Methods of reducing or eliminating defects in tungsten film

US10879081B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Applied Materials, Inc. · US

Inventors

• Guoqiang Jian · San Jose, US
• Wei V. Tang · Santa Clara, US
• Chi-Chou Lin · New Taipei, TW
• Paul F. Ma · Santa Clara, US
• Kai Wu · Palo Alto, US
• Vikash Banthia · Los Altos, US
• Mei Chang · Saratoga, US
• Jia-Hong Ye · Baoshan, TW
• Wenyu Zhang · San Jose, US
• Jing Zhou · Huizhou, CN

Key dates

• Filing date: Nov 20, 2018
• Grant date: Dec 29, 2020
• Expiry date: Nov 20, 2038

Classification

• Technology area (CPC H): Electricity
• CPC primary: H01L21/76877
• WIPO field: Semiconductors
• WIPO sector: Electrical engineering

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for reducing and eliminating defects in tungsten film are disclosed herein. In the present disclosure, reducing or eliminating oxidation of a first surface of a tungsten film having a predetermined first thickness disposed upon a substrate and within a plurality of trenches is disclosed. The plurality of trenches include a predetermined depth, and a width of less than 20 nanometers. The predetermined first thickness of the tungsten film is substantially uniform throughout the plurality of trenches such that the predetermined first thickness of the tungsten film does not substantially change to a second thickness when the first surface is contacted with air or oxygen.