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Reactive sputtering method and reactive sputtering apparatus

a sputtering apparatus and reactive technology, applied in the direction of vacuum evaporation coating, coating, electric discharge tube, etc., can solve the problems of shortening the life of the target shield, limiting the miniaturization, and different film characteristics for each processing

Inactive Publication Date: 2014-06-12
CANON ANELVA CORP
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  • Summary
  • Abstract
  • Description
  • Claims
  • Application Information

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The patent describes a method for making a resistance change film in a ReRAM device. This film is made using a special oxide that has a chemical composition that is different from what is normally used. The resistance change film can be deposited using a technique called reactive sputtering, which involves using certain metals such as tantalum, nickel, vanadium, titanium, cobalt, tungsten, hafnium, or aluminum. Using this method results in a better quality film that can improve the performance of the ReRAM device.

Problems solved by technology

However, a flash memory using a floating gate, which is mainstream at present, has a problem that a threshold voltage variation is caused by interference through a capacitive coupling between memory cells neighboring each other along with miniaturization of the memory cell and it is generally known that there exists a limit for the miniaturization.
When performing continuous film deposition using the reactive sputtering, however, there arises a problem that a film characteristic is different for each processing.
This method, however, results in a shorter target shield life and a reduced throughput, and does not provide a sufficiently effective countermeasure.
However, the inside of the chamber is heated to 200° C. or more and thereby the deposition cannot be carried out in a sufficiently cooled atmosphere and further it takes a long time until the shield surface reaches a thermal equilibrium similarly to the above case.
Further, when using a material in which a crystal state changes between at a low temperature and at a high temperature such as Al oxide (γ-alumina, α-alumina, or the like) or a material which forms various coupling states with oxygen such as Ta oxide (TaO2, Ta2O5, or the like), it is difficult to control the reaction precisely in the film deposition by the above method.

Method used

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  • Reactive sputtering method and reactive sputtering apparatus
  • Reactive sputtering method and reactive sputtering apparatus
  • Reactive sputtering method and reactive sputtering apparatus

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first embodiment

[0027]FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a sputtering apparatus suitable for implementing a method of the present embodiment. A film deposition processing chamber 100 is configured so as to be heated to a predetermined temperature by a heater 101. Further, the film deposition processing chamber (container) 100 is configured such that a to-be-processed substrate 102 is heated to a predetermined temperature by a heater 105 via a susceptor 104 embedded in a substrate holder 103. The substrate holder 103, which is a substrate holder capable of holding the substrate, preferably can rotate at a predetermined rotating speed from the viewpoint of film thickness uniformity. In the film deposition processing chamber, a target 106 is disposed at a position facing the to-be-processed substrate 102. The target 106 is disposed at a target holder 108 via a back plate 107 made of metal such as Cu. Note that a form of target assembly combining the target 106 and the back plate 107 may be fabricated as...

second embodiment

[0040]Next, a second embodiment will be explained.

[0041]FIG. 3 shows a reactive sputtering apparatus according to the second embodiment. While the reactive sputtering apparatus of the second embodiment has approximately the same configuration as that of the reactive sputtering apparatus in the first embodiment, a different point is that the reactive sputtering apparatus of the second embodiment does not have the shield 120 but uses a radiation thermometer 122 monitoring the strength of infrared light and visible light. Further, a shield plate 116 has not only a through hole 131 facing a target 106 but also a through hole (opening) 132 facing the radiation thermometer 122, and a space around a substrate can be observed via the through hole 132. That is, the radiation thermometer 122 is a member around a to-be-processed substrate 102 except the to-be-processed substrate 102 and is configured to measure the temperature of a member (adhesive member) facing the sputtering space via the t...

third embodiment

[0045]Next, a third embodiment will be explained with reference to FIGS. 4A and 4B. While a reactive sputtering apparatus of the third embodiment has approximately the same configuration as that according to the second embodiment, a different point is a configuration of a shield plate 116. In the third embodiment, the shield plate 116 is provided with a through hole 131 having approximately the same diameter as that of a target 106 and configured to be rotatable according to an instruction from a reactive gas control mechanism 209, and thereby the through hole 131 can be moved by the rotation to respective positions facing a radiation thermometer 122 and the target 106.

[0046]In the interim of film deposition (e.g., after film deposition or before film deposition), the through hole 131 is caused to face the radiation thermometer 122 for enabling temperature measurement (FIG. 4A) and also, during the film deposition, the through hole 131 is moved to the position facing the target 106 ...

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Abstract

The present invention provides a reactive sputtering method and a reactive sputtering apparatus which suppress a film quality change caused by a temperature variation in continuous substrate processing. An embodiment of the present invention performs reactive sputtering while adjusting a flow rate of reactive gas according to the temperature of a constituent member facing a sputtering space. Specifically, a temperature sensor is provided on a shield and the flow rate is adjusted according to the temperature. Thereby, even when a degassing amount of a film adhering to the shield changes, a partial pressure of reactive gas can be set to a predetermined value. For a resistance change layer constituting a ReRAM, a perovskite material such as PrCaMnO3 (PCMO), LaSrMnO3 (LSMO), and GdBaCoxOy (GBCO), a two-element type transition metal oxide material which has a composition shifted from a stoichiometric one, such as nickel oxide (NiO), vanadium oxide (V2O5), and the like are used.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0001]1. Field of the Invention[0002]The present invention relates to a reactive sputtering method and a reactive sputtering apparatus which provide an excellent film quality stability.[0003]2. Description of the Related Art[0004]For realizing a highly functional digital device, it is indispensable to develop a memory to be used having a higher capacity, a higher speed, a lower power consumption, a longer lifetime, and the like. Especially, a flash memory is used for various applications and expected to have a further higher performance. However, a flash memory using a floating gate, which is mainstream at present, has a problem that a threshold voltage variation is caused by interference through a capacitive coupling between memory cells neighboring each other along with miniaturization of the memory cell and it is generally known that there exists a limit for the miniaturization.[0005]Hence, a device drawing attention for replacing the flash memory is a ...

Claims

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Application Information

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Patent Type & Authority Applications(United States)
IPC IPC(8): C23C14/00
CPCC23C14/0042C23C14/088C23C14/544H10N70/24H10N70/826H10N70/8833H10N70/026H01J37/3438H01J37/3447
Inventor OTANI, YUICHINAKAGAWA, TAKASHI
Owner CANON ANELVA CORP