Abstract: Metal gate structures and methods for forming thereof are provided herein. In some embodiments, a method for forming a metal gate structure on a substrate having a feature formed in a high k dielectric layer may include depositing a first layer within the feature atop the dielectric layer; depositing a second layer comprising cobalt or nickel within the feature atop the first layer; and depositing a third layer comprising a metal within the feature atop the second layer to fill the feature, wherein at least one of the first or second layers forms a wetting layer to form a nucleation layer for a subsequently deposited layer, wherein one of the first, second, or third layers forms a work function layer, and wherein the third layer forms a gate electrode.

Abstract: Embodiments described herein are directed to an apparatus for generating a precursor for a semiconductor processing system. In one embodiment, an apparatus for generating a precursor gas during a vapor deposition process is described. The apparatus includes a canister containing an interior volume between a lid and a bottom, a gaseous inlet and a gaseous outlet disposed on the lid, a plurality of silos coupled to the bottom and extending from a lower region to an upper region of the interior volume, and a tantalum precursor having a chlorine concentration of about 5 ppm or less contained within the lower region of the canister.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention generally provide methods for depositing metal-containing materials and compositions thereof. The methods include deposition processes that form metal, metal carbide, metal silicide, metal nitride, and metal carbide derivatives by a vapor deposition process, including thermal decomposition, CVD, pulsed-CVD, or ALD.

Abstract: The invention provides a method of forming a film stack on a substrate, comprising depositing a tungsten nitride layer on the substrate, subjecting the substrate to a nitridation treatment using active nitrogen species from a remote plasma, and depositing a conductive bulk layer directly on the tungsten nitride layer without depositing a tungsten nucleation layer on the tungsten nitride layer as a growth site for tungsten.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention described herein generally provide methods and apparatuses for forming cobalt silicide layers, metallic cobalt layers, and other cobalt-containing materials. In one embodiment, a method for forming a cobalt silicide containing material on a substrate is provided which includes exposing a substrate to at least one preclean process to expose a silicon-containing surface, depositing a cobalt silicide material on the silicon-containing surface, depositing a metallic cobalt material on the cobalt silicide material, and depositing a metallic contact material on the substrate. In another embodiment, a method includes exposing a substrate to at least one preclean process to expose a silicon-containing surface, depositing a cobalt silicide material on the silicon-containing surface, expose the substrate to an annealing process, depositing a barrier material on the cobalt silicide material, and depositing a metallic contact material on the barrier material.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention generally provide methods for forming cobalt silicide. In one embodiment, a method for forming a cobalt silicide material includes exposing a substrate having a silicon-containing material to either a wet etch solution or a pre-clean plasma during a first step and then to a hydrogen plasma during a second step of a pre-clean process. The method further includes depositing a cobalt metal layer on the silicon-containing material by a CVD process, heating the substrate to form a first cobalt silicide layer comprising CoSi at the interface of the cobalt metal layer and the silicon-containing material during a first annealing process, removing any unreacted cobalt metal from the substrate during an etch process, and heating the substrate to form a second cobalt silicide layer comprising CoSi2 during a second annealing process.

Abstract: A method of ruthenium layer formation for high aspect ratios, interconnect features is described. The ruthenium layer is formed using a cyclical deposition process. The invention generally provides a method of forming a film on a substrate surface including positioning a substrate within a process chamber, exposing a ruthenium-containing compound to the substrate surface, purging the process chamber with a purge gas, reducing the ruthenium-containing compound with a reductant to form a ruthenium layer on the substrate surface and purging the process chamber with the purge gas. The ruthenium-containing compound is selected from the group consisting of bis(dialkylpentadienyl)ruthenium compounds, bis(alkylpentadienyl) ruthenium compounds, bis(pentadienyl)ruthenium compounds, and combinations thereof.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention provide an apparatus configured to form a material during an atomic layer deposition (ALD) process, such as a plasma-enhanced ALD (PE-ALD) process. In one embodiment, a lid assembly for conducting a vapor deposition process within a process chamber is provided which includes an insulation cap and a plasma screen. In one example, the insulation cap has a centralized channel configured to flow a first process gas from an upper surface to an expanded channel and an outer channel configured to flow a second process gas from an upper surface to a groove which is encircling the expanded channel. In one example, the plasma screen has an upper surface containing an inner area with a plurality of holes and an outer area with a plurality of slots. The insulation cap may be positioned on top of the plasma screen to form a centralized gas region with the expanded channel and a circular gas region with the groove.

Abstract: A semiconductor processing chamber is cleaned by introducing a cleaning gas into a processing chamber, striking a plasma in a remote plasma source that is in communication with the processing chamber, measuring the impedance of the plasma, vaporizing a ruthenium containing deposit on a surface of the processing chamber to form a ruthenium containing gas mixture, and flowing the gas mixture through an analyzer and into an exhaust collection assembly. The measurement of the impedance of the plasma in combination with the ruthenium concentration provides an accurate indication of chamber cleanliness.

Abstract: Embodiments described herein provide ampoule assemblies to contain, store, or dispense chemical precursors. In one embodiment, an ampoule assembly is provided which includes an ampoule containing a first material layer disposed on the outside of the ampoule and a second material layer disposed over the first material layer, wherein the first material layer is thermally more conductive than the second material layer, an inlet line in fluid communication with the ampoule and containing a first manual shut-off valve disposed therein, an outlet line in fluid communication with the ampoule and containing a second manual shut-off valve disposed therein, and a first bypass line connected between the inlet line and the outlet line. In some embodiments, the ampoule assembly may contain disconnect fittings. In other embodiments, the first bypass line has a shut-off valve disposed therein to fluidly couple or decouple the inlet line and the outlet line.

Abstract: Embodiments are related to ampoule assemblies containing bypass lines and valves. In one embodiment, ampoule assembly is provided which includes inlet and outlet lines coupled with and in fluid communication to an ampoule body, a bypass line connected between the inlet and outlet lines and containing a bypass valve disposed therein. The ampoule assembly further contains a shut-off valve disposed in the inlet line between the ampoule body and a connection point of the bypass line and the inlet line, a shut-off valve disposed in the outlet line between the ampoule body and a connection point of the bypass line and the outlet line, another shut-off valve disposed in the inlet line between the ampoule body and a disconnect fitting disposed on the inlet line, and another shut-off valve disposed in the outlet line between the ampoule body and a disconnect fitting disposed on the outlet line.

Abstract: Embodiments provide a method for depositing or forming titanium aluminum nitride materials during a vapor deposition process, such as atomic layer deposition (ALD) or plasma-enhanced ALD (PE-ALD). In some embodiments, a titanium aluminum nitride material is formed by sequentially exposing a substrate to a titanium precursor and a nitrogen plasma to form a titanium nitride layer, exposing the titanium nitride layer to a plasma treatment process, and exposing the titanium nitride layer to an aluminum precursor while depositing an aluminum layer thereon. The process may be repeated multiple times to deposit a plurality of titanium nitride and aluminum layers. Subsequently, the substrate may be annealed to form the titanium aluminum nitride material from the plurality of layers. In other embodiments, the titanium aluminum nitride material may be formed by sequentially exposing the substrate to the nitrogen plasma and a deposition gas which contains the titanium and aluminum precursors.

Abstract: A bridge assembly includes an electrically insulating hollow tube or bridge having a pair of ends, the bridge being supported at one of the ends over the cylindrical side wall and being supported at the other of the ends over the electrode. The bridge assembly further includes a set of conductive rings surrounding the hollow tube and spaced from one another along the length of the bridge, and plural electrically resistive elements. Each of the resistive elements has a pair of flexible connectors, respective ones the resistive elements connected at their flexible connectors between respective pairs of the rings to form a series resistor assembly.

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.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for generating gas for a processing system is provided. In one embodiment, an apparatus for generating gas for a processing system includes a canister having at least one baffle disposed between two ports and containing a precursor material. The precursor material is adapted to produce a gas vapor when heated to a defined temperature at a defined pressure. The baffle forces a carrier gas to travel an extended mean path between the inlet and outlet ports. In another embodiment, an apparatus for generating gas includes a canister having a tube that directs a carrier gas flowing into the canister away from a precursor material disposed within the canister.

Abstract: Embodiments described herein provide ampoule assemblies to contain, store, or dispense chemical precursors. In one embodiment, an ampoule assembly is provided which includes an ampoule containing a first material layer disposed on the outside of the ampoule and a second material layer disposed over the first material layer, wherein the first material layer is thermally more conductive than the second material layer, an inlet line in fluid communication with the ampoule and containing a first manual shut-off valve disposed therein, an outlet line in fluid communication with the ampoule and containing a second manual shut-off valve disposed therein, and a first bypass line connected between the inlet line and the outlet line. In some embodiments, the ampoule assembly may contain disconnect fittings. In other embodiments, the first bypass line has a shut-off valve disposed therein to fluidly couple or decouple the inlet line and the outlet line.

Abstract: Embodiments are related to ampoule assemblies containing bypass lines and valves. In one embodiment, ampoule assembly is provided which includes inlet and outlet lines coupled with and in fluid communication to an ampoule body, a bypass line connected between the inlet and outlet lines and containing a bypass valve disposed therein. The ampoule assembly further contains a shut-off valve disposed in the inlet line between the ampoule body and a connection point of the bypass line and the inlet line, a shut-off valve disposed in the outlet line between the ampoule body and a connection point of the bypass line and the outlet line, another shut-off valve disposed in the inlet line between the ampoule body and a disconnect fitting disposed on the inlet line, and another shut-off valve disposed in the outlet line between the ampoule body and a disconnect fitting disposed on the outlet line.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention provide processes to selectively form a cobalt layer on a copper surface over exposed dielectric surfaces. In one embodiment, a method for capping a copper surface on a substrate is provided which includes positioning a substrate within a processing chamber, wherein the substrate contains a contaminated copper surface and a dielectric surface, exposing the contaminated copper surface to a reducing agent while forming a copper surface during a pre-treatment process, exposing the substrate to a cobalt precursor gas to selectively form a cobalt capping layer over the copper surface while leaving exposed the dielectric surface during a vapor deposition process, and depositing a dielectric barrier layer over the cobalt capping layer and the dielectric surface.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention provide chemical precursor ampoules that may be used during vapor deposition processes. In one embodiment, an apparatus for generating a chemical precursor gas used in a vapor deposition processing system is provided which includes a canister having a sidewall, a top, and a bottom forming an interior volume and a solid precursor material at least partially contained within a lower region of the interior volume. The apparatus further contains an inlet port and an outlet port in fluid communication with the interior volume and an inlet tube connected to the inlet port and positioned to direct a carrier gas towards the sidewall and away form the outlet port. In one example, the solid precursor contains pentakis(dimethylamido) tantalum (PDMAT). In another example, the apparatus contains a plurality of baffles that form an extended mean flow path between the inlet port and the outlet port.