Abstract: A method for depositing doped polycrystalline or amorphous silicon film. The method includes placing a substrate onto a susceptor. The susceptor includes a body having a resistive heater therein and a thermocouple in physical contact with the resistive heater. The susceptor is located in the process chamber such that the process chamber has a top portion above the susceptor and a bottom portion below the susceptor. The method further includes heating the susceptor. The method further includes providing a process gas mix into the process chamber through a shower head located on the susceptor. The process gas mix includes a silicon source gas, a dopant gas, and a carrier gas. The carrier gas includes nitrogen. The method further includes forming the doped silicon film from the silicon source gas.

Abstract: A method for depositing a tungsten nitride layer is provided. The method includes a cyclical process of alternately adsorbing a tungsten-containing compound and a nitrogen-containing compound on a substrate. The barrier layer has a reduced resistivity, lower concentration of fluorine, and can be deposited at any desired thickness, such as less than 100 angstroms, to minimize the amount of barrier layer material.

Abstract: The present invention describes a method and apparatus for forming a uniform silicon containing film in a single wafer reactor. According to the present invention, a silicon containing film is deposited in a resistively heated single wafer chamber utilizing a process gas having a silicon source gas and which provides an activation energy less than 0.5 eV at a temperature between 750° C.-550° C.

Abstract: Provided herein is an emissivity-change-free pumping plate kit used in a single wafer chamber. This kit comprises a top open pumping plate, and optionally a skirt and/or a second stage choking plate. The skirt may be installed around the wafer heater, underneath the wafer heater, or along the chamber body inside the chamber. The choking plate is installed downstream of the top open pumping plate along the purge gas flow. Also provided is a method of preventing emissivity change and further providing optimal film thickness uniformity during wafer processing by utilizing such kit in the chamber.

Abstract: A method for depositing doped polycrystalline or amorphous silicon film. The method includes placing a substrate onto a susceptor. The susceptor includes a body having a resistive heater therein and a thermocouple in physical contact with the resistive heater. The susceptor is located in the process chamber such that the process chamber has a top portion above the susceptor and a bottom portion below the susceptor. The method further includes heating the susceptor. The method further includes providing a process gas mix into the process chamber through a shower head located on the susceptor. The process gas mix includes a silicon source gas, a dopant gas, and a carrier gas. The carrier gas includes nitrogen. The method further includes forming the doped silicon film from the silicon source gas.

Abstract: A silicon nitride layer is formed over transistor gates while the processing temperature is relatively high, typically at least 500° C., and the pressure is relatively high, typically at least 50 Torr, to obtain a relatively high rate of formation of the silicon nitride layer. Processing conditions are controlled so as to more uniformly form the silicon nitride layer. Generally, the ratio of the NH3 gas to the silicon-containing gas by volume is selected sufficiently high so that, should the surface have a low region between transistor gates which is less than 0.15 microns wide and have a height-to-width ratio of at least 1.0, as well as an entirely flat area of at least 5 microns by 5 microns, the layer forms at a rate of not more than 25% faster on the flat area than on a base of the low region.

Abstract: A method of forming thick titanium nitride films with low resistivity. Using a thermal chemical vapor deposition reaction between ammonia (NH3) and titanium tetrachloride (TiCl4), a titanium nitride film is formed at a temperature of less than about 600° C., and an NH3:TiCl4 ratio greater than about 5. The deposited TiN film is then treated in a hydrogen-containing plasma such as that generated from molecular hydrogen (H2). This results in a thick titanium nitride film with low resistivity and good step coverage. The deposition and plasma treatment steps may be repeated for additional cycles to form a thick, composite titanium nitride film of desired thickness, which is suitable for use in plug fill or capacitor structure applications.

Abstract: A method of forming a titanium nitride (TiN) layer using a reaction between ammonia (NH3) and titanium tetrachloride (TiCl4). In one embodiment, an NH3:TiCl4 ratio of about 8.5 is used to deposit a TiN layer at a temperature of about 500° C. at a pressure of about 20 torr. In another embodiment, a composite TiN layer is formed by alternately depositing TiN layers of different thicknesses, using process conditions having different NH3:TiCl4 ratios. In one preferred embodiment, a TiN layer of less than about 20 Å is formed at an NH3:TiCl4 ratio of about 85, followed by a deposition of a thicker TiN layer at an NH3:TiCl4 ratio of about 8.5. By repeating the alternate film deposition using the two different process conditions, a composite TiN layer is formed. This composite TiN layer has an improved overall step coverage and reduced stress, compared to a standard TiN process, and is suitable for small geometry plug fill applications.

Abstract: A method for film deposition that includes, flowing a first reactive gas over a top surface of a wafer in a cold wall single wafer process chamber to form a first half-layer of the film on the wafer, stopping the flow of the first reactive gas, removing residual first reactive gas from the cold wall single wafer process chamber, flowing a second reactive gas over the first half-layer to form a second half-layer of the film where deposition of the second half-layer is non self-limiting, controlling a thickness of the second half-layer by regulating process parameters within the cold wall single wafer process chamber, stopping the flow of the second reactive gas; and removing residual second reactive gas from the cold wall single wafer process chamber.

Abstract: A bi-layer silicon electrode and its method of fabrication is described. The electrode of the present invention comprises a lower polysilicon film having a random grain microstructure, and an upper polysilicon film having a columnar grain microstructure.

Abstract: A method of forming a silicide layer in contact with a silicon substrate. The method comprises forming the silicide layer by supplying a silicon-containing source that is different from the silicon substrate, such that the silicon in the silicide layer originates primarily from the silicon-containing source.

Abstract: A method of forming a film structure (e.g., film stack) comprising titanium (Ti) and titanium nitride (TiN) films is disclosed. In one aspect of the invention, a titanium silicide (TiSix) layer is formed on a Ti film, followed by deposition of a TiN film on the TiSix layer. The TiSix layer protects the underlying Ti film from chemical attack by TiCl4-based chemistry during subsequent TiN layer deposition. In another aspect of the invention, a cap layer of TiN is deposited between the Ti and TiN layers of a Ti/TiN film structure. The TiN cap layer inhibits chlorine migration from the overlying TiN layer into an underlying contact region, such as, for example, the source or drain of a transistor.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for depositing a boron insitu doped amorphous or polycrystalline silicon film on a substrate. According to the present invention, a substrate is placed into deposition chamber. A reactant gas mix comprising a silicon source gas, boron source gas, and a carrier gas is fed into the deposition chamber. The carrier gas is fed into the deposition chamber at a rate so that the residence of the carrier gas in the deposition chamber is less then or equal to 3 seconds or alternatively has a velocity of at least 4 inches/sec. In another embodiment of forming a boron doped amorphous for polycrystalline silicon film a substrate is placed into a deposition chamber. The substrate is heated to a deposition temperature between 580-750° C. and the chamber pressure reduced to a deposition pressure of less than or equal to 50 torr. A silicon source gas is fed into the deposition at a rate to provide a silicon source gas partial pressure of between 1-5 torr.

Abstract: A method for depositing doped polycrystalline or amorphous silicon film. The method includes placing a substrate onto a susceptor. The susceptor includes a body having a resistive heater therein and a thermocouple in physical contact with the resistive heater. The susceptor is located in the process chamber such that the process chamber has a top portion above the susceptor and a bottom portion below the susceptor. The method further includes heating the susceptor. The method further includes providing a process gas mix into the process chamber through a shower head located on the susceptor. The process gas mix includes a silicon source gas, a dopant gas, and a carrier gas. The carrier gas includes nitrogen. The method further includes forming the doped silicon film from the silicon source gas.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for depositing a boron insitu doped amorphous or polycrystalline silicon film on a substrate. According to the present invention, a substrate is placed into deposition chamber. A reactant gas mix comprising a silicon source gas, boron source gas, and a carrier gas is fed into the deposition chamber. The carrier gas is fed into the deposition chamber at a rate so that the residence of the carrier gas in the deposition chamber is less then or equal to 3 seconds or alternatively has a velocity of at least 4 inches/sec.

Abstract: A method of forming thick titanium nitride films with low resistivity. Using a thermal chemical vapor deposition reaction between ammonia (NH3) and titanium tetrachloride (TiCl4), a titanium nitride film is formed at a temperature of less than about 600° C., and an NH3:TiCl4 ratio greater than about 5. The deposited TiN film is then treated in a hydrogen-containing plasma such as that generated from molecular hydrogen (H2). This results in a thick titanium nitride film with low resistivity and good step coverage. The deposition and plasma treatment steps may be repeated for additional cycles to form a thick, composite titanium nitride film of desired thickness, which is suitable for use in plug fill or capacitor structure applications.

Abstract: Provided herein is an emissivity-change-free pumping plate kit used in a single wafer chamber. This kit comprises a top open pumping plate, and optionally a skirt and/or a second stage choking plate. The skirt may be installed around the wafer heater, underneath the wafer heater, or along the chamber body inside the chamber. The choking plate is installed downstream of the top open pumping plate along the purge gas flow. Also provided is a method of preventing emissivity change and further providing optimal film thickness uniformity during wafer processing by utilizing such kit in the chamber.

Abstract: An apparatus that includes a pumping plate having a skirt, where the skirt contains a number of holes and a wafer access slot, and where the number of holes are sized and positioned to provide uniform heating of a susceptor.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for depositing a boron insitu doped amorphous or polycrystalline silicon film on a substrate. According to the present invention, a substrate is placed into deposition chamber. A reactant gas mix comprising a silicon source gas, boron source gas, and a carrier gas is fed into the deposition chamber. The carrier gas is fed into the deposition chamber at a rate so that the residence of the carrier gas in the deposition chamber is less then or equal to 3 seconds or alternatively has a velocity of at least 4 inches/sec. In another embodiment of forming a boron doped amorphous for polycrystalline silicon film a substrate is placed into a deposition chamber. The substrate is heated to a deposition temperature between 580-750° C. and the chamber pressure reduced to a deposition pressure of less than or equal to 50 torr. A silicon source gas is fed into the deposition at a rate to provide a silicon source gas partial pressure of between 1-5 torr.

Abstract: A method of forming a titanium nitride (TiN) layer using a reaction between ammonia (NH3) and titanium tetrachloride (TiCl4). In one embodiment, an NH3:TiCl4 ratio of about 8.5 is used to deposit a TiN layer at a temperature of about 500° C. at a pressure of about 20 torr. In another embodiment, a composite TiN layer is formed by alternately depositing TiN layers of different thicknesses, using process conditions having different NH3:TiCl4 ratios. In one preferred embodiment, a TiN layer of less than about 20 Å is formed at an NH3:TiCl4 ratio of about 85, followed by a deposition of a thicker TiN layer at an NH3:TiCl4 ratio of about 8.5. By repeating the alternate film deposition using the two different process conditions, a composite TiN layer is formed. This composite TiN layer has an improved overall step coverage and reduced stress, compared to a standard TiN process, and is suitable for small geometry plug fill applications.