Abstract: A method for fabricating a nonvolatile charge trap memory device is described. The method includes providing a substrate having a charge-trapping layer disposed thereon. A portion of the charge-trapping layer is then oxidized to form a blocking dielectric layer above the charge-trapping layer by exposing the charge-trapping layer to a radical oxidation process.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method for forming a tungsten-containing material on a substrate is provided which includes positioning a substrate containing a metal nitride barrier layer within a process chamber and exposing the substrate to a reagent gas containing diborane to form a reagent layer on the metal nitride barrier layer. The method further provides exposing the substrate sequentially to a tungsten precursor and a reductant to form a nucleation layer during an atomic layer deposition (ALD) process and subsequently depositing a bulk layer over the nucleation layer. The bulk layer may contain copper, but generally contains tungsten deposited by a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) process. In some examples, the bulk layer may be used to fill apertures within the substrate.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method for forming a tungsten material on a substrate surface is provide which includes positioning a substrate within a deposition chamber, heating the substrate to a deposition temperature, and exposing the substrate sequentially to diborane and a tungsten precursor gas to form a tungsten nucleation layer on the substrate during an atomic layer deposition (ALD) process. The method further provides exposing the substrate to a deposition gas comprising hydrogen gas and the tungsten precursor gas to form a tungsten bulk layer over the tungsten nucleation layer during a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) process. Examples are provided which include ALD and CVD processes that may be conducted in the same deposition chamber or in different deposition chambers.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method for depositing a boride-containing barrier layer on a substrate is provided which includes exposing the substrate sequentially to a boron-containing compound and a metal precursor to form a first boride-containing layer during a first sequential chemisorption process and exposing the substrate to the boron-containing compound, the metal precursor, and a second precursor to form a second boride-containing layer on the first boride-containing layer during a second sequential chemisorption process. In one example, the metal precursor contains tungsten hexafluoride and the boron-containing compound contains diborane. In another embodiment, a contact layer is deposited over the second boride-containing layer. The contact layer may contain tungsten and be deposited by a chemical vapor deposition process. Alternatively, the contact layer may contain copper and be deposited by a physical vapor deposition process.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method for depositing a boride-containing barrier layer on a substrate is provided which includes exposing the substrate sequentially to a boron-containing compound and a tungsten precursor to form a first boride-containing layer during a first sequential chemisorption process, and exposing the substrate to the boron-containing compound, the tungsten precursor, and ammonia to form a second boride-containing layer over the first boride-containing layer during a second sequential chemisorption process. In one example, the tungsten precursor contains tungsten hexafluoride and the boron-containing compound contains diborane. In another embodiment, a contact layer is deposited over the second boride-containing layer. The contact layer may contain tungsten and be deposited by a chemical vapor deposition process. Alternatively, the contact layer may contain copper and be deposited by a physical vapor deposition process.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method for forming a tungsten material on a substrate surface is provide which includes positioning a substrate within a deposition chamber, heating the substrate to a deposition temperature, and exposing the substrate sequentially to a first reducing gas and a tungsten precursor gas to form a tungsten nucleation layer on the substrate during an atomic layer deposition (ALD) process. The method may further provide exposing the substrate to a deposition gas comprising a second reducing gas and the tungsten precursor gas to form a tungsten bulk layer on the tungsten nucleation layer during a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) process. Examples include that the ALD and CVD processes are conducted in the same deposition chamber or in different deposition chambers.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for atomic layer deposition (ALD) is described. The apparatus comprises a deposition chamber and a wafer support. The deposition chamber is divided into two or more deposition regions that are integrally connected one to another. The wafer support is movable between the two or more interconnected deposition regions within the deposition chamber.

Abstract: A metal suicide layer is formed on silicon-containing features of a substrate in a chamber. A metal film is sputter deposited on the substrate and a portion of the sputter deposited metal film is silicided. In the process, sputtering gas is energized by applying an electrical bias potential across the metal sputtering target and the substrate support to sputter deposit metal from a target onto the substrate. At least a portion of the deposited sputtered metal is silicided by heating the substrate to a silicidation temperature exceeding about 200° C. to form a combined sputtered metal and metal silicide layer on the substrate. The remaining sputtered metal can be silicided by maintaining the substrate at the silicidation temperature to form the metal silicide layer.

Abstract: A process is provided for depositing an silicon oxide film on a substrate disposed in a process chamber. A process gas that includes a halogen source, a fluent gas, a silicon source, and an oxidizing gas reactant is flowed into the process chamber. A plasma having an ion density of at least 1011 ions/cm3 is formed from the process gas. The silicon oxide film is deposited over the substrate with a halogen concentration less than 1.0%. The silicon oxide film is deposited with the plasma using a process that has simultaneous deposition and sputtering components. The flow rate of the halogen source to the process chamber to the flow rate of the silicon source to the process chamber is substantially between 0.5 and 3.0.

Abstract: A method and system to reduce the resistance of refractory metal layers by controlling the presence of fluorine contained therein. The present invention is based upon the discovery that when employing ALD techniques to form refractory metal layers on a substrate, the carrier gas employed impacts the presence of fluorine in the resulting layer. As a result, the method features chemisorbing, onto the substrate, alternating monolayers of a first compound and a second compound, with the second compound having fluorine atoms associated therewith, with each of the first and second compounds being introduced into the processing chamber along with a carrier gas to control a quantity of the fluorine atoms associated with the monolayer of the second compound.

Abstract: In one embodiment of the invention, a method for forming a tungsten-containing layer on a substrate is provided which includes positioning a substrate containing a barrier layer disposed thereon in a process chamber, exposing the substrate to a first soak process for a first time period and depositing a nucleation layer on the barrier layer by flowing a tungsten-containing precursor and a reductant into the process chamber. The method further includes exposing the nucleation layer to a second soak process for a second time period and depositing a bulk layer on the nucleation layer.

Abstract: Methods for the deposition of tungsten films are provided. The methods include depositing a nucleation layer by alternatively adsorbing a tungsten precursor and a reducing gas on a substrate, and depositing a bulk layer of tungsten over the nucleation layer.

Abstract: A method of filling a gap formed between adjacent raised surfaces on a substrate. In one embodiment the method comprises depositing a boron-doped silica glass (BSG) layer over the substrate to partially fill the gap using a thermal CVD process; exposing the BSG layer to a steam ambient at a temperature above the BSG layer's Eutectic temperature; removing an upper portion of the BSG layer by exposing the layer to a fluorine-containing etchant; and depositing an undoped silica glass (USG) layer over the BSG layer to fill the remainder of the gap.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method for connecting microcircuits formed in a circuit board, such as a Tape Carrier Package (TCP), a Flexible Printed Circuit (FPC), a Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) or a printed circuit board using an anisotropic conductive adhesive including conductive particles, and the connection structure manufactured by the above method. The method comprises the steps of applying an insulating film layer to a circuit board having circuit patterns, and then boding them with an anisotropic conduction adhesive.

Abstract: A method and system to form a refractory metal layer over a substrate includes introduction of a reductant, such as PH3 or B2H6, followed by introduction of a tungsten containing compound, such as WF6, to form a tungsten layer. It is believed that the reductant reduces the fluorine content of the tungsten layer while improving the step coverage and resistivity of the tungsten layer. It is believed that the improved characteristics of the tungsten film are attributable to the chemical affinity between the reductants and the tungsten containing compound. The chemical affinity provides better surface mobility of the adsorbed chemical species and better reduction of WF6 at the nucleation stage of the tungsten layer. The method can further include sequentially introducing a reductant, such as PH3 or B2H6, and a tungsten containing compound to deposit a tungsten layer. The formed tungsten layer can be used as a nucleation layer followed by bulk deposition of a tungsten layer utilizing standard CVD techniques.

Abstract: A process is provided for depositing an undoped silicon oxide film on a substrate disposed in a process chamber. A process gas that includes SiF4, a fluent gas, a silicon source, and an oxidizing gas reactant is flowed into the process chamber. A plasma having an ion density of at least 1011 ions/cm3 is formed from the process gas. The undoped silicon oxide film is deposited over the substrate with the plasma using a process that has simultaneous deposition and sputtering components.

Abstract: A method of forming a boride layer for integrated circuit fabrication is disclosed. In one embodiment, the boride layer is formed by chemisorbing monolayers of a boron-containing compound and one refractory metal compound onto a substrate. In an alternate embodiment, the boride layer has a composite structure. The composite boride layer structure comprises two or more refractory metals. The composite boride layer is formed by sequentially chemisorbing monolayers of a boron compound and two or more refractory metal compounds on a substrate.

Abstract: A method and system to reduce the resistance of refractory metal layers by controlling the presence of fluorine contained therein. The present invention is based upon the discovery that when employing ALD techniques to form refractory metal layers on a substrate, the carrier gas employed impacts the presence of fluorine in the resulting layer. As a result, the method features chemisorbing, onto the substrate, alternating monolayers of a first compound and a second compound, with the second compound having fluorine atoms associated therewith, with each of the first and second compounds being introduced into the processing chamber along with a carrier gas to control a quantity of the fluorine atoms associated with the monolayer of the second compound.

Abstract: A process is provided for depositing an undoped silicon oxide film on a substrate disposed in a process chamber. A process gas that includes SiF4, H2, a silicon source, and an oxidizing gas reactant is flowed into the process chamber. A plasma having an ion density of at least 1011 ions/cm3 is formed from the process gas. The undoped silicon oxide film is deposited over the substrate with the plasma using a process that has simultaneous deposition and sputtering components. A temperature of the substrate during such depositing is greater than 450° C.