Smooth titanium nitride films having low resistivity
US6059872A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jan 21, 1998 |
| Grant date | May 9, 2000 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jan 21, 2018 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH01L21/7685
- WIPO fieldSurface technology, coating
- WIPO sectorChemistry
Abstract
The resistivity of titanium nitride films is reduced, by about 40% (to less than about 60 .mu.Ohm-cm), for example; and, the film surface roughness is reduced, by about 45% (to less than 6 .ANG.) by using a combination of particular process conditions during deposition of the film. In particular, titanium atoms produced by impact of inert gas ions upon a titanium target travel through a high density, inductively coupled rf plasma, an ion metal plasma (IMP), in which the titanium atoms are at least partially ionized. The ionized titanium ions are contacted with ionized nitrogen atoms also present in the processing chamber. The resultant gas phase composition is contacted with the surface of a semiconductor substrate on which a titanium nitride barrier layer is to be deposited. By controlling the gas phase deposition mixture composition, the quantity of the deposition mixture contacting the substrate surface over a given time period, and the pressure in the process vessel, the resistivity and surface roughness of the titanium nitride layer is adjusted. The resistivity of the titanium nitride barrier layer is principally determined by the crystal orientation of the titanium nitride. T…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.