Abstract: Embodiments of an apparatus for generating a chemical precursor used in a vapor deposition processing system are provide which include a canister having a sidewall, a top, and a bottom forming an interior volume which is in fluid communication with an inlet port and an outlet port. The canister contains a plurality of baffles that extend from the bottom to an upper portion of the interior volume and form an extended mean flow path between the inlet port and the outlet port. In one embodiment, the baffles are contained on a prefabricated insert positioned on the bottom of the canister. In one example, an inlet tube may extend from the inlet port into the interior region and be positioned substantially parallel to the baffles. An outlet end of the inlet tube may be adapted to direct a gas flow away from the outlet port, such as towards the sidewall or top of the canister.

Abstract: A method of forming barrier layers in a via hole extending through an inter-level dielectric layer and including a preformed first barrier coated onto the bottom and sidewalls of the via holes. In a single plasma sputter reactor, a first step sputters the wafer rather than the target with high energy ions to remove the barrier layer from the bottom of the via but not from the sidewalls and a second step sputter deposits a second barrier layer, for example of Ta/TaN, onto the via bottom and sidewalls. The two steps may be differentiated by power applied to the target, by chamber pressure, or by wafer bias. The second step may include the simultaneous removal of the first barrier layer from the via bottom and sputter deposition of the second barrier layer onto the via sidewalls.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention provide a method and an apparatus for generating a gaseous chemical precursor for a processing system. In one embodiment, an apparatus for generating the gaseous chemical precursor used in a vapor deposition processing system is provided and includes a canister having a sidewall, a top, and a bottom encompassing an interior volume therein, an inlet port and an outlet port in fluid communication with the interior volume, and an inlet tube extending from the inlet port into the canister, wherein the inlet tube contains an outlet positioned to direct a gas flow away from the outlet port and towards the sidewall of 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 input line and the outlet line.

Abstract: An ampoule assembly is configured with a bypass line and valve to allow the purging of the lines and valves connected to the ampoule. The ampoule assembly, in one embodiment, includes an ampoule, an inlet line, an outlet line, and a bypass line connected between the inlet line and the outlet line, the bypass line having a shut-off valve disposed therein to fluidly couple or decouple the inlet line and the outlet line. The shut-off valve disposed in the bypass line may be remotely controllable. Also, additional remotely controllable shut-off valves may be provided in the inlet and the outlet lines.

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 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 present invention are directed to an apparatus for generating a precursor for a semiconductor processing system (320). The apparatus includes a canister (300) having a sidewall (402), a top portion and a bottom portion. The canister (300) defines an interior volume (438) having an upper region (418) and a lower region (434). In one embodiment, the apparatus further includes a heater (430) partially surrounding the canister (300). The heater (430) creates a temperature gradient between the upper region (418) and the lower region (434). Also claimed is a method of forming a barrier layer from purified pentakis (dimethylamido) tantalum, for example a tantalum nitride barrier layer by atomic layer deposition.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention provide processes for depositing a cobalt layer on a barrier layer and subsequently depositing a conductive material, such as copper or a copper alloy, thereon. In one embodiment, a method for depositing materials on a substrate surface is provided which includes forming a barrier layer on a substrate, exposing the substrate to dicobalt hexacarbonyl butylacetylene (CCTBA) and hydrogen to form a cobalt layer on the barrier layer during a vapor deposition process (e.g., CVD or ALD), and depositing a conductive material over the cobalt layer. In some examples, the barrier layer and/or the cobalt layer may be exposed to a gas or a reagent during a treatment process, such as a thermal process, an in situ plasma process, or a remote plasma process.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention provide a method and an apparatus for generating a gaseous chemical precursor for a processing system. In one embodiment, an apparatus for generating the gaseous chemical precursor used in a vapor deposition processing system is provided and includes a canister having a sidewall, a top, and a bottom encompassing an interior volume therein, an inlet port and an outlet port in fluid communication with the interior volume, and an inlet tube extending from the inlet port into the canister, wherein the inlet tube contains an outlet positioned to direct a gas flow away from the outlet port and towards the sidewall of the canister.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention described herein generally provide methods for forming cobalt silicide layers and metallic cobalt layers by using various deposition processes and annealing processes. In one embodiment, a method for forming a metallic silicide containing material on a substrate is provided which includes forming a metallic silicide material over a silicon-containing surface during a vapor deposition process by sequentially depositing a plurality of metallic silicide layers and silyl layers on the substrate, depositing a metallic capping layer over the metallic silicide material, heating the substrate during an annealing process, and depositing a metallic contact material over the barrier material. In one example, the metallic silicide layers and the metallic capping layer both contain cobalt. The cobalt silicide material may contain a silicon/cobalt atomic ratio of about 1.9 or greater, such as greater than about 2.0, or about 2.2 or greater.

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 plasma baffle assembly for receiving a process gas within a plasma-enhanced vapor deposition chamber is provided which includes a plasma baffle plate containing an upper surface to receive a process gas and a lower surface to emit the process gas, a plurality of openings configured to flow the process gas from above the upper surface to below the lower surface, wherein each opening is positioned at a predetermined angle of a vertical axis that is perpendicular to the lower surface, and a conical nose cone on the upper surface. In one example, the openings are slots positioned at a predetermined angle to emit the process gas with a circular flow pattern.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention described herein generally provide methods for forming cobalt silicide layers and metallic cobalt layers by using various deposition processes and annealing processes. In one embodiment, a method for forming a cobalt silicide material on a substrate is provided which includes treating the substrate with at least one preclean process to expose a silicon-containing surface, depositing a cobalt silicide material over the silicon-containing surface, and depositing a copper material over the cobalt silicide material. In another embodiment, a metallic cobalt material may be deposited over the cobalt silicide material prior to depositing the copper material. In one example, the copper material may be formed by depositing a copper seed layer and a copper bulk layer on the substrate. The copper seed layer may be deposited by a PVD process and the copper bulk layer may be deposited by an ECP process or an electroless deposition process.

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.

Abstract: In one embodiment, an apparatus for generating a gaseous chemical precursor used in a vapor deposition processing system is provided which includes a canister comprising a sidewall, a top, and a bottom encompassing an interior volume therein, an inlet port and an outlet port in fluid communication with the interior volume, and an inlet tube extending from the inlet port into the canister. The apparatus further may contain a plurality of baffles within the interior volume extending between the top and the bottom of the canister, and a precursor slurry contained within the interior volume, wherein the precursor slurry contains a solid precursor material and a thermally conductive material that is unreactive towards the solid precursor material. In one example, the solid precursor material solid precursor material is pentakis(dimethylamino) tantalum.

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.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention provide an apparatus and a process for generating a chemical precursor used in a vapor deposition processing system. The apparatus includes a canister (e.g., ampoule) having a sidewall, a top, and a bottom encompassing an interior volume therein, inlet and outlet ports in fluid communication with the interior volume, and a thermally conductive coating disposed on or over the outside surface of the canister. The thermally conductive coating is more thermally conductive than the outside surface of the canister. The thermally conductive coating may contain aluminum, aluminum nitride, copper, brass, silver, titanium, silicon nitride, or alloys thereof. In some embodiments, an adhesion layer (e.g., titanium or tantalum) may be disposed between the outside surface of the canister and the thermally conductive coating. In other embodiments, the canister may contain a plurality of baffles or solid heat-transfer particles to help evenly heat a solid precursor therein.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention provide a method for monitoring and controlling delivery of a precursor from an ampoule in a process chamber. In one embodiment, the method provides flowing a first carrier gas at a first flow rate through a vessel containing a chemical precursor to form a first precursor gas, combining a second carrier gas at a second flow rate and the first precursor gas to form a second precursor gas, measuring a concentration of the chemical precursor within the second precursor gas, and calculating a mass flow rate of the chemical precursor. In one example, a tantalum-containing film is deposited on a substrate during an atomic layer deposition process by heating an ampoule containing pentakis(dimethylamido) tantalum to a temperature within a range from about 60° C. to about 75° C., and forming a precursor gas by flowing a carrier gas through the ampoule.

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 input line and the outlet line.

Abstract: An ampoule assembly is configured with a bypass line and valve to allow the purging of the lines and valves connected to the ampoule. The ampoule assembly, in one embodiment, includes an ampoule, an inlet line, an outlet line, and a bypass line connected between the inlet line and the outlet line, the bypass line having a shut-off valve disposed therein to fluidly couple or decouple the inlet line and the outlet line. The shut-off valve disposed in the bypass line may be remotely controllable. Also, additional remotely controllable shut-off valves may be provided in the inlet and the outlet lines.