Abstract: Copper precursors of the formula (I): wherein: Cu is Cu(I) or Cu(II); x is an integer having a value of from 0 to 4; each of R, R′ and R″ may be the same as or different from one another and each is independently selected from the group consisting of H, C1-C6 alky), C1-C6 perfluoroalkyl and C6-C10 aryl; when Cu is Cu(I), A is a Lewis base; when Cu is Cu(II), A is: wherein x, R, R′ and R″ are as specified above.

Abstract: A method is provided for promoting adhesion of CVD copper to diffusion barrier material in integrated circuit manufacturing. The method uses a two-step CVD copper metallization process. Following deposition of a diffusion barrier layer on the IC substrate, a first layer of CVD copper is deposited on the barrier material. The first layer is preferably thin (less than 300 Å) and deposited using a precursor which yields an adherent conforming layer of copper. The suggested precursor for use in depositing the first layer of CVD copper is (hfac)Cu(1,5-Dimethylcyclooctadiene). The first layer of CVD copper serves as a “seed” layer to which a subsequently-deposited “fill” or “bulk” layer of CVD copper will readily adhere. The second copper deposition step of the two-step process is the deposit of a second layer of copper by means of CVD using another precursor, different from (hfac)Cu(1,5-Dimethylcyclooctadiene).

Abstract: A method is provided for promoting adhesion of CVD copper to diffusion barrier material in integrated circuit manufacturing. The method uses a two-step CVD copper metallization process. Following deposition of a diffusion barrier layer on the IC substrate, a first layer of CVD copper is deposited on the barrier material. The first layer is preferably thin (less than 300 Å) and deposited using a precursor which yields an adherent conforming layer of copper. The suggested precursor for use in depositing the first layer of CVD copper is (hfac)Cu(1,5-Dimethylcyclooctadiene). The first layer of CVD copper serves as a “seed” layer to which a subsequently-deposited “fill” or “bulk” layer of CVD copper will readily adhere. The second copper deposition step of the two-step process is the deposit of a second layer of copper by means of CVD using another precursor, different from (hfac)Cu(1,5-Dimethylcyclooctadiene).

Abstract: Tantalum and titanium source reagents are described, including tantalum amide and tantalum silicon nitride precursors for the deposition of tantalum nitride material on a substrate by processes such as chemical vapor deposition, assisted chemical vapor deposition, ion implantation, molecular beam epitaxy and rapid thermal processing. The precursors may be employed to form diffusion barrier layers on microelectronic device structures enabling the use of copper metallization and ferroelectric thin films in device construction.

Abstract: A method is provided for promoting adhesion of CVD copper to diffusion barrier material in integrated circuit manufacturing. The method uses a two-step CVD copper metallization process. Following deposition of a diffusion barrier layer on the IC substrate, a first layer of CVD copper is deposited on the barrier material. The first layer is preferably thin (less than 300 Å) and deposited using a precursor which yields an adherent conforming layer of copper. The suggested precursor for use in depositing the first layer of CVD copper is (hfac)Cu(1,5-Dimethylcyclooctadiene). The first layer of CVD copper serves as a “seed” layer to which a subsequently-deposited “fill” or “bulk” layer of CVD copper will readily adhere. The second copper deposition step of the two-step process is the deposit of a second layer of copper by means of CVD using another precursor, different from (hfac)Cu(1,5-Dimethylcyclooctadiene).

Abstract: A metal hydride derivative wherein at least one hydrogen atom is replaced by deuterium (21H) or tritium (31H) isotope. The metal constituent of such metal hydride may, be a Group III, IV or V metal or a transition metal, e.g., antimony, aluminum, gallium, tin, or germanium. The isotopically stabilized metal hydride derivatives of the invention are useful as metal source compositions for chemical vapor deposition, assisted chemical vapor deposition (e.g., laser-assisted chemical vapor deposition, light-assisted chemical vapor deposition, plasma-assisted chemical vapor deposition and ion-assisted chemical vapor deposition), ion implantation, molecular beam epitaxy, and rapid thermal processing.

Abstract: A method is provided for promoting adhesion of CVD copper to diffusion barrier material in integrated circuit manufacturing. The method includes depositing a first seed layer of copper on the barrier material by chemical vapor deposition (CVD) using (hfac)Cu(1,5-Dimethylcyclooctadiene) precursor. Following the deposition of the seed layer, which strongly adheres and conforms to the copper receiving surfaces on the diffusion barrier, the wafer substrate is positioned in an electro-chemical deposition apparatus, such as an electroplating or electroless plating bath. A second layer of copper is then deposited on the seed layer by means of electrochemical deposition, e.g., electroplating or electroless plating. The second layer of copper deposited by electro-chemical deposition is a “fill” or “bulk” layer, substantially thicker than the seed layer.

Abstract: A hydrogen sensor including a thin film sensor element formed, e.g., by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) or physical vapor deposition (PVD), on a microhotplate structure. The thin film sensor element includes a film of a hydrogen-interactive metal film that reversibly interacts with hydrogen to provide a correspondingly altered response characteristic, such as optical transmissivity, electrical conductance, electrical resistance, electrical capacitance, magnetoresistance, photoconductivity, etc., relative to the response characteristic of the film in the absence of hydrogen. The hydrogen-interactive metal film may be overcoated with a thin film hydrogen-permeable barrier layer to protect the hydrogen-interactive film from deleterious interaction with non-hydrogen species. The hydrogen sensor of the invention may be usefully employed for the detection of hydrogen in an environment susceptible to the incursion or generation of hydrogen and may be conveniently configured as a hand-held apparatus.

Abstract: A liquid delivery system (10) for vaporization of a liquid pecursor to form precursor vapor for transport to a deposition zone (36).

Abstract: A liquid delivery apparatus for vaporizing a liquid to produce a vapor therefrom. The apparatus incorporates a vaporizer with a surface arranged to receive liquid thereon. A liquid feed assembly is provided, including (i) a liquid source and (ii) a liquid flow circuit coupled to the liquid source and arranged to discharge liquid onto the vaporizer surface during liquid vaporization operation. The apparatus features a burst purging assembly including a pressurized gas source joined in gas flow communication with the liquid flow circuit. The pressurized gas source is arranged to introduce a clearance burst of pressurized gas into the liquid flow circuit after completion of the liquid vaporization operation, so that hold-up liquid in the liquid flow circuit and/or vaporizer following completion of the liquid vaporization operation is discharged onto the vaporizer surface and vaporized.

Abstract: A metal hydride derivative wherein at least one hydrogen atom is replaced by deuterium (.sup.2.sub.1 H) or tritium (.sup.3.sub.1 H) isotope. The metal constituent of such metal hydride may be a Group III, IV or V metal or a transition metal, e.g., antimony, aluminum, gallium, tin, or germanium. The isotopically stabilized metal hydride derivatives of the invention are useful as metal source compositions for chemical vapor deposition, assisted chemical vapor deposition (e.g., laser-assisted chemical vapor deposition, light-assisted chemical vapor deposition, plasma-assisted chemical vapor deposition and ion-assisted chemical vapor deposition), ion implantation, molecular beam epitaxy, and rapid thermal processing.

Abstract: Copper precursor formulations, including a copper precursor with at least one of (a) water, (b) a water precursor and (c) a non-ligand organic hydrate, are useful in CVD processes, e.g., in liquid delivery chemical vapor deposition, for forming a copper-containing material on a substrate. The disclosed copper precursor formulations are particularly useful in the formation of copper layers in semiconductor integrated circuits, e.g., for metallization of interconnections in such semiconductor device structures.

Abstract: A liquid reagent delivery and vaporization system, including a housing defining a flow passage for flow of a process fluid therethrough. A vaporizer element is positioned within the housing and includes a heated vaporization surface. Liquid reagent is selectively delivered to the heated vaporization surface, to vaporize the liquid reagent and form reagent vapor for flow through the flow passage of the housing, e.g., to a chemical vapor deposition reactor for deposition of a film on a substrate. A thermal damping fluid source is arranged to selectively deliver a thermal damping fluid into the flow passage to maintain a predetermined thermal condition therein. For example, the system may be arranged to selectively terminate delivery of liquid reagent to the vaporization surface and to contemporaneously selectively initiate delivery of the thermal damping fluid into the flow passage to maintain a thermal condition thermally matches the vaporization conditions when the liquid reagent is vaporized.

Abstract: Tantalum and titanium source reagents are described, including tantalum amide and tantalum silicon nitride precursors for the deposition of tantalum nitride material on a substrate by processes such as chemical vapor deposition, assisted chemical vapor deposition, ion implantation, molecular beam epitaxy and rapid thermal processing. The precursors may be employed to form diffusion barrier layers on microlectronic device structures enabling the use of copper metallization and ferroelectric thin films in device construction.

Abstract: A hydrogen sensor for the detection of hydrogen, e.g., in an environment susceptible to the incursion or generation of hydrogen. The sensor includes a rare earth metal thin film arranged for exposure to the environment and exhibiting a detectable change of physical property, e.g., optical transmissivity, electrical resistivity, magneto-resistance, and/or photoconductivity, when the rare earth metal thin film is contacted with hydrogen gas. The sensor may include an output assembly for converting the physical property change to a perceivable output. The rare earth metal thin film may correspondingly be used for signal processing applications, in which the rare earth metal thin film is contacted with hydrogen gas, and a predetermined voltage signal is selectively imposed across the rare earth metal thin film, to selectively electrically switch the film between mirror and window states, with a response being generated according to which of the mirror and window states is present.

Abstract: An antimony/Lewis base adduct of the formula SbR.sub.3.L, wherein each R is independently selected from C.sub.1 -C.sub.8 alkyl, C.sub.1 -C.sub.8 perfluoroalkyl, C.sub.1 -C.sub.8 haloalkyl, C.sub.6 -C.sub.10 aryl, C.sub.6 -C.sub.10 perfluoroaryl, C.sub.6 -C.sub.10 haloaryl, C.sub.6 -C.sub.10 cycloalkyl, substituted C.sub.6 -C.sub.10 aryl and halo; and L is a Lewis base ligand coordinating with SbR.sub.3. The adducts of the invention are useful as metal source compositions for chemical vapor deposition, assisted chemical vapor deposition (e.g., laser-assisted chemical vapor deposition, light-assisted chemical vapor deposition, plasma-assisted chemical vapor deposition and ion-assisted chemical vapor deposition), ion implantation, molecular beam epitaxy, and rapid thermal processing, to form antimony or antimony-containing films.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for generating a dopant gas species which is a reaction product of a metal and a gas reactive therewith to form the dopant gas species. A source mass of metal is provided and contacted with the reactive gas to yield a dopant gas species. The dopant gas species may be passed to a chemical vapor deposition reactor, or flowed to an ionization chamber to generate ionic species for ion implantation.

Abstract: A method of forming a thin film of BaSrTiO.sub.3 on a substrate in a chemical vapor deposition zone, with transport of a metal precursor composition for the metal-containing film to the chemical vapor deposition zone via a liquid delivery apparatus including a vaporizer. A liquid precursor material is supplied to the liquid delivery apparatus for vaporization thereof to yield the vapor-phase metal precursor composition. The vapor-phase metal precursor composition is flowed to the chemical vapor deposition zone for deposition of metal on the substrate to form the metal-containing film. The liquid precursor material includes a metalorganic polyamine complex, the use of which permits the achievement of sustained operation of the liquid delivery chemical vapor deposition process between maintenance events, due to the low decomposition levels achieved in the vaporization of the polyamine-complexed precursor.

Abstract: A solvent composition useful for liquid delivery chemical vapor deposition of organometallic precursors such as .beta.-diketonate metal precursors. The solvent composition comprises a mixture of solvent species A, B and C in the proportion A:B:C wherein A is from about 3 to about 7 parts by volume, B is from about 2 to about 6 parts by volume, and C is from 0 to about 3 parts by volume, wherein A is a C.sub.6 -C.sub.8 alkane, B is a C.sub.8 -C.sub.12 alkane, and C is a glyme-based solvent (glyme, diglyme, tetraglyme, etc.) or a polyamine. The particular solvent composition including octane, decane and polyamine in an approximate 5:4:1 weight ratio is particularly usefully employed in the formation of SrBi.sub.2 Ta.sub.2 O.sub.9 films.

Abstract: A method of forming a bismuth-containing material layer on a substrate, comprising bubbler delivery or liquid delivery vaporization of a bismuth amide source reagent to form a bismuth-containing source vapor, and deposition on the substrate of bismuth from the bismuth-containing source vapor, to form the bismuth-containing material layer on the substrate. The bismuth amide source reagent may include a bismuth amide compound of the formula BiL.sup.1.sub.x L.sup.2.sub.y (NR.sup.1 R.sub.2).sub.z wherein: z is an integer of from 1 to 3; x+y+z=3; each of L.sup.1 and L.sup.2 is independently selected from C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkyl, C.sub.1 14 C.sub.4 alkoxide, .beta.-diketonate, cyclic amido, cyclic tris-alkoxoamine, and C.sub.6 -C.sub.10 aryl; and each of R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 is independently selected from C.sub.1 -C.sub.8 alkyl, C.sub.1 -C.sub.8 alkoxy, C.sub.6 -C.sub.8 cycloalkyl, C.sub.6 -C.sub.10 aryl, C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 carboxyl, and --SiR.sup.3.sub.3 wherein each R.sup.3 is independently selected from H and C.sub.