Protected metal components, reaction chambers including the same, and methods

Abstract

A protected metal component and a reaction chamber including the protected metal component are disclosed. Exemplary methods of forming and utilizing protected metal components are also disclosed. The protected metal component includes a conformal protective layer disposed on a non-planar surface of the metal core.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to methods and apparatus for manufacturing electronic devices. More specifically, the present disclosure relates to protected metal components and reaction chambers including the protected metal components. Furthermore, the present disclosure relates to methods of forming and utilizing the protected metal components. Background Art

[0002] In the manufacture of integrated devices, thin layers are deposited or formed on substrates in a reaction chamber or reactor, for example by chemical vapor deposition (CVD) or atomic layer deposition (ALD). During these deposition processes, the deposited layers are also deposited on other surfaces, such as components inside the reaction chamber, walls of the reaction chamber, and other exposed (e.g., wetted) surfaces within the reaction chamber. Over time, these layers, often referred to as "parasitic layers," accumulate and increase, eventually flaking, falling off, and / or delaminating particles from the wetted surfaces within the reaction chamber. Particles that land on the surface of the substrate (e.g., land on the surface or are carried by the airflow) can cause problems in the manufacturing process, such as reducing the yield and / or reproducibility of the process. Regularly removing contaminants from the reaction chamber can reduce these problems.

[0003] One method of cleaning components within the reaction chamber is through an in-situ etching cycle using one or more cleaning cycles of a suitable etchant. However, in some cases, in-situ etching exhibits one or more disadvantages, such as significant etching of components within the reaction chamber. Therefore, in some cases, in-situ cleaning is not feasible.

[0004] Another option for cleaning components within the reaction chamber is ex-situ cleaning, in which contaminated components are removed from maintenance for cleaning. "Shot peening" is a form of ex-situ cleaning by mechanical abrasion, in which a stream of abrasive material, such as aluminum oxide, zirconium oxide, glass, silicon dioxide, silicon carbide (SiC), or other suitable material, is impacted against the surface to be cleaned, for example using a high-pressure fluid stream. Shot peening has several disadvantages, such as the damage the cleaning process can cause to reaction chamber components, thereby reducing their lifespan. Shot peening is a "line-of-sight" process, making it difficult to clean high-aspect-ratio components. Because contaminant removal cannot be visually monitored, the endpoint is not obvious, so when contaminants are removed and reach the underlying material, there is a risk of missing contaminated areas. Shot peening can also cause the abrasive material to contaminate the cleaned parts. Contaminants that are as hard as or harder than the abrasive material are not easily removed by shot peening. Shot peening also requires high costs and low reproducibility. Therefore, there is a need for improved components for use within reaction chambers, as well as methods for forming and utilizing improved components.

[0005] Any discussion set forth in this section, including discussion of problems and solutions, has been included in this disclosure solely to provide context for the disclosure. Such discussion should not be construed as an admission that any or all of the information was known or constituted prior art at the time the present invention was made. Summary of the Invention

[0006] This summary may introduce some concepts in a simplified form that are further described below. This summary is not intended to necessarily identify key features or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used to limit the scope of the claimed subject matter.

[0007] Various embodiments of the present disclosure relate to protected metal components, deposition equipment including protected metal components, and methods for forming and utilizing protected metal components. As described in more detail below, the protected metal components and methods for forming and utilizing protected metal components described herein can be used in the manufacturing process of electronic devices. Such protected metal components and methods for forming and utilizing protected metal components can extend the life of the metal components, reduce the complexity of removing parasitic layers formed on the metal components, and prevent damage to the metal components during the removal of parasitic layers formed on the metal components. For example, the protected metal components and methods for forming and utilizing protected metal components described herein can be used in a reaction chamber configured for depositing a metal oxide layer. In this case, the deposition of the metal oxide can include depositing hafnium oxide on a substrate, thereby forming a hafnium oxide parasitic layer on the metal components within the reaction chamber. The metal components used in the reaction chamber can have similar etching characteristics to hafnium oxide, thereby making the selective removal of the parasitic hafnium oxide layer more complicated due to the similar etching characteristics of the parasitic hafnium oxide layer and the metal components. By forming a protective layer that has different etching characteristics from the hafnium oxide parasitic layer, the metal components can be cleaned to remove the parasitic layer without etching and damaging the metal components.

[0008] According to an example of the present disclosure, a protected metal component for use in a wetted area inside a reaction chamber is provided. According to an example of the present disclosure, the protected metal component includes a metal core made of a material selected from titanium, titanium alloys, nickel alloys, stainless steel and aluminum. According to an example of the present disclosure, the metal core includes a non-planar surface. According to an example of the present disclosure, a conformal protective layer is directly disposed on the non-planar surface, the conformal protective layer has an average layer thickness between 20 nm and 300 nm, and the step coverage on the non-planar surface is greater than 90%. According to an example of the present disclosure, the protected metal component includes a material selected from metals, metal oxides and metal carbides. According to an example of the present disclosure, the conformal protective layer includes a metal oxide selected from aluminum oxide, zirconium oxide and tantalum oxide. In this case, the conformal protective layer has a partially crystalline structure. In addition, in this case, the conformal protective layer can be a material with a density greater than 3 g / cm3 Furthermore, in this case, the conformal protective layer may have a density greater than 5 g / cm 3 According to another example of the present disclosure, the conformal protective layer includes a metal oxide selected from aluminum oxide, silicon oxide, yttrium oxide, and zirconium oxide. In this case, the conformal protective layer has an amorphous structure. In this case, the conformal protective layer may have a porosity between 1% and 10%.

[0009] According to another example of the present disclosure, a deposition device is provided. The deposition device includes a reaction chamber and a protected metal part arranged together with the reaction chamber. The protected metal part is made of a material selected from titanium, titanium alloy, nickel alloy, stainless steel and aluminum. In addition, the protected metal part includes a non-planar surface. The conformal protective layer is directly provided on the non-planar surface of the metal core, the average layer thickness of the conformal protective layer is between 20nm and 300nm, and the step coverage on the non-planar surface is greater than 90%. According to an example of the present disclosure, the conformal protective layer has a partially crystalline structure. In this case, the conformal protective layer may include a density greater than 3g / cm 3 of the aluminum oxide layer.

[0010] According to another example of the present disclosure, a method for forming and utilizing a protected metal part is provided. According to such an example, the method provided includes, at a metal core made of a material selected from titanium, titanium alloys, nickel alloys, stainless steel and aluminum. The metal core also includes a non-planar surface. The exemplary method also includes cleaning the non-planar surface to form a clean textured surface, and depositing a conformal protective layer directly on the clean textured surface. According to an example of the present disclosure, depositing the conformal protective layer includes a process selected from the following: a cyclic deposition process, a chemical vapor deposition process, a physical vapor deposition process and a spray deposition process. According to an example of the present disclosure, the conformal protective layer is deposited by a cyclic deposition process, the cyclic deposition process including heating the metal core to a temperature between 100°C and 500°C and performing one or more deposition cycles. In this case, each deposition cycle includes providing a metal precursor to form an absorbed metal species on the surface of the metal core, and providing a reactant to react with the absorbed metal species to form a conformal protective layer on the surface of the metal core. According to a further example of the present disclosure, the provided method may further include placing a protected metal part in a reaction chamber, placing a substrate in the reaction chamber, and depositing a layer on the surface of the substrate and on the surface of the protected metal part, thereby forming a parasitic layer on the protected metal part. According to an example of the present disclosure, the method may further include removing the protected metal part having the parasitic layer thereon from the reaction chamber, and selectively removing the parasitic layer disposed on the protected metal part. According to an example of the present disclosure, selectively removing the parasitic layer includes contacting the conformal protective layer with a selective etchant to remove the conformal protective layer from the metal core, thereby peeling the parasitic layer from the metal core. According to another example of the present disclosure, selectively removing the parasitic layer includes contacting the parasitic layer with a selective etchant, the selective etchant selectively etching the parasitic layer relative to the conformal protective layer. In this case, depositing the conformal protective layer and depositing the parasitic layer are performed in different reaction chambers. According to an example of the present disclosure, the selective etchant is selected from sodium hydroxide and potassium hydroxide.

[0011] These and other embodiments will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description of certain embodiments with reference to the accompanying figures.The present disclosure is not limited to any particular embodiment disclosed. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0012] A more complete understanding of embodiments of the present disclosure can be obtained by referring to the detailed description and claims when considered in conjunction with the following illustrative drawings.

[0013] Figure 1 A metal core according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0014] Figure 2 A protected metal component is shown according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0015] Figure 3 A deposition apparatus including a protected metal component according to an example of the present disclosure is shown.

[0016] Figure 4 A method for forming a protected metal component according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0017] Figure 5 A method for utilizing a protected metal component according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0018] It should be understood that the elements in the drawings are shown for simplicity and clarity and are not necessarily drawn to scale. For example, the sizes of some elements in the drawings may be exaggerated relative to other elements to help improve understanding of the illustrated embodiments of the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0019] The descriptions of exemplary embodiments of methods and structures provided below are merely exemplary and are for illustrative purposes only. The following descriptions are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure or the claims. Furthermore, the recitation of multiple embodiments having specified features or steps is not intended to exclude other embodiments having additional features or steps, or other embodiments incorporating different combinations of the specified features or steps.

[0020] As described in more detail below, various embodiments of the present disclosure provide protected metal components, deposition apparatus including the protected metal components, and methods for forming and utilizing the protected metal components. The exemplary protected metal components and methods for forming and utilizing the protected metal components can be used to increase the life of the metal components, prevent damage to the metal components, and improve the process for removing parasitic layers formed on the metal components during the deposition process.

[0021] In addition, the protected metal component of the present invention employs a conformal protective layer that is capable of selectively removing a parasitic layer deposited on the component without damaging the underlying metal core. According to an example of the present disclosure, the conformal protective layer of the present disclosure can serve as an etch stop layer, thereby preventing etching of the underlying metal core of the component during removal of the parasitic layer. According to a further example of the present disclosure, the conformal protective layer of the present disclosure can serve as a sacrificial layer, wherein the conformal protective layer is selectively removed without damaging the underlying metal core, and by removing the conformal protective layer, the parasitic layer deposited thereon is stripped and removed from the metal core of the component.

[0022] In the present disclosure, the gas may include a material that is a gas at normal temperature and pressure (NTP), a vaporized solid, and / or a vaporized liquid, and may be composed of a single gas or a gas mixture according to circumstances.

[0023] The terms precursor and reactant can refer to molecules (compounds or molecules containing a single element) that participate in a chemical reaction to produce another compound. A precursor typically comprises a portion that is at least partially incorporated into the compound or element produced by the chemical reaction. The resulting compound or element can be deposited on a substrate. A reactant can be an element or compound that is not incorporated into the resulting compound or element to a significant extent. In some cases, the term reactant can be used interchangeably with the term precursor.

[0024] As used herein, the term "wetted area" may refer to one or more surfaces within a reaction chamber or semiconductor processing equipment that are exposed to precursors, reactants, or other processing media.

[0025] As used herein, the term "metal core" may refer to a single or multiple element components made of a metal material.

[0026] As used herein, the term "titanium alloy" refers to one or more materials comprising the element titanium alloyed with one or more additional elements.

[0027] As used herein, the term "nickel alloy" refers to one or more materials comprising the element nickel alloyed with one or more additional elements, such as chromium, molybdenum, and iron. The term "nickel alloy" may also refer to superalloys sold under the trademarks Hastelloy™ and Inconel™.

[0028] As used herein, the term "stainless steel" refers to one or more corrosion-resistant materials comprising the element iron alloyed with one or more additional elements, such as chromium, nickel, and carbon.

[0029] As used herein, the terms "conformal protective layer" and "conformal deposition" may refer to a layer deposited on a non-planar surface (e.g., a surface comprising multiple vertical features) having a step coverage greater than 85%, or greater than about 90%, or greater than 95%, or greater than 97%, or greater than 98%, or greater than 99%, or substantially equal to 100%, or between 80% and 100%.

[0030] As used herein, the term "step coverage" is defined as the percentage of the average layer thickness of a deposited layer deposited on vertical surfaces to the thickness of a deposited layer deposited on horizontal surfaces. In other words, the percentage "step coverage" can be defined as the average vertical layer thickness of the conformal protective layer: the average horizontal layer thickness of the conformal protective layer.

[0031] As used herein, the term "partially crystalline structure" may refer to a layer (or material) comprising a mixture of crystalline and amorphous regions, and the term mixture refers to separate or homogeneously integrated crystalline and amorphous regions.

[0032] As used herein, the term "substrate" may refer to any one or more underlying materials that can be used to form or on which a device, circuit, or film can be formed. The substrate may include a bulk material, such as silicon (e.g., single crystal silicon), other Group IV materials, such as germanium, or other semiconductor materials, such as Group II-VI or Group III-V semiconductor materials, and may include one or more layers covering or underlying the bulk material. In addition, the substrate may include various features, such as depressions, protrusions, etc. formed in or on at least a portion of the substrate layer. For example, the substrate may include a semiconductor material. The semiconductor material may include or be used to form one or more of the source, drain, or channel regions of the device. The substrate may also include an interlayer dielectric (e.g., silicon oxide) and / or a high dielectric constant material layer covering the semiconductor material. As used herein, a high dielectric constant material or high-k dielectric material is a material having a dielectric constant greater than the dielectric constant of silicon dioxide.

[0033] As used herein, the term film and / or layer can refer to any continuous or discontinuous structure and material, such as a material deposited by the method disclosed herein. For example, the film and / or layer can include a two-dimensional material, a three-dimensional material, nanoparticles, a partial or complete molecular layer or a partial or complete atomic layer or a cluster of atoms and / or molecules. The film or layer can be composed partially or entirely of a plurality of dispersed atoms on a substrate surface and / or embedded in a substrate and / or embedded in a device manufactured on the substrate. The film or layer can include a material or layer with pinholes and / or islands. The film or layer can be at least partially continuous. The film or layer can be patterned, for example, subdivided, and can include a plurality of semiconductor devices.

[0034] The term cyclic deposition process or cyclic deposition process can refer to the sequential introduction of precursors (and / or reactants) into a reaction chamber to deposit layers on a substrate and / or component, and includes process technologies such as atomic layer deposition (ALD), plasma enhanced atomic layer deposition (PEALD), cyclic chemical vapor deposition (cyclic CVD), and hybrid cyclic deposition processes including an ALD component and a cyclic CVD component. In some cases, a cyclic deposition process can include continuously flowing one or more precursors, reactants, or inert gases, as well as pulsing other precursors or reactants.

[0035] As used herein, the term "purge" may refer to the process of providing an inert or substantially inert gas to a reaction chamber between two gas pulses that would otherwise react with each other. For example, a purge may be provided between a precursor pulse and a reactant pulse, for example using an inert gas, such as a rare gas, to reduce gas phase interactions that may occur between the precursor and the reactant. It will be understood that the purge may be performed in time or space, or both. For example, in the case of a time purge, a purge step may be used, for example in a time sequence of providing a precursor to the reaction chamber, providing a purge gas to the reaction chamber, and providing a reactant or another precursor to the reaction chamber, wherein the substrate on which the layer is deposited does not move. In the case of a space purge, the purge step may take the form of moving the substrate from a first position where a precursor is (e.g., continuously) supplied to a second position where a reactant or other precursor is (e.g., continuously) supplied via a purge gas curtain.

[0036] In addition, in the present disclosure, any two numbers of a variable may constitute a feasible range for the variable, and any range indicated may or may not include the endpoints. In addition, any values ​​of the variables indicated (whether or not they are expressed with the term "about") may refer to exact values ​​or approximate values, and include equivalents, and may refer to average values, median values, representative values, multiple values, etc. In addition, in the present disclosure, the terms including, consisting of, and having independently refer to generally or broadly including, consisting essentially of, or consisting of in some embodiments.

[0037] In this disclosure, in some embodiments, any defined meaning does not necessarily exclude the ordinary and customary meaning.

[0038] Now turning to the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 A structure 100 is shown including a metal core 102 prior to depositing a conformal protective layer on the surface of the metal core according to an example of the present disclosure. The metal core 102 includes a non-planar surface 104 including a plurality of features 106 and 108.

[0039] According to an example of the present disclosure, the metal core 102 may include a single element component or a multi-element component made of one or more metallic materials. For example, the metal core may be made of a material selected from titanium, titanium alloys, nickel alloys (including superalloys), stainless steel, and aluminum. As a non-limiting example, the metal core 102 may include a non-alloy titanium material comprising a pure non-alloy titanium metal having a composition comprising less than 0.05 atomic % nitrogen (N2), less than 0.08 atomic % carbon (C), less than 0.015 atomic % hydrogen (H2), less than 0.50 atomic % iron (Fe), and less than 0.40 atomic % oxygen (O2). In a further example, the metal core 102 may include a nickel-based superalloy, such as those typically sold under the trademarks Haynes™, Hastelloy™, and Inconel™.

[0040] According to examples of the present disclosure, the metal core 102 may include a plurality of components that may be used within a wetted area within a reaction chamber, such as, but not limited to, a substrate support assembly, an electrostatic chuck (ESC), a process ring, a chamber wall, a pedestal, a showerhead, a gas distribution plate, a faceplate, a liner, a gas line, a shield, a remote plasma source, a flow controller, a flow equalizer, a cooling pedestal, a chamber viewing port, a chamber lid, a nozzle, and the like.

[0041] like Figure 1 As shown, metal core 102 includes a non-planar surface 104. Non-planar surface 104 of metal core 102 may include at least one of nickel, copper, cobalt, chromium, molybdenum, stainless steel, ruthenium, tungsten, platinum, titanium, aluminum, or mixtures thereof. Non-planar surface 104 should not be construed as limited to this list. Other metal surfaces that may have naturally occurring native metal oxides or that can readily form metal oxides when exposed to certain oxidizing agents (e.g., ozone, water, oxygen) may be suitably used herein as non-planar surface 104.

[0042] According to an example of the present disclosure, the non-planar surface 104 may include a plurality of non-planar features, such as one or more raised features and / or one or more recessed features. For example, the raised features and the recessed features may include features above and below the main plane 112 of the metal core 102, respectively.

[0043] Figure 1 An exemplary raised feature 106 and an exemplary recessed feature 108 are shown, wherein both exemplary non-planar features 106, 108 have a vertical surface 114 and a horizontal surface 116. It should be noted that the vertical surface 114 is not necessarily absolutely vertical (i.e., the vertical surface 114 does not necessarily need to be 90° to the main plane 112). Similarly, the horizontal surface 116 is not necessarily absolutely horizontal (i.e., the horizontal surface 116 does not necessarily need to be 0° to the main plane 112 (e.g., parallel).

[0044] According to examples of the present disclosure, the raised / recessed features (106, 108) can have a height / depth greater than 1µm, greater than 10µm, greater than 50µm, greater than 100µm, greater than 250µm, greater than 500µm, greater than 750µm, greater than 1000µm, or between 1µm and 1000µm. In addition, in such examples, the raised / recessed features (106, 108) can have a height / depth greater than 1mm, greater than 2mm, greater than 3mm, greater than 4mm, greater than 5mm, greater than 10mm, greater than 20mm, greater than 30mm, greater than 50mm, greater than 100mm, or between 1mm and 100mm.

[0045] According to examples of the present disclosure, the raised features 106 and the recessed features 108 may include high aspect ratio features. Such high aspect ratio features may have an aspect ratio (height:width) greater than 2:1, or greater than 5:1, or greater than 10:1, or greater than 25:1, or greater than 50:1, or even greater than 100:1, where "greater than" as used in this example refers to a greater distance in the height (or depth) of the feature.

[0046] According to examples of the present disclosure, non-planar features (e.g., 106 and 108) may include, but are not limited to, pillars, pins, posts, holes, holes, through-holes, channels, etc. In an exemplary embodiment, raised feature 106 may include a vertical pin protruding from a surface of a metal core comprising a substrate support assembly. In a further exemplary embodiment, recessed feature 108 may include a hole recessed into a surface of a metal core comprising a gas distribution plate.

[0047] According to an example of the present disclosure, non-planar surface 104 may include a textured surface to facilitate adhesion of a subsequently deposited conformal protective layer. According to a further example of the present disclosure, non-planar surface 104 may also include a clean textured surface. In this case, the non-planar surface is free of or substantially free of oxides, organics, oils, particulates, or other debris and contaminants that may be detrimental to the deposition of the conformal protective layer.

[0048] Figure 2 An exemplary protected metal component 200 is shown, including a metal core 102 and a conformal protective layer 202. According to an example of the present disclosure, the conformal protective layer 202 has an average layer thickness of less than 1000 nm, or less than 500 nm, less than 400 nm, less than 300 nm, less than 250 nm, less than 200 nm, less than 100 nm, less than 50 nm, less than 30 nm, less than 20 nm, less than 10 nm, or less than 5 nm. According to an example of the present disclosure, the conformal protective layer 202 has an average layer thickness of greater than 5 nm, greater than 10 nm, greater than 20 nm, greater than 30 nm, greater than 50 nm, greater than 100 nm, greater than 200 nm, greater than 250 nm, greater than 300 nm, greater than 400 nm, greater than 500 nm, or greater than 1000 nm. According to an example of the present disclosure, the average layer thickness of the conformal protective layer 202 is between 5 nm and 500 nm, between 10 nm and 400 nm, between 15 nm and 350 nm, or between 20 nm and 300 nm. According to a further example of the present disclosure, the average layer thickness of the conformal protective layer 202 is between 5 nm and 1000 nm, between 10 nm and 750 nm, between 15 nm and 600 nm, or between 20 nm and 500 nm.

[0049] According to an example of the present disclosure, conformal protective layer 202 is disposed directly on non-planar surface 104 of metal core 102. In this case, conformal protective layer 202 is disposed directly on non-planar surface 104 with a step coverage greater than 85%, greater than 90%, greater than 92%, greater than 94%, greater than 95%, greater than 96%, greater than 98%, greater than 99%, or even substantially equal to 100%. Furthermore, in this case, conformal protective layer 202 is disposed directly on non-planar surface 104 with a step coverage between 85% and 100%, between 90% and 99%, or between 95% and 98%. In such an example, the step coverage can be determined as a percentage of the average layer thickness of the conformal protective layer disposed on horizontal surface 116 to the average layer thickness of the conformal protective layer disposed on vertical surface 114.

[0050] According to an example of the present disclosure, conformal protective layer 202 includes a material selected from the group consisting of metals, metal oxides, and metal carbides. As used herein, the term "metal" refers to metallic elements (e.g., aluminum, zirconium, etc.) and semi-metallic elements (e.g., silicon). In a further example, the conformal protective layer may include a material that does not include a metallic element. In a further example, the conformal protective layer may include a polymer, such as a fluoropolymer.

[0051] According to an example of the present disclosure, the conformal protective layer 202 includes a metal oxide selected from the group consisting of aluminum oxide, zirconium oxide, and tantalum oxide. In this case, the conformal protective layer 202 has a partially crystalline structure. For example, the conformal protective layer 202 may include a mixture of crystalline regions and non-crystalline regions (e.g., amorphous regions). In addition, the partially crystalline conformal protective layer may have a polycrystalline structure. In this case, the structure of the conformal protective layer can be determined by techniques such as x-ray diffraction.

[0052] According to an example of the present disclosure, the conformal protective layer 202 may include an aluminum oxide layer. In this case, the density of the aluminum oxide layer may be greater than 2.0 g / cm 3 , greater than 2.5g / cm 3 , greater than 3.0g / cm 3 , greater than 3.25g / cm 3 , greater than 3.5g / cm 3 , greater than 3.75g / cm 3 or greater than 3.9g / cm 3 In addition, in this case, the density of the aluminum oxide layer can be 2.0 g / cm 3 and 3.9g / cm 3 Between 2.5g / cm 3 and 3.75g / cm 3 Between or 3.0g / cm 3 and 3.5g / cm3 between.

[0053] According to an example of the present disclosure, the conformal protective layer 202 may include a density greater than 3.0 g / cm 3 , greater than 3.5g / cm 3 , greater than 4.0g / cm 3 , greater than 4.25g / cm 3 , greater than 4.5g / cm 3 , greater than 5.0g / cm 3 or greater than 5.5g / cm 3 In addition, in this case, the density of the zirconium oxide layer can be 3.0 g / cm 3 and 5.5g / cm 3 Between 3.5g / cm 3 and 5.0g / cm 3 Between or 4.0g / cm 3 and 4.5g / cm 3 between.

[0054] According to another example of the present disclosure, the conformal protective layer 202 includes a metal oxide selected from the group consisting of aluminum oxide, silicon oxide, yttrium oxide, and zirconium oxide. In this case, the conformal protective layer 202 has an amorphous structure. For example, the conformal protective layer 202 may include an amorphous layer that does not exhibit or substantially does not exhibit long-range order in the crystalline structure. In this case, the structure of the conformal protective layer can be determined by techniques such as x-ray diffraction. In addition, in this case, the conformal protective layer 202 may include a plurality of pores. For example, the conformal protective layer may have a porosity of less than 25%, less than 20%, less than 10%, less than 5%, less than 2%, less than 1%, less than 0.8%, or less than 0.5%. In addition, in this case, the conformal protective layer 202 may have a porosity between 0.5% and 25%, between 0.8% and 15%, or between 1% and 10%.

[0055] Figure 3 A semiconductor processing system 300 according to an example of the present disclosure is shown. The semiconductor processing system may include a deposition apparatus and includes a gas delivery device 302 and a reaction chamber 304. According to an example of the present disclosure, the protected metal component 200 is disposed within the reaction chamber 304. The semiconductor processing system 300 also includes an exhaust device 308 and a controller 310. Although a particular arrangement of the semiconductor processing system 300 is shown and described herein, it should be understood and appreciated that semiconductor processing systems having other arrangements may also benefit from the present disclosure.

[0056] Gas delivery assembly 302 is coupled to reaction chamber 304 and configured to provide one or more precursors / reactants 310 to reaction chamber 304. Reaction chamber 304 may house a plurality of protected metal components disposed therein, such as illustrated by exemplary protected metal component 200. Exhaust assembly 308 is coupled to reaction chamber 304 and fluidly coupled to protected metal component 200, and configured to transport residual precursors / reactants and / or reaction products 312 from reaction chamber 304 to an external environment 314 outside semiconductor processing system 300. Controller 310 is operably coupled to the semiconductor processing system and configured to control the deposition of material layers.

[0057] According to an example of the present disclosure, protected metal component 200 disposed within reaction chamber 304 includes metal core 102 and non-planar surface 104 as described above, and has all of the properties, characteristics, and features described above.

[0058] According to an example of the present disclosure, the protected metal component 200 provided with the reaction chamber 304 includes a conformal protective layer 202 provided directly on the non-planar surface 104, the conformal protective layer having all the properties, characteristics, and features described above. According to an example of the present disclosure, the conformal protective layer 202 has an average layer thickness between 20 nm and 300 nm and a step coverage on the non-planar surface 104 greater than 90%. According to an example of the present disclosure, the conformal protective layer is a partially crystalline structure. In this case, the conformal protective layer 202 has a density greater than 3 g / cm 3 In a further example, the conformal protective layer 202 has a density greater than 5 g / cm 3 zirconium oxide layer.

[0059] Figure 4 A method 400 according to an example of the present disclosure is shown. The method 400 includes, at a metal core made of a material selected from the group consisting of titanium, a titanium alloy, a nickel alloy, stainless steel, and aluminum, the metal core including a non-planar surface (step 402), cleaning the surface of the metal core (step 404), and depositing a conformal protective layer on the metal core (step 406).

[0060] Step 402 uses a metal core as previously described, and includes all the properties and features described above. According to an example of the present disclosure, the metal core includes a non-planar surface.

[0061] According to an example of the present disclosure, step 404 includes cleaning the non-planar surface of the metal core to form a clean, textured surface. According to an example of the present disclosure, in step 404, the metal core may be exposed to one or more pre-cleaning processes prior to depositing the conformal protective coating. The surface of the metal core may contain oxides, organic matter, oil, soil, particles, debris and / or other contaminants that may be removed prior to depositing the conformal protective layer on the metal core. The pre-cleaning process may be or include one or more sandblasting or texturing processes, vacuum purging, solvent cleaning, acid cleaning, wet cleaning, plasma cleaning, ultrasonic treatment, or any combination thereof. Once cleaned and / or textured, the subsequently deposited conformal protective layer has stronger adhesion to the surface of the metal core than if it were not exposed to the pre-cleaning process.

[0062] According to examples of the present invention, the non-planar surface (and additional surfaces) of the metal core can be sandblasted or exposed to beads, sand, carbonates or other particles to remove oxides and other contaminants therefrom and / or to provide texture to the surface of the metal core. In such examples, the metal core can be placed in a chamber within a pulsed push-pull system and exposed to cycles of purge gas (e.g., N2, Ar, He, or any combination thereof) and vacuum purge to remove debris from raised and recessed features on the non-planar surface of the metal core. In other examples, the surface of the metal core can be exposed to hydrogen plasma, oxygen or ozone plasma, and / or nitrogen plasma, which can be generated in a plasma chamber or by a remote plasma system.

[0063] According to examples of the present disclosure, removing organic matter or oxides from the surface of the metal core (including non-planar surfaces) may include exposing the surface to a hydrogen plasma, then degassing the surface, and then exposing the surface to an ozone treatment. In other examples, for example, to remove organic matter, the surface of the metal core may be exposed to a wet cleaning process comprising: soaking in an alkaline degreasing solution, rinsing, exposing the surface to an acid cleaning process (e.g., sulfuric acid, phosphoric acid, or hydrochloric acid), rinsing, and exposing the surface to an ultrasonic bath of deionized water. In some examples, for example, to remove oxides, the surface of the metal core may be exposed to a wet cleaning process comprising: exposing the surface to a dilute acid solution (e.g., acetic acid or hydrochloric acid), rinsing, and exposing the surface to an ultrasonic bath of deionized water. In one or more examples, for example, to remove particles, the surface of the metal core may be exposed to ultrasonic treatment (e.g., megasonic treatment) and / or supercritical carbon dioxide washing, followed by exposure to a cycle of a purge gas (e.g., N2, Ar, He, or any combination thereof) and a vacuum purge to remove particles from the surface and dry the surface. In some examples, the metal core can be exposed to a heating or drying process, such as heating the metal core to a temperature between 50° C. and 150° C. and exposing the surface to a purge gas. The metal core can be heated in an oven or exposed to a lamp for the heating or drying process.

[0064] Step 406 includes depositing a conformal protective layer on the clean textured surface of the metal core. According to an example of the present disclosure, depositing the conformal protective layer includes a process selected from the group consisting of a cyclic deposition process, a chemical vapor deposition process, a physical vapor deposition process, and a spray deposition process.

[0065] According to an example of the present disclosure, step 406 includes depositing a conformal protective layer, such as an atomic layer deposition process, by a cyclic deposition process 410. The cyclic deposition process 410 may include heating the metal core to a deposition temperature and performing one or more deposition cycles, as shown in cycle 412. In such an example, each deposition cycle includes providing a metal precursor to form an absorbed metal species on the surface of the metal core (step 414), and providing a reactant to react with the absorbed metal species to form a conformal protective layer on the surface of the metal core (step 416).

[0066] During step 406, a metal core is positioned within a reaction chamber. The reaction chamber used during step 406 can be or include a reaction chamber of a chemical vapor deposition reactor system configured to perform a chemical vapor deposition process or a cyclic deposition process. In some embodiments, the reaction chamber used during step 406 can be or include a reaction chamber of an atomic layer deposition reactor system configured to perform a cyclic deposition process. The reaction chamber can be a stand-alone reaction chamber or part of a combination tool. The reaction chamber can include a substrate heater to heat the metal core to the deposition temperature.

[0067] During step 406, the metal core may be heated to a temperature (e.g., deposition temperature) between 100° C. and 500° C., or between 150° C. and 400° C., or between 250° C. and 350° C., or between 275° C. and 325° C., or between 280° C. and 320° C. In some embodiments, the step of depositing the conformal protective layer (step 406) may be performed at a temperature below 500° C., or below 400° C., or below 300° C., or below 200° C., or below 100° C.

[0068] In addition to controlling the temperature of the metal core, the pressure within the reaction chamber may also be adjusted. For example, in some embodiments of the present disclosure, during step 406, the pressure within the reaction chamber may be less than 760 Torr, or between 0.2 Torr and 760 Torr, between approximately 1 Torr and 100 Torr, or between approximately 1 Torr and 10 Torr.

[0069] According to an example of the present disclosure, the cyclic deposition process 410 includes the following steps: providing a metal precursor to form an absorbed metal species on the surface of the metal core (step 414), and providing a reactant to react with the absorbed metal species (step 416) to form a conformal protective layer on the non-planar surface of the metal core metal. As shown in cycle 412, steps 414 and 416 can be repeated, and each cycle 412 includes a single deposition cycle of the cyclic deposition process 410. In addition, steps 414 and 416 can be started and / or terminated in any order. In addition, the cyclic deposition process 410 can include one or more (e.g., 1-10 or 1-5) steps 414 and / or 416, and then proceed to the other of steps 414 or 416.

[0070] During step 414, a metal precursor is provided to the reaction chamber. The temperature and pressure within the reaction chamber can be as described above in connection with step 406.

[0071] According to an example of the present disclosure, the metal precursor may include an aluminum precursor selected from AlCl3, Al(OiPr)3, AlEt3, trimethylaluminum (TMA), triethylaluminum (TEA), dimethylaluminum hydride (DMAH), dimethylethylamine aluminum (DMEAA), trimethylamine (TEAA), tri-tert-butylaluminum (TTBA) and N-methylpyrrolidone (MPA).

[0072] According to another example of the present disclosure, the metal precursor may include a zirconium precursor selected from Zr(NEtMe)4, ZrCp2(NMe2)2, and Zr(OtBu)4.

[0073] According to further examples of the present disclosure, the metal precursor may include a yttrium precursor selected from Y(CpBu)3, Y(CpEt)3, Y(EtCp)2(iPr2AMD), Y(iPrAMD)3, Y(thd)3 and Y(CpMe)3.

[0074] According to further examples of the present disclosure, the metal precursor may include a tantalum precursor selected from Ta(NEt)(NEt2)3, Ta(NEt2)5, Ta(NtBu)(iPrAMD)2(NMe2), Ta(NtBu)(tBu2pz)3, Ta(OEt)4(dmae), Ta(OEt)5, TaCl5 and TaI5.

[0075] According to further examples of the present disclosure, the metal precursor may include a silicon precursor. In some cases, the silicon precursor includes a metal precursor having the general formula R a SiX b or R c X d Si-SiR c X dwherein each X can be independently selected from H, halogen or other ligands, wherein each R can be a C1-C12 organic group, and wherein a is 0, 1, 2 or 3, b is 4-a, c is 0, 1 or 2, and d is 3-c. R can be a hydrocarbon. If a is di- or tri-, or c is di-, each R can be independently selected. In some embodiments, each R is selected from an alkyl group and an aryl group. For clarity, X can represent different (e.g., independently selected) ligands. Thus, in some embodiments, the silicon precursor can be, for example, SiH2Br2, SiH2I2 or SiH2Cl2. In some cases, the silicon precursor can be composed of silicon and hydrogen. For example, the silicon precursor can include silanes, such as silane (SiH4), disilane (Si2H6), trisilane (Si3H8), tetrasilane (Si4H 10 ) or with the general empirical formula Si x H (2x+2) of higher silanes.

[0076] The duration of step 414 can be between about 0.1 seconds and about 60 seconds, between about 0.1 seconds and about 10 seconds, or between about 0.5 seconds and about 5.0 seconds during each deposition cycle 410. The flow rate of the metal precursor to the reaction chamber can be less than 1000 sccm, or less than 500 sccm, or less than 100 sccm, or less than 10 sccm, or even less than 1 sccm, or range from about 1 to 2000 sccm, from about 5 to 1000 sccm, or from about 10 to about 500 sccm.

[0077] During step 416, reactants are provided to the reaction chamber. Exemplary reactants suitable for step 416 may include reducing agents, oxidizing agents, and carbonizing agents. Exemplary reducing agents include one or more of the following: forming gas (H2+N2), ammonia (NH3), hydrazine (N2H4), alkyl hydrazines (e.g., tert-butyl hydrazine (C4H4), hydroxyl hydrazine (NH ... 12 N2)), molecular hydrogen (H2), hydrogen atoms (H), (e.g., C1-C4) alcohols, (e.g., C1-C4) aldehydes, (e.g., C1-C4) carboxylic acids, (e.g., B1-B12) boranes, or amines. Exemplary oxidants include one or more of water (H2O), hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), ozone (O3), nitrogen oxides, such as nitric oxide (NO), nitrous oxide (N2O), and nitrogen dioxide (NO2). In some embodiments of the present disclosure, the oxidant precursor may include an organic alcohol, such as isopropyl alcohol. Exemplary carbonizing agents may include hydrocarbons, such as propane and / or ethane, and metal organics that can serve as both a metal source and a carbon source.

[0078] During step 416, the flow rate of the reactant to the reaction chamber can be greater than zero and less than 30 slm, or less than 15 slm, or less than 10 slm, or less than 5 slm, or less than 1 slm, or even less than 0.1 slm. For example, the flow rate can be between about 0.1 and 30 slm, from about 5 to 15 slm, or equal to or greater than 10 slm. In the case of a cyclic deposition process, the reactant can be pulsed—for example, for a duration between about 0.01 seconds and about 180 seconds, between about 0.05 seconds and about 60 seconds, or between about 0.1 seconds and about 30 seconds.

[0079] The metal precursors and / or reactants can be purged from the reaction chamber—for example, after each pulse and / or upon completion of steps 414, 416, and / or each deposition cycle 410. The purging can be performed temporally or spatially, or both. The purge time can be, for example, from about 0.01 seconds to about 20 seconds, from about 0.05 seconds to about 20 seconds, or from about 1 second to about 20 seconds, or from about 0.5 seconds to about 10 seconds, or from about 1 second to about 7 seconds. The flow rate of the purge gas to the reaction chamber can be less than 1000 sccm, or less than 500 sccm, or less than 100 sccm, or less than 10 sccm, or even less than 1 sccm, or range from about 1 to 2000 sccm, from about 5 to 1000 sccm, or from about 10 to about 500 sccm.

[0080] In some embodiments, the metal precursor may be pulsed more than once, for example, two, three, or four times, before the reactant is pulsed into the reaction chamber. Similarly, the reactant may be pulsed more than once, for example, two, three, or four times, before the metal precursor is pulsed (i.e., provided) into the reaction chamber.

[0081] The cyclic deposition process (step 410) is repeated until an end criterion is met. For example, the end criterion can be based on the number of deposition cycles 412 performed, or the desired thickness of the deposited conformal protective layer. The deposited conformal protective layer can have all the properties and characteristics described above.

[0082] Figure 5 An additional method 500 according to an example of the present disclosure is shown. The method 500 includes positioning a protected metal component within a reaction chamber (step 502), depositing a layer on a surface of a substrate and on a surface of the protected metal component to form a parasitic layer on the protected metal component (step 504), optionally removing the protected metal component with the parasitic layer thereon from the reaction chamber (step 506), and selectively removing the parasitic layer disposed on the protected metal component (step 508).

[0083] According to an example of the present disclosure, the reaction chamber used during step 502 may be or include a reaction chamber of a chemical vapor deposition reactor system configured to perform a chemical vapor deposition process or a cyclic deposition process. In some embodiments, the reaction chamber used during step 502 may be or include a reaction chamber of an atomic layer deposition reactor system or a plasma enhanced atomic layer deposition reactor system configured to perform a cyclic deposition process. The reaction chamber may be a stand-alone reaction chamber or part of a combination tool. The reaction chamber may include a substrate heater for heating the substrate to a deposition temperature and heating a protected metal component disposed within the reaction chamber.

[0084] Step 504 includes depositing a layer on the surface of the substrate placed in the reaction chamber and on the surface of the protected metal component, thereby forming a parasitic layer on the protected metal component. According to an example of the present disclosure, depositing the parasitic layer may include a chemical vapor deposition process or a cyclic deposition process, such as an atomic layer deposition process.

[0085] According to an example of the present disclosure, the deposited layer and therefore the parasitic layer can be selected from metals, metal oxides, metal nitrides, metal carbides, metal silicides and mixtures thereof. In such an example, the deposited layer (and the parasitic layer) can include a metal oxide, such as hafnium oxide. In this case, the parasitic layer can include a hafnium oxide parasitic layer. Furthermore, in this case, the parasitic layer can be deposited directly on the conformal protective layer rather than on the metal core of the protected metal component. According to an example of the present disclosure, the parasitic layer can be deposited to a thickness of greater than 10 μm, greater than 25 μm, greater than 50 μm, greater than 100 μm, greater than 250 μm, greater than 500 μm, greater than 750 μm, greater than 1000 μm or greater than 1200 μm. In this case, the parasitic layer can be deposited to a thickness of between 10 μm and 1200 μm, between 25 μm and 1000 μm, between 50 μm and 7500 μm or between 100 μm and 500 μm. According to further examples of the present disclosure, the parasitic layer can be deposited to a thickness greater than 1 mm, greater than 25 mm, greater than 50 mm, greater than 100 mm, greater than 150 mm, or greater than 200 mm. In this case, the parasitic layer can be deposited to a thickness between 1 mm and 200 mm, between 25 mm and 150 mm, or between 50 mm and 100 mm.

[0086] Step 506 optionally includes removing the protected metal component having the parasitic layer thereon from the reaction chamber. In this case, the protected metal component is removed so that the parasitic layer can be removed ex-situ, i.e., from outside the reaction chamber. According to an example of the present disclosure, the protected metal component is removed from the reaction chamber after an extended period of operation within the reaction chamber. In this case, the protected metal component can be subjected to multiple deposition runs. In an alternative example, the protected metal component can remain within the reaction chamber, and the parasitic layer can subsequently be removed in-situ, i.e., within the reaction chamber where the parasitic layer deposition was performed.

[0087] Step 508 includes selectively removing a parasitic layer disposed on the protected metal component.

[0088] According to an example of the present disclosure, selectively removing the parasitic layer may include contacting the conformal protective layer with a selective etchant to remove the conformal protective layer provided on the metal core, thereby peeling the parasitic layer from the metal core. In this case, the protected metal part is removed from the reaction chamber and the removal of the parasitic layer is not performed in situ. In this case, the conformal protective layer can act as a sacrificial layer that can be easily removed (without damaging the metal core below) and, when removed, also removes the parasitic layer adhered to the conformal protective layer. In these examples of the present disclosure, the selective etchant may include a selective alkaline solution. For example, the selective etchant may be selected from sodium hydroxide and potassium hydroxide. In an alternative example of the present disclosure, the selective etchant may include a selective acidic solution. In addition, in this case, the protected metal part is contacted with the selective etchant for a period of time so that the entire conformal protective layer is removed and the parasitic layer is also removed. The metal core can then be cleaned and another conformal protective layer can be deposited on the non-planar surface of the metal core before being reinserted into the reaction chamber.

[0089] According to a further example of the present disclosure, selectively removing the parasitic layer includes contacting the parasitic layer with a selective etchant that selectively etches the parasitic layer relative to the conformal protective layer.

[0090] In this case, the conformal protective layer can act as an etch stop layer that is resistant to the selective etchant used to remove the parasitic layer. Therefore, the parasitic layer can be removed from the conformal protective layer without removing a substantial portion of the conformal protective layer. Consequently, the underlying metal core is not exposed to the selective etchant because the conformal protective layer completely seals the metal core from the selective etchant. In this case, the protected metal component can be reused within the reaction chamber of the deposition equipment without the need to deposit another conformal protective layer.

[0091] According to examples of the present disclosure, where a conformal protective layer is used as an etch stop layer, the parasitic layer can be removed in situ, i.e., without removing the protected metal component from the reaction chamber in which the parasitic layer is deposited. In this case, the parasitic layer can be removed by exposing it to a selective etchant including a vapor-phase etchant or a plasma-phase etchant. For example, vapor-phase etchants and plasmas formed from such vapor-phase etchants can include, for example, CF3, NF3, HF, and ClF3.

[0092] According to a further example of the present disclosure, in which the conformal protective layer is used as an etch stop layer, the parasitic layer can be removed ex-situ, i.e., after removing the protected metal component from the reaction chamber in which the parasitic layer is deposited. In this case, the parasitic layer can be removed by a mechanical process, a chemical process, a laser irradiation process, or a combination thereof. In some embodiments, the parasitic layer is selectively removed by a selective etchant. In this case, the selective etchant may include a selective alkaline solution. For example, the selective etchant may be selected from sodium hydroxide and potassium hydroxide. In an alternative example of the present disclosure, the selective etchant may include a selective acidic solution. Furthermore, in this case, the protected metal component is contacted with the selective etchant for a period of time such that the entire parasitic layer is removed without a significant thickness of the conformal protective layer.

[0093] Thus, according to these examples of the present disclosure, the selective etchant is selected from sodium hydroxide and potassium hydroxide.

[0094] According to a further example of the present disclosure, depositing the conformal protective layer and depositing the parasitic layer are performed in different reaction chambers.

[0095] The exemplary embodiments disclosed above do not limit the scope of the present invention, as these embodiments are merely examples of embodiments of the present invention, and the scope of the present invention is defined by the appended claims and their legal equivalents. Any equivalent embodiments are within the scope of the present invention. Various modifications of the present disclosure, such as alternative useful combinations of the described elements, in addition to those shown and described herein, will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the description. Such modifications and embodiments are also intended to fall within the scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1. A protected metal component used in a wet area inside a reaction chamber, the protected metal component comprising: a metal core made of a material selected from the group consisting of titanium, titanium alloys, nickel alloys, stainless steel, and aluminum, the metal core comprising a non-planar surface; as well as A conformal protective layer is disposed directly on the non-planar surface, the conformal protective layer having an average layer thickness between 20 nm and 300 nm and a step coverage on the non-planar surface greater than 90%.

2. The protected metal component according to claim 1, wherein: The conformal protective layer comprises a material selected from the group consisting of metals, metal oxides, and metal carbides.

3. The protected metal component according to claim 2, wherein: The conformal protective layer comprises a metal oxide selected from the group consisting of aluminum oxide, zirconium oxide, and tantalum oxide.

4. The protected metal component according to claim 3, wherein: The conformal protective layer has a partially crystalline structure.

5. The protected metal component according to claim 4, wherein: The conformal protective layer has a density greater than 3g / cm 3 of aluminum oxide layer.

6. The protected metal component according to claim 4, wherein: The conformal protective layer has a density greater than 5g / cm 3 of zirconium oxide layer.

7. The protected metal component according to claim 2, wherein: The conformal protective layer comprises a metal oxide selected from the group consisting of aluminum oxide, silicon oxide, yttrium oxide, and zirconium oxide.

8. The protected metal component according to claim 7, wherein: The conformal protective layer has an amorphous structure.

9. The protected metal component according to claim 8, wherein: The conformal protective layer has a porosity between 1% and 10%.

10. A deposition apparatus comprising: Reaction chamber; A protected metal component provided with a reaction chamber, the protected metal component comprising: a metal core made of a material selected from the group consisting of titanium, titanium alloys, nickel alloys, stainless steel, and aluminum, the metal core comprising a non-planar surface; as well as A conformal protective layer is disposed directly on the non-planar surface, the conformal protective layer having an average layer thickness between 20 nm and 300 nm and a step coverage on the non-planar surface greater than 90%.

11. The deposition apparatus according to claim 10, wherein: The conformal protective layer has a partially crystalline structure.

12. The deposition apparatus according to claim 11, wherein: The conformal protective layer has a density greater than 3g / cm 3 of aluminum oxide layer.

13. A method of forming and utilizing a protected metal component, the method comprising: Where the metal core is made of a material selected from the group consisting of titanium, titanium alloys, nickel alloys, stainless steel and aluminum, the metal core comprises a non-planar surface: cleaning a non-planar surface to form a clean, textured surface; as well as Deposit a conformal protective layer directly onto the clean, textured surface.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein: Depositing the conformal protective layer comprises a process selected from the group consisting of a cyclic deposition process, a chemical vapor deposition process, a physical vapor deposition process, and a spray deposition process.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein: The conformal protective layer is deposited by a cyclic deposition process, the cyclic deposition process comprising: heating the metal core to a temperature between 100°C and 500°C; One or more deposition cycles are performed, wherein each deposition cycle comprises: providing a metal precursor to form an absorbed metal species on a surface of the metal core; and A reactant is provided to react with the absorbed metal species to form a conformal protective layer on the surface of the metal core.

16. The method according to any one of claims 13 to 15, further comprising: placing the protected metal part within the reaction chamber; placing a substrate in a reaction chamber; depositing a layer on a surface of the substrate and a surface of the protected metal component to form a parasitic layer on the protected metal component; as well as A parasitic layer disposed on the protected metal component is selectively removed.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein: Selectively removing the parasitic layer includes contacting the conformal protective layer with a selective etchant to remove the conformal protective layer from the metal core, thereby stripping the parasitic layer from the metal core.

18. The method according to claim 16, wherein: Selectively removing the parasitic layer includes contacting the parasitic layer with a selective etchant that selectively etches the parasitic layer relative to the conformal protective layer.

19. The method according to any one of claims 17-18, wherein: The selective etchant is selected from sodium hydroxide and potassium hydroxide.

20. The method according to any one of claims 18-19, wherein: Depositing the conformal protection layer and depositing the parasitic layer are performed in different reaction chambers.

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