Patent application number | Description | Published |
20090068832 | THIN FILMS - Thin films are formed by formed by atomic layer deposition, whereby the composition of the film can be varied from monolayer to monolayer during cycles including alternating pulses of self-limiting chemistries. In the illustrated embodiments, varying amounts of impurity sources are introduced during the cyclical process. A graded gate dielectric is thereby provided, even for extremely thin layers. The gate dielectric as thin as 2 nm can be varied from pure silicon oxide to oxynitride to silicon nitride. Similarly, the gate dielectric can be varied from aluminum oxide to mixtures of aluminum oxide and a higher dielectric material (e.g., ZrO | 03-12-2009 |
20090209081 | Silicon Dioxide Thin Films by ALD - Methods are provided for depositing silicon dioxide containing thin films on a substrate by atomic layer deposition ALD. By using disilane compounds as the silicon source, good deposition rates and uniformity are obtained. | 08-20-2009 |
20090246367 | METHODS FOR FORMING CARBON NANOTUBES - Methods of forming a roughened metal surface on a substrate for nucleating carbon nanotube growth, and subsequently growing carbon nanotubes are provided. In preferred embodiments roughened surfaces are formed by selectively depositing metal or metal oxide on a substrate surface to form discrete, three-dimensional islands. Selective deposition may be obtained, for example, by modifying process conditions to cause metal agglomeration or by treating the substrate surface to provide a limited number of discontinuous reactive sites. The roughened metal surface may then be used as nucleation points for initiating carbon nanotube growth. The carbon nanotubes are grown in the same process chamber (in-situ) as the formation of the three dimensional metal islands without exposing the substrate to air. | 10-01-2009 |
20090315093 | ATOMIC LAYER DEPOSITION OF METAL CARBIDE FILMS USING ALUMINUM HYDROCARBON COMPOUNDS - Methods of forming metal carbide films are provided. In some embodiments, a substrate is exposed to alternating pulses of a transition metal species and an aluminum hydrocarbon compound, such as TMA, DMAH, or TEA. The aluminum hydrocarbon compound is selected to achieve the desired properties of the metal carbide film, such as aluminum concentration, resistivity, adhesion and oxidation resistance. In some embodiments, the methods are used to form a metal carbide layer that determines the work function of a control gate in a flash memory. | 12-24-2009 |
20110146568 | MODIFICATION OF NANOIMPRINT LITHOGRAPHY TEMPLATES BY ATOMIC LAYER DEPOSITION - Methods of forming thin films on nanopatterning templates, such as nanoimprint lithography (NIL) templates are provided. In some embodiments, an atomic layer deposition (ALD) type process for modifying the surface of a NIL template comprises alternately and sequentially contacting a substrate in a reaction space with vapor phase pulses of two or more reactants. | 06-23-2011 |
20110256718 | THIN FILMS - Thin films are formed by formed by atomic layer deposition, whereby the composition of the film can be varied from monolayer to monolayer during cycles including alternating pulses of self-limiting chemistries. In the illustrated embodiments, varying amounts of impurity sources are introduced during the cyclical process. A graded gate dielectric is thereby provided, even for extremely thin layers. The gate dielectric as thin as 2 nm can be varied from pure silicon oxide to oxynitride to silicon nitride. Similarly, the gate dielectric can be varied from aluminum oxide to mixtures of aluminum oxide and a higher dielectric material (e.g., ZrO | 10-20-2011 |
20120189774 | ENHANCED DEPOSITION OF NOBLE METALS - The invention relates generally to processes for enhancing the deposition of noble metal thin films on a substrate by atomic layer deposition. Treatment with gaseous halides or metalorganic compounds reduces the incubation time for deposition of noble metals on particular surfaces. The methods may be utilized to facilitate selective deposition. For example, selective deposition of noble metals on high-k materials relative to insulators can be enhanced by pretreatment with halide reactants. In addition, halide treatment can be used to avoid deposition on the quartz walls of the reaction chamber. | 07-26-2012 |
20120270393 | METAL SILICIDE, METAL GERMANIDE, METHODS FOR MAKING THE SAME - In one aspect, methods of silicidation and germanidation are provided. In some embodiments, methods for forming metal silicide can include forming a non-oxide interface, such as germanium or solid antimony, over exposed silicon regions of a substrate. Metal oxide is formed over the interface layer. Annealing and reducing causes metal from the metal oxide to react with the underlying silicon and form metal silicide. Additionally, metal germanide can be formed by reduction of metal oxide over germanium, whether or not any underlying silicon is also silicided. In other embodiments, nickel is deposited directly and an interface layer is not used. In another aspect, methods of depositing nickel thin films by vapor phase deposition processes are provided. In some embodiments, nickel thin films are deposited by ALD. | 10-25-2012 |
20130115768 | METHODS FOR DEPOSITING NICKEL FILMS AND FOR MAKING NICKEL SILICIDE AND NICKEL GERMANIDE - In one aspect, methods of silicidation and germanidation are provided. In some embodiments, methods for forming metal silicide can include forming a non-oxide interface, such as germanium or solid antimony, over exposed silicon regions of a substrate. Metal oxide is formed over the interface layer. Annealing and reducing causes metal from the metal oxide to react with the underlying silicon and form metal silicide. Additionally, metal germanide can be formed by reduction of metal oxide over germanium, whether or not any underlying silicon is also silicided. In other embodiments, nickel is deposited directly and an interface layer is not used. In another aspect, methods of depositing nickel thin films by vapor phase deposition processes are provided. In some embodiments, nickel thin films are deposited by ALD. Nickel thin films can be used directly in silicidation and germanidation processes. | 05-09-2013 |
20130189837 | SELECTIVE FORMATION OF METALLIC FILMS ON METALLIC SURFACES - Metallic layers can be selectively deposited on surfaces of a substrate relative to a second surface of the substrate. In preferred embodiments, the metallic layers are selectively deposited on copper instead of insulating or dielectric materials. In preferred embodiments, a first precursor forms a layer or adsorbed species on the first surface and is subsequently reacted or converted to form a metallic layer. Preferably the deposition temperature is selected such that a selectivity of above about 90% is achieved. | 07-25-2013 |
20130196502 | SELECTIVE FORMATION OF METALLIC FILMS ON METALLIC SURFACES - Metallic layers can be selectively deposited on one surface of a substrate relative to a second surface of the substrate. In some embodiments, the metallic layers are selectively deposited on copper instead of insulating or dielectric materials. In some embodiments, a first precursor forms a layer on the first surface and is subsequently reacted or converted to form a metallic layer. The deposition temperature may be selected such that a selectivity of above about 50% or even about 90% is achieved. | 08-01-2013 |
20140087076 | ENHANCED DEPOSITION OF NOBLE METALS - The invention relates generally to processes for enhancing the deposition of noble metal thin films on a substrate by atomic layer deposition. Treatment with gaseous halides or metalorganic compounds reduces the incubation time for deposition of noble metals on particular surfaces. The methods may be utilized to facilitate selective deposition. For example, selective deposition of noble metals on high-k materials relative to insulators can be enhanced by pretreatment with halide reactants. In addition, halide treatment can be used to avoid deposition on the quartz walls of the reaction chamber. | 03-27-2014 |
20140127405 | ATOMIC LAYER DEPOSITION OF METAL CARBIDE FILMS USING ALUMINUM HYDROCARBON COMPOUNDS - Methods of forming metal carbide films are provided. In some embodiments, a substrate is exposed to alternating pulses of a transition metal species and an aluminum hydrocarbon compound, such as TMA, DMAH, or TEA. The aluminum hydrocarbon compound is selected to achieve the desired properties of the metal carbide film, such as aluminum concentration, resistivity, adhesion and oxidation resistance. In some embodiments, the methods are used to form a metal carbide layer that determines the work function of a control gate in a flash memory. | 05-08-2014 |
20140273477 | Si PRECURSORS FOR DEPOSITION OF SiN AT LOW TEMPERATURES - Methods and precursors for depositing silicon nitride films by atomic layer deposition (ALD) are provided. In some embodiments the silicon precursors comprise an iodine ligand. The silicon nitride films may have a relatively uniform etch rate for both vertical and the horizontal portions when deposited onto three-dimensional structures such as FinFETS or other types of multiple gate FETs. In some embodiments, various silicon nitride films of the present disclosure have an etch rate of less than half the thermal oxide removal rate with diluted HF (0.5%). | 09-18-2014 |