Abstract: Multiple charge volumes (CVs) are used to supply a reactant and an inert gas at each processing chamber to perform atomic layer deposition (ALD) on substrates. A series of pulses of the reactant can be supplied at a high flow rate from two CVs during a dose step, which extends dose time. The inert gas can be supplied at an equal starting pressure from first and second CVs at first and second purge steps. A heated pulse valve manifold (PVM) minimizes temperature variations of process gases supplied from the PVM to respective processing chamber during ALD. The PVM preheats the process gases before the process gases enter the respective CVs in the PVM. The PVM includes additional supplemental heaters above and below the CVs to maintain the temperature of the process gases within the CVs. The PVM can be rapidly cooled before performing maintenance, which reduces downtime.

Abstract: A showerhead includes a plurality of plenums and a plurality of through holes positioned in the plurality of plenums. The plenums are stacked in a sequential order in an axial direction perpendicular to a semiconductor substrate. The plenums extend radially fully across the semiconductor substrate. The plenums are disjoint from each other and are configured to respectively supply a first metal precursor, a second metal precursor, and a reactant via the respective plenums without intermixing the first metal precursor, the second metal precursor, and the reactant in the plenums. The through holes of the respective plenums are arranged in a radial direction, which is perpendicular to the axial direction, in the same sequential order as the sequential order of the plenums. The through holes of the plenums open along a flat surface at a bottom of the showerhead. The flat surface extends radially fully across the bottom of the showerhead.

Abstract: A method for reducing bending of word lines in a memory cell includes a) providing a substrate including a plurality of word lines arranged adjacent to one another and above a plurality of transistors; b) depositing a layer of film on the plurality of word lines using a deposition process; c) after depositing the layer of film, measuring word line bending; d) comparing the word line bending to a predetermined range; e) based on the word line bending, adjusting at least one of nucleation delay and grain size of the deposition process; and f) repeating b) to e) one or more times using one or more substrates, respectively, until the word line bending is within the predetermined range.

Abstract: A method includes arranging a substrate in a processing chamber, and exposing the substrate to a gas mixture including a first metal precursor gas and a second metal precursor gas to deposit a first metal precursor and a second metal precursor onto the substrate at the same time. The method further includes purging the processing chamber, supplying a reactant common to both the first metal precursor and the second metal precursor to form a layer of an alloy on the substrate, and purging the processing chamber.

Abstract: A method for reducing bending of word lines in a memory cell includes a) providing a substrate including a plurality of word lines arranged adjacent to one another and above a plurality of transistors; b) depositing a layer of film on the plurality of word lines using a deposition process; c) after depositing the layer of film, measuring word line bending; d) comparing the word line bending to a predetermined range; e) based on the word line bending, adjusting at least one of nucleation delay and grain size of the deposition process; and f) repeating b) to e) one or more times using one or more substrates, respectively, until the word line bending is within the predetermined range.

Abstract: A method includes arranging a substrate in a processing chamber, and exposing the substrate to a gas mixture including a first metal precursor gas and a second metal precursor gas to deposit a first metal precursor and a second metal precursor onto the substrate at the same time. The method further includes purging the processing chamber, supplying a reactant common to both the first metal precursor and the second metal precursor to form a layer of an alloy on the substrate, and purging the processing chamber.

Abstract: A method for depositing a metal layer on a barrier layer includes a) arranging a substrate in a processing chamber. The substrate has been exposed to at least one of air and/or oxidizing chemistry and includes a barrier layer and one or more underlying layers, wherein the barrier layer includes a material selected from a group consisting of tantalum nitride, titanium nitride, tantalum and titanium. The method includes b) supplying a gas selected from a group consisting of hydrazine, a gas including fluorine species, a gas including chlorine species, derivatives of hydrazine, ammonia, carbon monoxide, a gas including amidinates, and/or a gas including metal organic ligands to the processing chamber for a predetermined period to remove oxidation from the barrier layer. The method includes c) depositing a metal layer on the barrier layer after b). The metal layer includes a metal selected from a group consisting of cobalt, copper, tungsten, ruthenium, rhodium, molybdenum, and nickel.

Abstract: A method for depositing a metal layer on a barrier layer includes a) arranging a substrate in a processing chamber. The substrate has been exposed to at least one of air and/or oxidizing chemistry and includes a barrier layer and one or more underlying layers, wherein the barrier layer includes a material selected from a group consisting of tantalum nitride, titanium nitride, tantalum and titanium. The method includes b) supplying a gas selected from a group consisting of hydrazine, a gas including fluorine species, a gas including chlorine species, derivatives of hydrazine, ammonia, carbon monoxide, a gas including amidinates, and/or a gas including metal organic ligands to the processing chamber for a predetermined period to remove oxidation from the barrier layer. The method includes c) depositing a metal layer on the barrier layer after b). The metal layer includes a metal selected from a group consisting of cobalt, copper, tungsten, ruthenium, rhodium, molybdenum, and nickel.