Abstract: Methods for reducing contact resistance include performing a selective titanium silicide (TiSi) deposition process on a middle of the line (MOL) contact structure that includes a cavity in a substrate of dielectric material. The contact structure also includes a silicon-based connection portion at a bottom of the cavity. The selective TiSi deposition process is selective to silicon-based material over dielectric material. The methods also include performing a selective deposition process of a metal material on the MOL contact structure. The selective deposition process is selective to TiSi material over dielectric material and forms a silicide capping layer on the silicon-based connection portion. The methods further include performing a seed layer deposition process of the metal material on the contact structure.

Abstract: Methods of depositing a metal silicide on a substrate are provided herein. In some embodiments, a method of depositing a metal silicide on a substrate having a silicon containing surface includes: creating a plasma comprising a first gas in a plasma region in a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) chamber, wherein the plasma region is disposed between a lid heater and a showerhead; flowing the first gas through a plurality of first openings of the showerhead to an activation region in the CVD chamber disposed between the showerhead and the substrate; flowing a second gas comprising a metal precursor in a non-plasma state through a plurality of second openings of the showerhead to the activation region, wherein the plurality of second openings are fluidly independent from the plurality of first openings within the showerhead; mixing the first gas with the second gas to activate the second gas in the activation region; and exposing the silicon containing surface of the substrate to the activated second gas.

Abstract: Embodiments of the disclosure include a method of forming contact structure on a semiconductor substrate. The method includes treating a native oxide layer formed on a contact junction, wherein treating the native oxide layer forms a silica salt layer on the contact junction disposed within a contact feature that includes one or more surfaces that comprise silicon nitride. Then exposing the silica salt layer and the one or more surfaces to a plasma comprising oxygen, wherein the plasma forms a silicon oxynitride material on the one or more surfaces. Then removing the second silica salt layer, selectively forming a metal silicide layer on the contact junction, and then filling the contact feature with a metal, wherein filling the feature comprises selectively depositing a metal layer over the selectively formed metal silicide layer.

Abstract: Embodiments of the disclosure provide a method that includes delivering a pulsed radio frequency (RF) signal from a source RF generator to an electrode of a processing chamber. A plasma is formed in a processing region of the processing chamber based on the pulsed RF signal. The plasma is disposed between the electrode and a substrate. The pulsed RF signal is caused to have a duty cycle in a range of 5 to 15 percent. The pulsed RF signal is caused to have an off-time in a range of 50 to 250 microseconds. A first material is deposited on a second material of the substrate and a third material of the substrate based on the duty cycle and the off-time.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present principles generally relate to forming low resistivity contacts for semiconductor device formation. In some embodiments, a method of forming a metal silicide layer on a surface of a contact structure includes depositing a first layer including a metal on a first surface that includes silicon and a second surface that includes a dielectric material by providing a carrier gas, a metal-containing precursor, and a hydrogen-containing precursor to a deposition chamber and applying an RF power while maintaining the substrate at a first temperature. The method includes delivering a gas mixture including titanium tetrachloride (TiCl4) to the first surface and the second surface, while maintaining the substrate at the first temperature, to remove at least a portion of the deposited metal and cyclically repeating the metal deposition and the delivering the gas mixture processes to reach the desired thickness of the metal silicide layer.

Abstract: The present disclosure generally provides methods of forming contact structures on semiconductor substrates. The method includes forming a titanium layer on a surface of the contact structure. The contact structure includes a feature formed in a surface of the semiconductor substrate. The feature includes an opening that is defined by a silicon containing contact, a bottom surface, and sidewalls, which comprise a dielectric material. The titanium layer is at least formed over the sidewalls and the silicon containing contact. A first selective capping layer is formed. The first selective capping layer is formed over the titanium layer. A second selective capping layer is formed. The second selective capping layer is formed over the silicon containing contact, where at least a portion of the formed titanium layer is disposed between the second selective capping layer and the surface of the silicon containing contact.

Abstract: The present disclosure generally provides methods of forming contact structures on semiconductor substrates. The methods include forming a first metal containing layer on a surface of the contact structure and forming a second metal containing layer over the first metal containing layer. Performing a gradient etch process including exposing the first metal containing layer and the second metal containing layer to an etchant gas containing plasma to remove at least a portion of the first metal containing layer and the second metal containing layer from the sidewalls. Performing a selective etch process including a deposition operation, an etch operation and a trim operation. Performing a post etch treatment process including exposing the first metal containing layer and a carbon-containing passivation layer with a hydrogen plasma to remove at least a portion of the carbon-containing passivation layer.

Abstract: The present disclosure generally provides methods of forming contact structures on semiconductor substrates. The methods include forming a metal silicide layer on a surface of a contact structure by maintaining a first temperature of a substrate and providing a first carrier gas, a first metal-containing precursor, and a first hydrogen-containing precursor to a first deposition chamber. The contact structure includes a feature formed in a surface of the semiconductor substrate. The metal silicide layer is formed over the sidewalls and the silicon containing contact. The metal silicide layer is exposed to a chlorine containing plasma to remove at least a portion of the metal silicide layer formed on the sidewalls. A metal layer is formed on a surface of the silicon containing contact. A portion of the formed metal silicide layer is disposed between the metal layer and the surface of the silicon containing contact.

Abstract: Methods of depositing titanium silicide (TiSi) in the formation of semiconductor structures are described. The methods include thermal chemical vapor deposition (CVD) in which a semiconductor substrate in a semiconductor processing chamber is exposed to a titanium-containing precursor, a silicon-containing precursor, and hydrogen (H2) to deposit the titanium silicide (TiSi) layer directly on the semiconductor substrate. Methods of selectively depositing titanium silicide (TiSi) in the formation of semiconductor structures, e.g., an n-type transistor and a p-type transistor, are also described.

Abstract: A contact structure includes a cavity comprising a device contact formed on a surface of a substrate, a bottom surface, and sidewalls. A metal silicide layer disposed over the surface of the device contact, the bottom surface, and the sidewalls of the cavity, and a treated surface formed over a portion of the metal silicide layer disposed over the sidewalls of the cavity.

Abstract: Embodiments of the disclosure include a method of forming a gate-all-around (GAA) contact structure on a semiconductor substrate. The method will include removing material from surfaces of a feature formed in a surface of a substrate that includes a plurality of features that each include a plurality of source/drain contact surfaces, selectively forming a reaction product material over a surface of each of the plurality of source/drain contact surfaces, heating the substrate to a first temperature to remove the reaction product material from the surface of each of the plurality of contacts, selectively forming a first metal layer on the surface of each of the plurality of contacts, selectively forming a second metal layer on the first metal layer, and filling the feature with a conductor material, wherein the conductor material comprises tungsten (W) or molybdenum (Mo).

Abstract: Embodiments include a method of forming a contact structure on a semiconductor substrate. The method including selectively depositing a metal silicide layer over a contact formed within a cavity of a substrate and a bottom surface of the cavity using a selective deposition process, including forming a residual layer on a surface of a dielectric layer forming sidewalls of the cavity, wherein a thickness of the metal silicide layer deposited over the contact is greater than a thickness of the residual layer, removing at least a portion of the residual layer formed on the dielectric layer using an etching process that comprises exposing the metal selectively deposited layer to a metal halide containing precursor, and selectively depositing a metal fill over the metal silicide layer remaining over the contact after removing the at least the portion of the residual layer using a selective metal fill process.

Abstract: Embodiments include a method of forming a contact structure on a semiconductor substrate. The method including selectively depositing a metal silicide layer over a contact formed within a cavity of a substrate and a bottom surface of the cavity using a selective deposition process, including forming a residual layer on a surface of a dielectric layer forming sidewalls of the cavity, wherein a thickness of the metal silicide layer deposited over the contact is greater than a thickness of the residual layer, removing at least a portion of the residual layer formed on the dielectric layer using an etching process that comprises exposing the metal selectively deposited layer to a metal halide containing precursor, and selectively depositing a metal fill over the metal silicide layer remaining over the contact after removing the at least the portion of the residual layer using a selective metal fill process.

Abstract: Embodiments of the disclosure include a method of forming contact structure on a semiconductor substrate. The method includes treating a native oxide layer formed on a contact junction, wherein treating the native oxide layer forms a silica salt layer on the contact junction disposed within a contact feature that includes one or more surfaces that comprise silicon nitride. Then exposing the silica salt layer and the one or more surfaces to a plasma comprising oxygen, wherein the plasma forms a silicon oxynitride material on the one or more surfaces. Then removing the second silica salt layer, selectively forming a metal silicide layer on the contact junction, and then filling the contact feature with a metal, wherein filling the feature comprises selectively depositing a metal layer over the selectively formed metal silicide layer.

Abstract: Methods of depositing a metal silicide on a substrate are provided herein. In some embodiments, a method of depositing a metal silicide on a substrate having a silicon containing surface includes: creating a plasma comprising a first gas in a plasma region in a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) chamber, wherein the plasma region is disposed between a lid heater and a showerhead; flowing the first gas through a plurality of first openings of the showerhead to an activation region in the CVD chamber disposed between the showerhead and the substrate; flowing a second gas comprising a metal precursor in a non-plasma state through a plurality of second openings of the showerhead to the activation region, wherein the plurality of second openings are fluidly independent from the plurality of first openings within the showerhead; mixing the first gas with the second gas to activate the second gas in the activation region; and exposing the silicon containing surface of the substrate to the activated second gas.

Abstract: Methods for reducing contact resistance include performing a selective titanium silicide (TiSi) deposition process on a middle of the line (MOL) contact structure that includes a cavity in a substrate of dielectric material. The contact structure also includes a silicon-based connection portion at a bottom of the cavity. The selective TiSi deposition process is selective to silicon-based material over dielectric material. The methods also include performing a selective deposition process of a metal material on the MOL contact structure. The selective deposition process is selective to TiSi material over dielectric material and forms a silicide capping layer on the silicon-based connection portion. The methods further include performing a seed layer deposition process of the metal material on the contact structure.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for processing a substrate are provided herein. For example, a method for processing a substrate comprises forming a plasma reaction between titanium tetrachloride (TlCl4), hydrogen (H2), and argon (Ar) in a region between a lid heater and a showerhead of a process chamber or the showerhead and a substrate while providing RF power at a pulse frequency of about 5 kHz to about 100 kHz and at a duty cycle of about 10% to about 20% and flowing reaction products into the process chamber to selectively form a titanium material layer upon a silicon surface of the substrate.

Abstract: In some embodiments, a method of forming an interconnect structure includes selectively depositing a barrier layer atop a substrate having one or more exposed metal surfaces and one or more exposed dielectric surfaces, wherein a thickness of the barrier layer atop the one or more exposed metal surfaces is greater than the thickness of the barrier layer atop the one or more exposed dielectric surfaces. In some embodiments, a method of forming an interconnect structure includes depositing an etch stop layer comprising aluminum atop a substrate via a physical vapor deposition process; and depositing a barrier layer atop the etch stop layer via a chemical vapor deposition process, wherein the substrate is transferred from a physical vapor deposition chamber after depositing the etch stop layer to a chemical vapor deposition chamber without exposing the substrate to atmosphere.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides an interconnect formed on a substrate and methods for forming the interconnect on the substrate. In one embodiment, the method for forming an interconnect on a substrate includes depositing a barrier layer on the substrate, depositing a transition layer on the barrier layer, and depositing an etch-stop layer on the transition layer, wherein the transition layer shares a common element with the barrier layer, and wherein the transition layer shares a common element with the etch-stop layer.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides an interconnect formed on a substrate and methods for forming the interconnect on the substrate. In one embodiment, the method for forming an interconnect on a substrate includes depositing a barrier layer on the substrate, depositing a transition layer on the barrier layer, and depositing an etch-stop layer on the transition layer, wherein the transition layer shares a common element with the barrier layer, and wherein the transition layer shares a common element with the etch-stop layer.