Abstract: Methods and apparatuses are described that provide tungsten deposition with low roughness. In some embodiments, the methods involve co-flowing nitrogen with hydrogen during an atomic layer deposition process of depositing tungsten that uses hydrogen as a reducing agent. In some embodiments, the methods involve depositing a cap layer, such as tungsten oxide or amorphous tungsten layer, on a sidewall surface of a 3D NAND structure. The disclosed embodiments have a wide variety of applications including depositing tungsten into 3D NAND structures.

Abstract: Provided herein are methods of depositing tungsten (W) films without depositing a nucleation layer. In certain embodiments, the methods involve depositing a conformal layer of boron (B) on a substrate. The substrate generally includes a feature to be filled with tungsten with the boron layer conformal to the topography of the substrate including the feature. The reducing agent layer is then exposed to a continuous flow of hydrogen and pulses of fluorine-containing tungsten precursor in a pulsed CVD process. The conformal boron layer is converted to a conformal tungsten layer.

Abstract: In some examples, an exclusion ring locates a substrate on a substrate-support assembly in a processing chamber. An example exclusion ring comprises an inner edge portion to cover an edge of a substrate in the processing chamber and an outer edge portion to support the exclusion ring on the substrate support assembly in the processing chamber. The outer edge portion may include an outer edge of the exclusion ring. A separation zone extending between the inner edge portion and the outer edge of the exclusion ring includes an undercut in an undersurface of the exclusion ring. In some examples, a cooling gas is directed at the exclusion ring while the exclusion ring is located at a station or during an indexing operation performed by the exclusion ring within a processing tool.

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: 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: Methods and apparatuses are described that provide tungsten deposition with low roughness. In some embodiments, the methods involve co-flowing nitrogen with hydrogen during an atomic layer deposition process of depositing tungsten that uses hydrogen as a reducing agent. In some embodiments, the methods involve depositing a cap layer, such as tungsten oxide or amorphous tungsten layer, on a sidewall surface of a 3D NAND structure. The disclosed embodiments have a wide variety of applications including depositing tungsten into 3D NAND structures.

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: Methods of depositing fluorine-free tungsten by sequential CVD pulses, such as by alternately pulsing a fluorine-free tungsten precursor and hydrogen in cycles of temporally separated pulses, are provided. Some methods involve depositing fluorine-free tungsten by sequential CVD without depositing a tungsten nucleation layer. Methods also include depositing tungsten directly on a substrate surface using alternating pulses of a chlorine-containing tungsten precursor and hydrogen without treating the substrate surface. Methods also include depositing a tungsten layer using a reducing agent and fluorine-free tungsten-containing precursor and depositing bulk tungsten in sequential CVD cycles of alternating pulses of hydrogen and a tungsten-containing precursor.

Abstract: Methods of depositing fluorine-free tungsten by sequential CVD pulses, such as by alternately pulsing a fluorine-free tungsten precursor and hydrogen in cycles of temporally separated pulses, are provided. Some methods involve depositing fluorine-free tungsten by sequential CVD without depositing a tungsten nucleation layer. Methods also include depositing tungsten directly on a substrate surface using alternating pulses of a chlorine-containing tungsten precursor and hydrogen without treating the substrate surface. Methods also include depositing a tungsten layer using a reducing agent and fluorine-free tungsten-containing precursor and depositing bulk tungsten in sequential CVD cycles of alternating pulses of hydrogen and a tungsten-containing precursor.

Abstract: Provided herein are methods of depositing fluorine-free tungsten by sequential CVD pulses, such as by alternately pulsing a chlorine-containing tungsten precursor and hydrogen in cycles of temporally separated pulses, without depositing a tungsten nucleation layer. Methods also include depositing tungsten directly on a substrate surface using alternating pulses of a chlorine-containing tungsten precursor and hydrogen without treating the substrate surface.

Abstract: Aspects of the methods and apparatus described herein relate to deposition of tungsten nucleation layers and other tungsten-containing films. Various embodiments of the methods involve exposing a substrate to alternating pulses of a tungsten precursor and a reducing agent at low chamber pressure to thereby deposit a tungsten-containing layer on the surface of the substrate. According to various embodiments, chamber pressure may be maintained at or below 10 Torr. In some embodiments, chamber pressure may be maintained at or below 7 Torr, or even lower, such as at or below 5 Torr. The methods may be implemented with a fluorine-containing tungsten precursor, but result in very low or undetectable amounts of fluorine in the deposited layer.

Abstract: Provided herein are methods of depositing fluorine-free tungsten by sequential CVD pulses, such as by alternately pulsing a chlorine-containing tungsten precursor and hydrogen in cycles of temporally separated pulses, without depositing a tungsten nucleation layer. Methods also include depositing tungsten directly on a substrate surface using alternating pulses of a chlorine-containing tungsten precursor and hydrogen without treating the substrate surface.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide processes to selectively form a metal layer on a conductive surface, followed by flowing a silicon based compound over the metal layer to form a metal silicide layer. In one embodiment, a substrate having a conductive surface and a dielectric surface is provided. A metal layer is then deposited on the conductive surface. A metal silicide layer is formed as a result of flowing a silicon based compound over the metal layer. A dielectric is formed over the metal silicide layer.

Abstract: Provided herein are methods of depositing bulk tungsten by sequential CVD pulses, such as by alternately pulsing tungsten hexafluoride and hydrogen gas in cycles of temporally separated pulses. Some methods include depositing a tungsten nucleation layer at low pressure followed by deposition of bulk tungsten by sequential CVD to form low stress tungsten films with low fluorine content. Methods described herein may also be performed in combination with non-sequential CVD deposition and fluorine-free tungsten deposition techniques.

Abstract: Embodiments described herein generally relate to the formation of a UV compatible barrier stack. Methods described herein can include delivering a process gas to a substrate positioned in a process chamber. The process gas can be activated to form an activated process gas, the activated process gas forming a barrier layer on a surface of the substrate, the barrier layer comprising silicon, carbon and nitrogen. The activated process gas can then be purged from the process chamber. An activated nitrogen-containing gas can be delivered to the barrier layer, the activated nitrogen-containing gas having a N2:NH3 ratio of greater than about 1:1. The activated nitrogen-containing gas can then be purged from the process chamber. The above elements can be performed one or more times to deposit the barrier stack.

Abstract: Aspects of the methods and apparatus described herein relate to deposition of tungsten nucleation layers and other tungsten-containing films. Various embodiments of the methods involve exposing a substrate to alternating pulses of a tungsten precursor and a reducing agent at low chamber pressure to thereby deposit a tungsten-containing layer on the surface of the substrate. According to various embodiments, chamber pressure may be maintained at or below 10 Torr. In some embodiments, chamber pressure may be maintained at or below 7 Torr, or even lower, such as at or below 5 Torr. The methods may be implemented with a fluorine-containing tungsten precursor, but result in very low or undetectable amounts of fluorine in the deposited layer.

Abstract: Provided herein are methods of depositing bulk tungsten by sequential CVD pulses, such as by alternately pulsing tungsten hexafluoride and hydrogen gas in cycles of temporally separated pulses. Some methods include depositing a tungsten nucleation layer at low pressure followed by deposition of bulk tungsten by sequential CVD to form low stress tungsten films with low fluorine content. Methods described herein may also be performed in combination with non-sequential CVD deposition and fluorine-free tungsten deposition techniques.

Abstract: Embodiments described herein generally relate to the formation of a UV compatible barrier stack. Methods described herein can include delivering a process gas to a substrate positioned in a process chamber. The process gas can be activated to form an activated process gas, the activated process gas forming a barrier layer on a surface of the substrate, the barrier layer comprising silicon, carbon and nitrogen. The activated process gas can then be purged from the process chamber. An activated nitrogen-containing gas can be delivered to the barrier layer, the activated nitrogen-containing gas having a N2:NH3 ratio of greater than about 1:1. The activated nitrogen-containing gas can then be purged from the process chamber. The above elements can be performed one or more times to deposit the barrier stack.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to a method for forming a dielectric barrier layer. The dielectric barrier layer is deposited over a substrate by a plasma enhanced deposition process. In one embodiment, a gas mixture is introduced into a processing chamber. The gas mixture includes a silicon-containing gas, a nitrogen-containing gas, a boron-containing gas, and argon (Ar) gas.