Abstract: Provided herein are low resistance metallization stack structures for 3D-NAND applications and related methods of fabrication. In some embodiments, thin metal oxynitride nucleation layers are deposited on dielectric material followed by deposition of a pure metal conductor using process conditions that increase non-molybdenum component element content at the oxynitride-dielectric interface. Certain embodiments of the methods described below convert less than all of the metal oxynitride nucleation layer to a pure metal layer, further lowering the resistivity.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer programs are presented for predicting the performance of semiconductor manufacturing equipment operations. One method includes an operation for obtaining machine-learning (ML) models, each model related to predicting a performance metric for an operation of a semiconductor manufacturing tool. Further, each ML model utilizes features defining inputs for the ML model. The method further includes an operation for receiving a process definition for manufacturing a product with the semiconductor manufacturing tool. One or more ML models are utilized to estimate a performance of the process definition used in the semiconductor manufacturing tool. Additionally, the method includes presenting, on a display, results showing the estimate of the performance of the manufacturing of the product.

Abstract: Described herein are methods of filling features with tungsten and related apparatus. The methods described herein involve deposition of a tungsten nucleation layer prior to deposition of a bulk layer. The methods involve multiple atomic layer deposition (ALD) cycles. According to various embodiments, both a boron-containing reducing agent and silicon-reducing agent may be pulses during a single cycle to react with a tungsten-containing precursor and form a tungsten film.

Abstract: Various showerheads and methods are provided. A showerhead may include a faceplate partially defined by a front surface and a back surface, a back plate having a gas inlet, a first conical frustum surface, and a second conical frustum surface, a plenum volume fluidically connected to the gas inlet and at least partially defined by the gas inlet, the back surface of the faceplate, the first conical frustum surface, and the second conical frustum surface, and a baffle plate positioned within the plenum volume, and having a plurality of baffle plate through-holes extending through the baffle plate. The second conical frustum surface may be positioned radially outwards from the first conical frustum surface with respect to a center axis of the showerhead, and the second conical frustum surface may be positioned along the center axis farther from the gas inlet than the first conical frustum surface.

Abstract: Provided herein are methods and apparatuses for reducing line bending when depositing a metal such as tungsten, molybdenum, ruthenium, or cobalt into features on substrates by periodically exposing the feature to nitrogen, oxygen, or ammonia during atomic layer deposition, chemical vapor deposition, or sequential chemical vapor deposition to reduce interactions between metal deposited onto sidewalls of a feature. Methods are suitable for deposition into V-shaped features.

Abstract: Provided herein are methods of depositing tungsten (W) films without depositing a nucleation layer. In certain embodiments, the methods involve depositing a conformal reducing agent layer of boron (B) and/or silicon (Si) on a substrate. The substrate generally includes a feature to be filled with tungsten with the reducing agent layer conformal to the topography of the substrate including the feature. The reducing agent layer is then exposed to a fluorine-containing tungsten precursor, which is reduced by the reducing agent layer to form a layer of elemental tungsten. The conformal reducing agent layer is converted to a conformal tungsten layer.

Abstract: Provided herein are methods and related apparatus for purging processing chambers during an atomic layer deposition (ALD) process. The methods involve flowing purging gas from one or more accumulators to remove process gases from the processing chambers. Following the flowing of purging gas, additional reactants may be introduced into the processing chamber to continue an ALD cycle.

Abstract: Provided herein are methods and apparatuses for reducing line bending when depositing a metal such as tungsten, molybdenum, ruthenium, or cobalt into features on substrates by periodically exposing the feature to nitrogen, oxygen, or ammonia during atomic layer deposition, chemical vapor deposition, or sequential chemical vapor deposition to reduce interactions between metal deposited onto sidewalls of a feature. Methods are suitable for deposition into V-shaped features.

Abstract: Disclosed are methods of depositing a transition metal such as tungsten on a semiconductor substrate. The method includes providing a gas mixture of diborane with a balance of hydrogen, where the hydrogen serves to stabilize the diborane in the gas mixture. The method further includes delivering the gas mixture to the semiconductor substrate to form a boron layer, where the boron layer serves as a reducing agent layer to convert a metal-containing precursor to metal, such as a tungsten-containing precursor to tungsten. In some implementations, the semiconductor substrate includes a vertical structure, such as a three-dimensional vertical NAND structure, with horizontal features or wordlines having openings in sidewalls of the vertical structure, where the boron layer may be conformally deposited in the horizontal features of the vertical structure.

Abstract: Described herein are methods and apparatuses for filling semiconductor substrate structures with conductive material. The methods involve depositing multi-layer bulk metal films in structures with one or more deposition conditions changed when transitioning from layer-to-layer. The methods result in high fill quality, high throughput, low precursor consumption, and low roughness. Multi-station chambers to perform the methods are also provided.

Abstract: Disclosed are methods of depositing a transition metal such as tungsten on a semiconductor substrate. The method includes providing a gas mixture of diborane with a balance of hydrogen, where the hydrogen serves to stabilize the diborane in the gas mixture. The method further includes delivering the gas mixture to the semiconductor substrate to form a boron layer, where the boron layer serves as a reducing agent layer to convert a metal-containing precursor to metal, such as a tungsten-containing precursor to tungsten. In some implementations, the semiconductor substrate includes a vertical structure, such as a three-dimensional vertical NAND structure, with horizontal features or wordlines having openings in sidewalls of the vertical structure, where the boron layer may be conformally deposited in the horizontal features of the vertical structure.

Abstract: Provided herein are methods and apparatuses for reducing line bending when depositing a metal such as tungsten, molybdenum, ruthenium, or cobalt into features on substrates by periodically exposing the feature to nitrogen, oxygen, or ammonia during atomic layer deposition, chemical vapor deposition, or sequential chemical vapor deposition to reduce interactions between metal deposited onto sidewalls of a feature. Methods are suitable for deposition into V-shaped features.

Abstract: Provided herein are methods and apparatuses for reducing line bending when depositing a metal such as tungsten, molybdenum, ruthenium, or cobalt into features on substrates by periodically exposing the feature to nitrogen, oxygen, or ammonia during atomic layer deposition, chemical vapor deposition, or sequential chemical vapor deposition to reduce interactions between metal deposited onto sidewalls of a feature. Methods are suitable for deposition into V-shaped features.

Abstract: Provided herein are methods and apparatuses for reducing line bending when depositing a metal such as tungsten, molybdenum, ruthenium, or cobalt into features on substrates by periodically exposing the feature to nitrogen, oxygen, or ammonia during atomic layer deposition, chemical vapor deposition, or sequential chemical vapor deposition to reduce interactions between metal deposited onto sidewalls of a feature. Methods are suitable for deposition into V-shaped features.

Abstract: A method for forming a barrier diffusion layer on a substrate includes depositing a tantalum layer in features of the substrate using an atomic layer deposition process. The method includes depositing a titanium layer on the tantalum layer using an atomic layer deposition process. The method includes annealing the substrate to form the barrier diffusion layer including a tantalum-titanium alloy.

Abstract: Methods of lightly implanting platinum, iridium, osmium, erbium, ytterbium, dysprosium, and gadolinium in semiconductor material in shallow depths by plasma-immersion ion implantation (PIII) and/or pulsed PIII are provided herein. Methods include depositing a liner layer prior to masking and implanting features to form n-type and p-type semiconductors and implanting materials through the liner layer. Methods are suitable for integration schemes involving fabrication of fin-type field effect transistors (FinFETs).

Abstract: Methods of depositing and tuning deposition of sub-stoichiometric titanium oxide are provided. Methods involve depositing highly pure and conformal titanium on a substrate in a chamber by (i) exposing the substrate to titanium tetraiodide, (ii) purging the chamber, (iii) exposing the substrate to a plasma, (iv) purging the chamber, (v) repeating (i) through (iv), and treating the deposited titanium on the substrate to form sub-stoichiometric titanium oxide. Titanium oxide may also be deposited prior to depositing titanium on the substrate. Treatments include substrate exposure to an oxygen source and/or annealing the substrate.

Abstract: Methods of depositing highly conformal and pure titanium films at low temperatures are provided. Methods involve exposing a substrate to titanium tetraiodide, purging the chamber, exposing the substrate to a plasma, purging the chamber, and repeating these operations. Titanium films are deposited at low temperatures less than about 450° C.

Abstract: A dual-plenum showerhead for semiconductor processing operations is provided. The showerhead may include a faceplate with two sets of gas distribution holes, each set fed by a separate plenum. One set of gas distribution holes may be through-holes in the faceplate of the showerhead and may allow gases trapped between the faceplate and a plasma dome to flow towards a wafer. The other set of gas distribution holes may distribute gas routed through passages or channels in the faceplate towards the wafer. The passages or channels in the faceplate may include radial channels and annular channels and may be fed from an annular gas distribution channel about the periphery of the faceplate.

Abstract: Provided herein are methods of depositing void-free cobalt into features with high aspect ratios. Methods involve (a) partially filling a feature with cobalt, (b) exposing the feature to a plasma generated from nitrogen-containing gas to selectively inhibit cobalt nucleation on surfaces near or at the top of the feature, optionally repeating (a) and (b), and depositing bulk cobalt into the feature by chemical vapor deposition. Methods may also involve exposing a feature including a barrier layer to a plasma generated from nitrogen-containing gas to selectively inhibit cobalt nucleation. The methods may be performed at low temperatures less than about 400° C. using cobalt-containing precursors.