

This invention relates to contact structures for use in integrated circuits and methods of fabricating contact structures. In one embodiment, a contact structure includes a conductive layer, one or more barrier layers formed above the conductive layer, and a barrier structure encircling the polysilicon layer and the one or more barrier layers. In an alternate embodiment, a contact structure is fabricated by forming a polysilicon layer on a substrate, forming a tungsten nitride layer above the polysilicon layer, and etching the polysilicon layer and the tungsten nitride layer to a level below the surface of a substrate structure. A silicon nitride layer is formed above the tungsten nitride layer, and a ruthenium silicide layer is formed above the silicon nitride layer. The ruthenium silicide layer is then polished.

A method of fabricating an interconnect structure (e.g., dual damascene interconnect structure, and the like) of an integrated circuit device is disclosed. The interconnect structure is fabricated using a bi-layer mask comprising an imaging film and an organic planarizing film. The bi-layer mask is used to remove lithographic misalignment between a contact hole, a trench, and an underlying conductive line when the interconnect structure is formed. Additionally, a sacrificial layer may be used to protect an inter-metal dielectric (IMD) layer during subsequent planarization of the interconnect structure. The sacrificial layer may be formed of amorphous silicon (Si), titanium nitride (TiN), tungsten (W), and the like. The interconnect structure may be formed of a metal (e.g., copper (Cu), aluminum (Al), tantalum (Ti), tungsten (W), titanium (Ti), and the like) or a conductive compound (e.g., tantalum nitride (TaN), titanium nitride (TiN), tungsten nitride (WN), and the like).

A method of forming an interconnect structure comprising: forming a sacrificial inter-metal dielectric (IMD) layer over a substrate, wherein the sacrificial IMD layer comprising a carbon-based film, such as amorphous carbon, advanced patterning films, porous carbon, or any combination thereof; forming a plurality of metal interconnect lines within the sacrificial IMD layer; removing the sacrificial IMD layer, with an oxygen based reactive process; and depositing a non-conformal dielectric layer to form air gaps between the plurality of metal interconnect lines. The metal interconnect lines may comprise copper, aluminum, tantalum, tungsten, titanium, tantalum nitride, titanium nitride, tungsten nitride, or any combination thereof. Carbon-based films and patterned photoresist layers may be simultaneously removed with the same reactive process. Highly reactive hydrogen radicals processes may be used to remove the carbon-based film and simultaneously pre-clean the metal interconnect lines prior to the deposition of a conformal metal barrier liner.