Method for forming ruthenium-containing films without co-reactants - Patent Application 20070122997

Abstract

A method for forming a ruthenium-containing film by pulsed chemical vapor deposition is provided, comprising at least one deposition cycle comprising pulsing a zero-valent Ru precursor with a carrier gas onto a surface of a substrate in the absence of a co-reactant, and supplying a purge gas to the surface of the substrate.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a method for forming ruthenium-containing films without the use of a co-reactant, such as pulsed chemical vapor deposition. [Background technology]

[0002] A variety of precursors are used to form thin films, and various deposition techniques are employed. These techniques include reactive sputtering, ion-assisted deposition, chemical vapor deposition (CVD) (also known as metalorganic CVD or MOCVD), and atomic layer deposition (also known as atomic layer epitaxy). CVD and ALD processes are increasingly being used due to their advantages of improved compositional control, high film uniformity, and effective control of doping. Furthermore, CVD and ALD processes provide excellent conformal step coverage in the advanced nonplanar structures associated with modern microelectronic devices.

[0003] CVD is a chemical process that uses precursors to form thin films on a substrate surface. In a typical CVD process, precursors are passed over the surface of a substrate (e.g., a wafer) in a low-pressure or atmospheric-pressure reaction chamber. The precursors react and / or decompose on the substrate surface, producing a thin film of deposit. Plasma can be used to aid the precursor reaction or to improve material properties. Volatile byproducts are removed by gas flow through the reaction chamber. Controlling the thickness of the deposited film can be difficult because it depends on a combination of many parameters, including temperature, pressure, gas flow volume and uniformity, chemical depletion effects, and time.

[0004] ALD is a chemical method for the deposition of thin films. It is a unique, self-limiting, continuous film growth technique based on surface reactions. This surface reaction allows for precise control of thickness, allowing the deposition of conformal thin films of materials provided by precursors on substrates of various compositions. In ALD, precursors are separated during the reaction. The first precursor is passed over the substrate surface, forming a monolayer on the substrate surface. Excess unreacted precursor is pumped out of the reaction chamber. Next, a second precursor or co-reactant is passed over the substrate surface and reacts with the first precursor, forming a second monolayer on the first monolayer formed on the substrate surface. Plasma may be used to enhance the precursor or co-reactant reaction or to improve material quality. This cycle is repeated to prepare a film of the desired thickness.

[0005] Thin films, especially metal-containing thin films, have a variety of important applications in nanotechnology and semiconductor device fabrication, including capacitor electrodes, gate electrodes, adhesive diffusion barriers, and integrated circuits.

[0006] The continuous shrinking of microelectronic component sizes is driving the need for improved thin-film technology. Furthermore, the fabrication of logic and memory semiconductors requires the deposition of ruthenium as a next-generation metal electrode, cap, or liner. Most existing ruthenium deposition processes use oxygen-containing co-reactants, such as water, to obtain lower-resistivity metal films deposited at moderate growth rates. However, oxygen co-reactants can undesirably react with underlying films, such as metals and liners, increasing their resistivity. While methods for depositing ruthenium can use oxygen-free co-reactants, such as hydrogen, hydrazine, or ammonia, these methods can result in high-resistivity ruthenium films due to the incorporation of other impurities, such as carbon and nitrogen, from the co-reactants. Therefore, to reduce the resistivity of ruthenium films, further annealing the ruthenium films at high temperatures in a reducing atmosphere, such as an inert gas or H2, or in an oxidizing atmosphere to remove impurities (e.g., carbon, nitrogen, etc.) may be necessary. However, removing impurities through annealing can also cause significant film shrinkage. In addition, conventional thermal CVD through rapid pyrolysis without co-reactants can produce Ru(CO) 12 Alternatively, (cyclohexadiene) tricarbonyl ruthenium can be used to produce higher purity ruthenium films, but such methods and precursors are generally less suitable for high aspect ratio structures. Therefore, a co-reactant-free process is needed to form ruthenium-containing films. Summary of the Invention

[0007] Therefore, provided herein is a pulsed chemical vapor deposition (CVD) method for depositing a ruthenium-containing film on a substrate. The pulsed CVD method includes at least one deposition cycle, which includes pulsing a zero-valent Ru precursor onto a surface of a substrate together with a carrier gas in the absence of a co-reactant, and supplying a purge gas to the surface of the substrate.

[0008] Other embodiments, incorporating particular aspects of the present embodiments summarized above, will become apparent from the following detailed description. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] 1 is a graphical representation of the growth rate (nm / cycle) of Ru films grown on SiO 2 substrates versus the deposition temperature (° C.) for Ru films according to Example 1. [Figure 2A] 1 is a graphical representation of the growth rate of Ru films (nm / cycle) versus H 2 O pulse time (seconds) for Ru films grown on three substrates, Al 2 O 3 , SiO 2 , and WCN, according to Example 2. [Figure 2B] 1 is a graphical representation of the resistivity (μΩ-cm) of Ru films (as-deposited Ru) versus the HO pulse time (seconds) for Ru films grown on three substrates, AlO, SiO, and WCN, according to Example 2. [Figure 2C] FIG. 1 is a graphical representation of the resistivity (μΩ-cm) of Ru films versus HO pulse time (seconds) for annealed Ru films (400° C.-annealed Ru) grown on three substrates, AlO, SiO, and WCN, according to Example 2. [Figure 3A] 1 is a graphical representation of the growth rate (nm / cycle) of Ru films versus reactor chamber wall / showerhead and precursor delivery line temperature (° C.) for Ru films grown on three substrates, Al2O3, SiO2, and WCN, according to Example 3. [Figure 3B] FIG. 12 is a graphical representation of Ru film resistivity (μΩ-cm) versus reactor chamber wall / showerhead and precursor delivery line temperature (° C.) for Ru films grown on three substrates, Al2O3, SiO2, and WCN, according to Example 3. [Figure 4] 10 is a graphical representation of the growth rate of Ru films (nm / cycle) versus total purge time (seconds) for Ru films grown on three substrates, Al 2 O 3 , SiO 2 , and WCN, according to Example 5. [Figure 5A]FIG. 10 is a graphical representation of the resistivity (μΩ-cm) of Ru films versus the total purge time (seconds) for as-deposited Ru films (as-deposited) and annealed Ru films (Ar-annealed at 400° C.) grown on Al2O3 substrates according to Example 6. [Figure 5B] FIG. 10 is a graphical representation of the resistivity (μΩ-cm) of Ru films versus the total purge time (seconds) for as-deposited Ru films (as-deposited) and annealed Ru films (Ar-annealed at 400° C.) grown on SiO substrates according to Example 6. [Figure 5C] FIG. 12 is a graphical representation of the resistivity (μΩ-cm) of Ru films versus total purge time (seconds) for as-deposited Ru films (as-deposited) and annealed Ru films (Ar-annealed at 400° C.) grown on WCN substrates according to Example 6. [Figure 6A] 10 is a graphical representation of Ru film growth rate (nm / cycle) versus Ru pulse time (seconds) for Ru films grown on three substrates, Al 2 O 3 , SiO 2 , and WCN, according to Example 7. [Figure 6B] FIG. 10 is a graphical representation of the growth rate of Ru films (nm / cycle) versus Ru pulse time (seconds) for as-deposited Ru films (as-deposited) and annealed Ru films (Ar-annealed at 400° C.) grown on SiO substrates according to Example 7. [Figure 6C] FIG. 12 is a graphical representation of the growth rate of Ru films (nm / cycle) versus Ru pulse time (seconds) for as-deposited Ru films (as-deposited) and annealed Ru films (Ar-annealed at 400° C.) grown on WCN substrates according to Example 7. [Figure 7A] 1 is a graphical representation of the growth rate of Ru films (nm / cycle) versus deposition temperature (° C.) for Ru films grown on three substrates, Al 2 O 3 , SiO 2 , and WCN, according to Example 8. [Figure 7B]FIG. 10 is a graphical representation of the growth rate of Ru films (nm / cycle) versus deposition temperature (°C) for as-deposited Ru films (as-deposited) and annealed Ru films (Ar-annealed at 400°C) grown on SiO2 substrates according to Example 8. [Figure 8A] FIG. 10 is a graphical representation of the resistivity (μΩ-cm) of Ru films versus deposition temperature (°C) for as-deposited Ru films (as-deposited) and annealed Ru films (Ar-annealed at 400°C) grown on Al2O3 substrates according to Example 9. [Figure 8B] FIG. 10 is a graphical representation of the resistivity (μΩ-cm) of Ru films versus deposition temperature (°C) for as-deposited Ru films (as-deposited) and annealed Ru films (Ar-annealed at 400°C) grown on SiO2 substrates according to Example 9. [Figure 8C] FIG. 11 is a graphical representation of the resistivity (μΩ-cm) of Ru films versus deposition temperature (°C) for as-deposited Ru films (as-deposited) and annealed Ru films (Ar-annealed at 400°C) grown on WCN substrates according to Example 9. [Figure 9A] 10 is a graphical representation of Ru film thickness (nm) versus cycle number for Ru films grown with and without NH coreactant on Al2O3 substrates according to Example 10. [Figure 9B] 10 is a graphical representation of Ru film thickness (nm) versus cycle number for Ru films grown with and without NH coreactant on SiO substrates according to Example 10. [Figure 9C] 10 is a graphical representation of Ru film thickness (nm) versus cycle number for Ru films grown with and without NH3 coreactant on WCN substrates according to Example 10. [Figure 10A] FIG. 11 is a graphical representation of the resistivity of Ru films (μΩ-cm) versus Ru film thickness (nm) for as-deposited Ru films (as-deposited) grown with and without NH coreactant on SiO and WCN substrates according to Example 11. [Figure 10B]FIG. 11 is a graphical representation of Ru film resistivity (μΩ-cm) versus Ru film thickness (nm) for annealed Ru films (Ar-annealed at 400° C.) grown with and without NH coreactant on SiO and WCN substrates according to Example 11. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0010] Before describing some example embodiments of the present technology, it should be understood that the technology is not limited to the details of construction or process steps set forth in the following description. The technology is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or carried out in various ways.

[0011] The present inventors have discovered a process for improving ruthenium deposition and films formed therefrom. The process may include a pulsed CVD method including at least one deposition cycle. The deposition cycle includes pulsing a zerovalent ruthenium (Ru) precursor with a carrier gas onto a substrate surface in the absence of a co-reactant, and supplying a purge gas to the substrate surface. Advantageously, the process described herein can be carried out below the thermal decomposition temperature of the zerovalent Ru precursor. Applicants have discovered that the zerovalent Ru precursor described herein is capable of autocatalytic thermal dissociation during an extended purge time (i.e., the time during which a purge gas is supplied to the substrate) below the thermal decomposition temperature of the precursor. Therefore, the process described herein enables the removal of neutral ligands from the zerovalent Ru precursor, resulting in a ruthenium-containing film with low impurity content and low resistivity.

[0012] [Definition] For purposes of this invention and the claims, the numbering scheme for the periodic table groups follows the IUPAC Periodic Table of the Elements.

[0013] The term "and / or" as used herein in phrases such as "A and / or B" is intended to include "A and B," "A or B," "A," and "B."

[0014] The terms "substituent," "radical," "group," and "moiety" may be used interchangeably.

[0015] As used herein, the terms "metal-containing complex" (or more simply "complex") and "precursor" are used interchangeably and refer to a metal-containing molecule or compound that can be used to prepare a metal-containing film by a vapor deposition process, such as ALD or CVD. The metal-containing complex may be deposited, adsorbed, decomposed, delivered, and / or passed onto a substrate or surface thereof to form the metal-containing film.

[0016] As used herein, the term "metal-containing film" includes not only elemental metal films, but also films that contain a metal along with one or more elements, such as metal nitride films, metal silicide films, metal carbide films, etc.

[0017] As used herein, the term "vapor deposition process" is used to refer to any type of vapor deposition technique, including, but not limited to, CVD and ALD. In various embodiments, CVD may take the form of conventional (i.e., continuous flow) CVD, liquid injection CVD, plasma-enhanced CVD, or photo-assisted CVD. CVD may take the form of a pulsed technique (i.e., pulsed CVD). ALD is used to form metal-containing films by vaporizing and / or passing at least one metal complex disclosed herein over a substrate surface. For a description of conventional ALD processes, see, for example, George S. M., et al. J. Phys. Chem., 1996, 100, 13121-13131. In other embodiments, ALD may take the form of conventional (i.e., pulsed injection) ALD, liquid injection ALD, photo-assisted ALD, plasma-assisted ALD, or plasma-enhanced ALD. The term "vapor deposition process" may include various vapor deposition techniques described in Chemical Vapor Deposition: Precursors, Processes, and Applications; Jones, AC; Hitchman, ML, Eds. The Royal Society of Chemistry: Cambridge, 2009; Chapter 1, pp 1-36.

[0018] The term "alkyl" refers to a saturated hydrocarbon chain of 1 to about 8 carbon atoms in length, such as, but not limited to, methyl, ethyl, propyl, and butyl. Alkyl groups can be straight or branched. For example, as used herein, propyl encompasses both n-propyl and isopropyl, and butyl encompasses n-butyl, sec-butyl, isobutyl, and tert-butyl. Additionally, as used herein, "Me" refers to methyl, and "Et" refers to ethyl.

[0019] The term "alkenyl" refers to an unsaturated hydrocarbon chain containing one or more double bonds and having a length of 2 to about 6 carbon atoms. Examples include, but are not limited to, ethenyl, propenyl, butenyl, pentenyl, and hexenyl.

[0020] The term "dienyl" refers to a hydrocarbon group containing two double bonds. Dienyl groups can be linear, branched, or cyclic. Additionally, there are non-conjugated dienyl groups with double bonds separated by two or more single bonds; conjugated dienyl groups with double bonds separated by one single bond; and cumulated dienyl groups with double bonds sharing a common atom.

[0021] The term "alkoxy" (alone or in combination with another term(s)) refers to a substituent, i.e., -O-alkyl. Examples of such substituents include methoxy (-O-CH), ethoxy, and the like. The alkyl moiety can be straight-chain or branched. For example, as used herein, propoxy includes both n-propoxy and iso-propoxy; and butoxy includes n-butoxy, iso-butoxy, sec-butoxy, and tert-butoxy.

[0022] The term "cycloalkenyl" refers to a monocyclic unsaturated non-aromatic hydrocarbon having 3 to 10 carbon atoms and containing one or more double bonds. Examples include, but are not limited to, cyclopropenyl, cyclobutenyl, cyclopentenyl, and cyclohexenyl.

[0023] [Method for forming a ruthenium-containing film] As described above, a method for forming a ruthenium-containing (Ru-containing) film is provided herein. The method may be a pulsed chemical vapor deposition (CVD) method for depositing a ruthenium-containing film. In any embodiment, the pulsed CVD method may include at least one deposition cycle. The at least one deposition cycle may include, for example, pulsing a zero-valent Ru precursor with a carrier gas onto a surface of a substrate in the absence of a co-reactant, and supplying a purge gas to the surface of the substrate.

[0024] In any embodiment, the zerovalent Ru precursor can be (ethylbenzyl)(1-ethyl-1,4-cyclohexadienyl)ruthenium.

[0025] In any embodiment, the zerovalent Ru precursor corresponds in structure to Formula I: (L)Ru(CO)3 (Formula I) wherein L is selected from the group consisting of straight-chain or branched C2-C6-alkenyl, straight-chain or branched C1-C6-alkyl, C3-C6 cycloalkenyl, and straight-chain, branched, or cyclic dienyl-containing moieties; L is optionally C2-C6-alkenyl, C1-C6-alkyl, alkoxy, and NR 1 R 2 and substituted with one or more substituents independently selected from the group consisting of: 1 and R 2 is independently alkyl or hydrogen.

[0026] In any embodiment, L can be a C2-C6-alkenyl group, a C2-C5-alkenyl group, a C2-C4-alkenyl group, or a C2-C3-alkenyl group, such as, but not limited to, ethenyl, propenyl, butenyl, pentenyl, and hexenyl.

[0027] In one embodiment, L can be a C1-C6-alkyl group, a C1-C5-alkyl group, a C1-C4-alkyl group, a C1-C3-alkyl group, or a C1-C2-alkyl group, such as, but not limited to, methyl, ethyl, propyl, butyl, and pentyl.

[0028] In one embodiment, L can be a C3-C6-cycloalkenyl group, a C4-C6-cycloalkenyl group, or a C5-C6-cycloalkenyl group, such as, but not limited to, cyclopropenyl, cyclobutenyl, cyclopentenyl, and cyclohexenyl.

[0029] In one embodiment, L is a linear, branched, or cyclic dienyl-containing moiety. Examples of such linear, branched, or cyclic dienyl-containing moieties include butadienyl, pentadienyl, hexadienyl, cyclohexadienyl, heptadienyl, and octadienyl. In a further embodiment, the linear, branched, or cyclic dienyl-containing moiety is a 1,3-dienyl-containing moiety.

[0030] In another embodiment, L is C2-C6-alkenyl, C1-C6-alkyl, alkoxy, and NR 1 R 2 and wherein R 1 and R 2 is as defined above. For example, R 1 and R 2 L can be a C1-C6-alkyl group, a C1-C5-alkyl group, a C1-C4-alkyl group, a C1-C3-alkyl group, or a C1-C2-alkyl group, such as, but not limited to, methyl, ethyl, propyl, butyl, pentyl, or any combination thereof. In certain embodiments, L is a dienyl-containing moiety, and includes C2-C6-alkenyl, C1-C6-alkyl, alkoxy, and NR 1 R 2 and wherein R 1 and R 2 is as defined above, such as, but not limited to, a C1-C6-alkyl group, a C1-C5-alkyl group, a C1-C4-alkyl group, a C1-C3-alkyl group, or a C1-C2-alkyl group, such as methyl, ethyl, propyl, butyl, pentyl, or any combination thereof.

[0031] Additionally or alternatively, L may be substituted with one or more C1-C6-alkyl groups, C1-C5-alkyl groups, C1-C4-alkyl groups, C1-C3-alkyl groups, or C1-C2-alkyl groups (such as, but not limited to, methyl, ethyl, propyl, butyl, pentyl, or any combination thereof).

[0032] Additionally or alternatively, L may be substituted with one or more C2-C6-alkenyl groups, C2-C5-alkenyl groups, C2-C4-alkenyl groups, or C2-C3-alkenyl groups (such as, but not limited to, ethenyl, propenyl, butenyl, pentenyl, hexenyl, or any combination thereof).

[0033] Additionally or alternatively, L may be substituted by one or more C1-C6-alkoxy, C1-C5-alkoxy, C1-C4-alkoxy, C1-C3-alkoxy, or C1-C2-alkoxy groups (such as, but not limited to, methoxy, ethoxy, propoxy, butoxy, or any combination thereof).

[0034] Examples of zerovalent Ru precursors corresponding in structure to formula (I) include, but are not limited to: Also known as (BD)Ru(CO)3, (η 4 -buta-1,3-diene)tricarbonylruthenium; Also known as (DMBD)Ru(CO)3, (η 4 -2,3-dimethylbuta-1,3-diene)tricarbonylruthenium; (Cyclohexadiene)tricarbonylruthenium, also known as (CHD)Ru(CO3), and (η 4 -2-methylbuta-1,3-diene)tricarbonylruthenium.

[0035] In any embodiment, the zerovalent Ru precursor can be delivered or pulsed to the surface of a substrate in the presence of a carrier gas and in the absence of a co-reactant. Thus, the zerovalent Ru precursor can be delivered or pulsed in the absence of a co-reactant (for example, but not limited to, the following co-reactants: nitrogen plasma, ammonia plasma, oxygen, air, water, HO, ozone, NH, H, i-PrOH, t-BuOH, NO, ammonia, alkylhydrazine, hydrazine, ozone, and combinations thereof). Examples of suitable carrier gases include, but are not limited to, Ar, N, He, CO, and combinations thereof.

[0036] The zerovalent Ru precursor, the carrier gas, or both can be preheated before pulsing in the deposition cycle. For example, the zerovalent ruthenium precursor can be preheated to a temperature of about 15°C to about 75°C, about 20°C to about 50°C, or about 30°C to about 40°C before pulsing. The carrier gas can be preheated to the same or a different temperature as the zerovalent Ru precursor before pulsing. For example, the carrier gas can be preheated to a temperature of about 15°C to about 110°C, about 20°C to about 100°C, or about 40°C to about 80°C before pulsing.

[0037] In any embodiment, the zerovalent Ru precursor in the flow of carrier gas can be delivered or pulsed for a duration of about 1 second or more, about 2 seconds or more, about 5 seconds or more, about 6 seconds or more, about 10 seconds or more, about 15 seconds or more, about 20 seconds or more, about 25 seconds or more, or about 30 seconds or more, or about 1 second to about 30 seconds, about 1 second to about 20 seconds, about 1 second to about 10 seconds, or about 5 seconds to about 10 seconds. In some embodiments, the carrier gas can be flowed before and / or after the pulse of the zerovalent Ru precursor. For example, the carrier gas can be delivered to the substrate for about 5 to 30 seconds after the pulse of the zerovalent Ru precursor. It is also contemplated herein that the zerovalent Ru precursor can be evaporated and pulsed or delivered to the substrate, e.g., via vapor suction delivery, without flowing the carrier gas during the delivery of the zerovalent Ru precursor. The number of pulses of the zerovalent Ru precursor is determined by the desired thickness of the Ru-containing film, and by way of example, the pulses can range from 1 to 500 pulses, 1 to 300 pulses, 1 to 200 pulses, 1 to 100 pulses, 1 to 50 pulses, or 1 to 25 pulses.

[0038] Reaction conditions are selected based on the properties of the zerovalent Ru precursor. Pulsing of the zerovalent Ru precursor can be carried out at atmospheric pressure, but is more commonly carried out at reduced pressure. For example, pulsing of the zerovalent Ru precursor can be carried out at a pressure of about 0.01 Torr or more, about 0.1 Torr or more, about 0.5 Torr or more, about 1 Torr or more, about 2 Torr or more, about 4 Torr or more, about 6 Torr or more, about 8 Torr or more, or about 10 Torr or more, or about 0.01 Torr to about 10 Torr, about 0.1 Torr to about 8 Torr, about 0.1 Torr to about 5 Torr, or about 1 Torr to about 2 Torr.

[0039] Thus, the precursors disclosed herein utilized in these methods can be liquid, solid, or gaseous. Typically, the zero-valent Ru precursor is a liquid or solid at ambient temperature under sufficient vapor pressure to allow stable vapor transport into the processing chamber.

[0040] Plasma can be used to enhance the reaction of the zerovalent Ru precursor or to improve film quality.

[0041] Following pulsing of the zerovalent Ru precursor, an extended purge can advantageously allow autocatalytic thermal dissociation of the zerovalent Ru precursor below the thermal decomposition temperature of the precursor. Thus, in any embodiment, purge gas can be provided for about 20 seconds or more, about 25 seconds or more, about 30 seconds or more, about 45 seconds or more, about 60 seconds or more, about 1.5 minutes or more, about 2 minutes or more, about 2.5 minutes or more, about 3 minutes or more, about 3.5 minutes or more, about 4 minutes or more, about 4.5 minutes or more, about 5 minutes or more, about 7.5 minutes or more, or about 10 minutes, about 20 seconds to about 10 minutes, about 30 seconds to about 10 minutes, about 30 seconds to about 5 minutes, or about 2 minutes to about 4 minutes. Examples of suitable purge gases include, but are not limited to, Ar, N2, He, CO, and combinations thereof.

[0042] In any embodiment, the purge gas can be supplied at a flow rate of about 60 sccm or more, about 80 sccm or more, about 100 sccm or more, about 120 sccm or more, about 140 sccm or more, about 160 sccm or more, about 180 sccm or more, or about 200 sccm or more, or from about 60 sccm to about 200 sccm, from about 80 sccm to about 200 sccm, from about 100 sccm to about 200 sccm, or from about 120 sccm to about 160 sccm.

[0043] In any embodiment, the temperature of the substrate (also referred to as the deposition temperature) can be below the thermal decomposition temperature of the zerovalent Ru precursor during the pulse of the zerovalent Ru precursor and the carrier gas, during the supply of the purge gas, or both. By way of example, the substrate temperature can be about 275°C or less, about 250°C or less, about 230°C or less, about 200°C or less, about 175°C or less, about 150°C or less, or about 130°C or less, about 130°C to about 275°C, about 150°C to about 250°C, or about 200°C to about 230°C. The decomposition temperature of the zerovalent Ru precursor can be determined by methods known to those skilled in the art. By way of example, such a method can include pulsing the zerovalent ruthenium precursor in the absence of a co-reactant under suitable conditions, e.g., a range of substrate temperatures and a range of pulses, for a typical ALD purge time, e.g., 10 seconds. Here, the observed film growth is not a self-limiting process due primarily to rapid thermal decomposition or pyrolysis of the precursor. Example 1 below illustrates how the thermal decomposition temperature of (DMBD)Ru(CO) can be determined.

[0044] Additionally or alternatively, the temperature of the reactor can also be adjusted during the methods described herein, but is preferably kept below the minimum deposition temperature of the precursors described herein, for example, 130° C. By way of example, the temperature of one or more of the reactor chamber walls, showerhead, and precursor delivery lines can be about 20° C. or higher, about 40° C. or higher, about 60° C. or higher, about 80° C. or higher, about 100° C. or higher, about 120° C. or higher, or between about 40° C. and about 120° C., or between about 60° C. and about 100° C.

[0045] In various aspects, the substrate surface can include a metal, a dielectric material, a metal oxide material, or a combination thereof. The dielectric material can be a low-κ dielectric or a high-κ dielectric. Examples of suitable dielectrics include, but are not limited to, SiO2, SiON, Si3N4, and combinations thereof. Examples of suitable metal oxide materials include, but are not limited to, HfO2, ZrO2, SiO2, Al2O3, TiO2, and combinations thereof. Other suitable substrate materials include, but are not limited to, crystalline silicon, Si(100), Si(111), glass, strained silicon, silicon-on-insulator (SOI), doped silicon or silicon oxide (e.g., carbon-doped silicon oxide), germanium, gallium arsenide, tantalum, tantalum nitride (TaN), aluminum, copper, ruthenium, titanium, titanium nitride (TiN), tungsten, tungsten nitride (WN, WN, WN), tungsten carbonitride (WCN), and any other substrate commonly encountered in nanoscale device fabrication processes (e.g., semiconductor fabrication processes). In some embodiments, the substrate can comprise one or more of silicon oxide, aluminum oxide, titanium nitride, tungsten nitride, tungsten carbonitride, and tantalum nitride. As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, the substrate can be exposed to a pretreatment process to polish, etch, reduce, oxidize, hydroxylate, anneal, and / or bake the substrate surface. In one or more embodiments, the substrate surface comprises a hydrogen-terminated surface.

[0046] The properties of a particular zerovalent Ru precursor for use in the methods disclosed herein can be evaluated using methods known in the art, allowing for the selection of appropriate temperatures and pressures for the reaction. Generally, lower molecular weights and the presence of functional groups that increase the rotational entropy of the ligand sphere result in melting points that yield liquids at typical feed temperatures and increased vapor pressures.

[0047] The zero-valent Ru precursor for use in the present method has all the requirements: sufficient vapor pressure, sufficient thermal stability at the selected substrate temperature, and sufficient reactivity to allow the reaction to occur on the surface of the substrate without introducing undesired impurities into the thin film. The sufficient vapor pressure ensures that the molecules of the precursor compound are present on the substrate surface in a sufficient concentration to allow for a complete self-saturating reaction. The sufficient thermal stability ensures that the precursor compound does not undergo thermal decomposition, which would produce impurities in the thin film.

[0048] Examples of pulsed CVD growth conditions for the zero-valent Ru precursor disclosed herein include, but are not limited to: (1) Base material temperature: 130~275℃ (2) Evaporator temperature (metal precursor temperature): 20 to 70°C (3) Reactor pressure: 0.01 to 10 Torr (4) Argon or nitrogen carrier gas flow rate: 60 to 200 sccm (5) Number of cycles: Varies depending on desired film thickness.

[0049] In further embodiments, the methods described herein can be carried out under conditions that provide conformal growth of the ruthenium-containing film. As used herein, the term "conformal growth" refers to a deposition method in which a film is deposited with substantially the same thickness over one or more of the bottom, sidewalls, top corners, and features. "Conformal growth" is also intended to encompass some variation in film thickness; for example, the film can be thicker over the features and / or can be thicker at or near the top of the features compared to the bottom or bottom of the features.

[0050] Conformal conditions include, but are not limited to, temperature (e.g., substrate, zerovalent Ru precursor, carrier gas, purge gas), pressure (e.g., during delivery of zerovalent Ru precursor, carrier gas, purge gas), amount of zerovalent Ru precursor delivered, length of purge time, and / or amount of purge gas delivered. In various aspects, the substrate can include one or more features where conformal growth can occur.

[0051] In various aspects, the features can be vias, trenches, contacts, dual damascene, etc. The features can have a non-uniform width, also known as a "re-entrant feature," or the features can have a substantially uniform width.

[0052] In one or more embodiments, ruthenium-containing films grown according to the methods described herein may be substantially free of gaps and / or hollow seams.

[0053] In any embodiment, the methods described herein can further include annealing the Ru-containing film at a higher temperature, that is, the annealing can be performed after the final deposition cycle to form the Ru-containing film.

[0054] Thus, in some examples, the Ru-containing film can be annealed under reduced pressure or in the presence of an inert gas such as Ar or N, or a reducing agent such as H, or a combination thereof, such as 5% H in Ar. The annealing step can remove impurities, such as carbon, oxygen, and / or nitrogen, introduced by, for example, densification at high temperatures, to reduce resistivity and further improve film quality. Annealing can be performed at temperatures of about 200°C or higher, about 300°C or higher, about 400°C or higher, about 500°C or higher, or about 800°C, between about 200°C and about 800°C, or between about 300°C and about 500°C.

[0055] Ru-containing films formed from the methods described herein can have lower resistivities, in some embodiments, the Ru-containing films can have resistivities of about 20 μΩ-cm or greater, about 30 μΩ-cm or greater, about 60 μΩ-cm or greater, about 80 μΩ-cm or greater, about 100 μΩ-cm or greater, about 150 μΩ-cm or greater, about 180 μΩ-cm or greater, about 200 μΩ-cm or greater, or about 250 μΩ-cm, or between about 20 μΩ-cm and about 250 μΩ-cm, between about 30 μΩ-cm and about 200 μΩ-cm, between about 30 μΩ-cm and about 180 μΩ-cm, or between about 30 μΩ-cm and about 150 μΩ-cm. In some embodiments, the resistivity of the Ru-containing film can be reduced to, for example, about 10 μΩ-cm or more, about 20 μΩ-cm or more, about 40 μΩ-cm or more, about 60 μΩ-cm or more, about 80 μΩ-cm or more, about 100 μΩ-cm or more, or about 175 μΩ-cm; or to a resistivity of about 10 μΩ-cm to about 175 μΩ-cm, about 20 μΩ-cm to about 80 μΩ-cm, or about 20 μΩ-cm to about 60 μΩ-cm after annealing the Ru-containing film.

[0056] The above-described resistance measurements can be achieved in Ru-containing films prepared by the methods described herein having thicknesses of about 1 nm to about 20 nm, about 1 nm to about 15 nm, about 2 nm to about 15 nm, about 2 nm to about 10 nm, or about 1 nm to about 5 nm as measured by X-ray fluorescence (XRF).

[0057] Additionally or alternatively, the Ru-containing films formed according to the methods described herein can have a growth rate of about 0.1 Å / cycle or greater, about 0.5 Å / cycle or greater, about 1 Å / cycle or greater, about 1.5 Å / cycle or greater, about 2 Å / cycle or greater, about 2.5 Å / cycle or greater, or about 5 Å / cycle; or about 0.1 Å / cycle to about 5 Å / cycle, about 0.1 Å / cycle to about 2.5 Å / cycle, or about 0.1 Å / cycle to about 2 Å / cycle.

[0058] [Apply] The films formed from the processes described herein are useful for memory and / or logic applications such as dynamic random access memory (DRAM), complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) and 3D NAND, 3D Cross Point and ReRAM.

[0059] References throughout this specification to "one embodiment," "a particular embodiment," "one or more embodiments," or "an embodiment" mean that a particular feature, structure, material, or characteristic described in connection with an embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the technology. Thus, the appearances of phrases such as "in one or more embodiments," "a particular embodiment," "in one embodiment," or "in an embodiment" do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment of the technology throughout this specification. Furthermore, particular features, structures, materials, or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments.

[0060] Although the present technology has been described herein with reference to specific embodiments, it should be understood that these embodiments are merely illustrative of the principles and applications of the present technology. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made to the methods and apparatus of the present technology without departing from the spirit and scope of the present technology. Accordingly, the present technology is intended to cover modifications and variations that come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents. Thus, the present invention, having been generally described, will be more readily understood by reference to the following examples, which are provided by way of illustration and are not intended to be limiting. [Example]

[0061] (DMBD)Ru(CO)3 (also referred to as RuDMBD) was used as a precursor in the following examples. Methods for preparing (DMBD)Ru(CO)3 are known in the art. See, for example, U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2011 / 0165780, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

[0062] Unless otherwise stated, Ru films were deposited using (DMBD)Ru(CO)3 in a CN1 ALD / CVD reactor by pulsed CVD method under the following conditions and materials: i. Carrier and Purge Gas: Argon derived from ultra-high purity liquid argon, at the time of use, further purified using SAES Pure Gas / Entegris inert gas purification equipment to remove H2O, O2, CO, CO2, and H2 to less than 100 ppt by volume, and acids, organics, etc. to less than 1 ppt by volume; ii. Carrier and purge gas flow rate: 145 sccm unless otherwise noted; iii. Deposition pressure: 1.4 Torr; iv. RuDMBD at 26–28°C, pulse time of 5 s, and bubbler carrier gas flow rate of 25 sccm Ar; v.Purge time: 2-4 minutes each; vi. Base material: a. SiO2: 100 nm thick thermal oxide on Si; b. Al2O3: ~4 nm thick Al2O3 on 100 nm thick SiO2; c. WCN: ~4 nm thick WCN on 100 nm thick SiO2; vii. Annealing: in Ar at 400°C, 1.5-1.7 Torr, for 30 minutes; viii. Ru X-ray Fluorescence (XRF) Thickness vs. Ellipsometric Thickness: a. Thickness by XRF only reveals the amount of Ru in the film and was used to compare thickness and growth rate, if necessary; b. Ellipsometric thickness includes Ru and impurities and is close to the true film thickness measured by scanning electron microscope (SEM). Calculated resistivity was measured using the ellipsometric thickness.

[0063] Example 1: Thermal Stability of RuDMBD Precursors The growth rate of Ru films on 100 nm thick SiO2 substrates was determined by pulsing RuDMBD heated to 40 °C in Ar at 1 Torr with a 1 second pulse time and a 10 second purge time, without any co-reactant. The following pulses were applied at various temperatures: 50 pulses at 300 °C, 85 pulses at 275 °C, 115 pulses at 250 °C, and 450 pulses at 225 °C. The average growth rates of Ru films formed on SiO2 substrates at the aforementioned temperatures are shown in Figure 1.

[0064] Thermal decomposition of RuDMBD began at ~225 °C, above which the growth rate rapidly increased. At temperatures below ~225 °C, little to no deposition was observed with short purge times of 10 seconds per pulse.

[0065] Example 2 Ru Deposition with and without HO Coreactant Ru-containing films were prepared on three substrates, SiO2, WCN, and Al2O3, by the pulsed CVD method described above, with and without HO as a coreactant. The deposition cycle sequence was as follows: RuDMBD pulse / purge time / HO pulse / purge time: 5 s / 120 s / n / 120 s. The substrate temperature was 215 °C, and the deposition pressure was 1.4 Torr. The HO pulse had a variable pulse time "n" ranging from 0 (no HO) to 0.65 s. The number of deposition cycles was 100. The thicknesses of the Ru films formed on the SiO2 and WCN substrates ranged from 12.3 nm to 13.7 nm. The thicknesses of the Ru films formed on the Al2O3 substrate ranged from 8.2 nm to 11.7 nm. The thicknesses of the Ru films were determined by XRF.

[0066] The growth rate and resistivity of as-deposited Ru films ("as-deposited Ru") were measured. Figure 2A shows the effect of HO pulse time on the growth rate. Figure 2B shows the effect of HO pulse time on the resistivity of the as-deposited films. The Ru films were further annealed as described above, and Figure 2C shows the effect of HO pulse time on the resistivity of the annealed Ru films ("Ru annealed at 400°C" films).

[0067] As shown in Figures 2A-2C, low-resistivity Ru films were deposited at high growth rates without HO or any co-reactant on various substrates below the thermal decomposition temperature of RuDMBD with an extended purge, i.e., 240 seconds when "n" is 0. HO pulses had no significant effect on the growth rate and resistivity.

[0068] Example 3: Effect of reactor chamber conditions on the growth rate and resistivity of Ru films Ru-containing films on three substrates, SiO2, WCN, and Al2O3, were prepared by the pulsed CVD method described above without using a co-reactant at various temperatures of the reactor chamber wall, showerhead, and precursor supply line. The deposition cycle procedure was as follows: RuDMBD pulse / purge time: 5 s / 180 s. The substrate temperature was 230 °C, and the deposition pressure was 1.4 Torr. The pulse number was 70.

[0069] The growth rate and resistivity of the formed Ru films were measured. Figure 3A shows the effect of chamber wall, showerhead, and line temperature on the growth rate. Figure 3B shows the effect of chamber wall, showerhead, and line temperature on the resistivity of the Ru film (as-deposited Ru).

[0070] Temperatures of the chamber walls, showerhead, and precursor delivery lines below 100 °C did not appear to have a significant effect on the growth rate, but the growth rate decreased at temperatures of the chamber walls, showerhead, and precursor delivery lines of 130 °C, likely due to a reduction in precursor flux on the substrate as a result of secondary deposition in the precursor delivery lines and showerhead.

[0071] The chamber wall, showerhead, and precursor delivery line temperatures had a significant effect on the resistivity of the Ru films. Lower resistivity Ru films were formed with decreasing chamber wall, showerhead, and precursor delivery line temperatures, likely due to reduced outgassing of absorbed precursors from the delivery lines and chamber walls.

[0072] Example 4: Effect of purge gas flow rate on growth rate and resistivity of Ru film Ru-containing films on three substrates, SiO2, WCN, and Al2O3, were prepared by the pulsed CVD method described above without using a co-reactant at various purge gas flow rates. The deposition cycle procedure was as follows: RuDMBD pulse / purge time: 5 s / 180 s. The substrate temperature was 230 °C, and the deposition pressure was 1.4 Torr. The pulse number was 70. The temperatures of the chamber walls, showerhead, and precursor supply lines were 70 °C.

[0073] The growth rate (thickness) and resistivity of the formed Ru film were measured, and the results are shown in Table 1 below.

[0074] [Table 1]

[0075] The purge gas flow rate had no significant effect on the growth rate (thickness) except for Al2O3. The purge gas flow rate had an effect on the resistivity of the formed Ru films. The resistivity decreased with increasing Ar gas flow rate, likely due to increased purging, which can facilitate the removal of ligand by-products from the film surface.

[0076] Example 5: Effect of purge gas supply time on Ru film growth rate Ru-containing films on three substrates, SiO2, WCN, and Al2O3, were prepared by the pulsed CVD method described above without using any co-reactant and with various purge gas supply times. The deposition cycle procedure was as follows: RuDMBD pulse / purge time: 5 s / 120 s to 300 s. The substrate temperature was 215 °C, and the deposition pressure was 1.4 Torr. The pulse number was 95 to 110. The thicknesses of the Ru films formed on the SiO2 and WCN substrates ranged from 9 nm to 13 nm. The thicknesses of the Ru films formed on the Al2O3 substrates ranged from 3.5 to 9.4 nm. The thicknesses of the Ru films were determined by XRF.

[0077] The growth rates of the formed Ru films were measured, and the results are shown in Figure 4. The growth rates did not change significantly with purging time except for Al2O3, where the sharp decrease in growth rate with increasing purging time was likely due to slower dissociation of RuDMBD on the Al2O3 surface, and hence a longer nucleation delay, which increased the desorption of the precursor with longer purging times.

[0078] Example 6: Effect of purge gas supply duration on Ru film resistivity Ru-containing films on three substrates, SiO2, WCN, and Al2O3, were prepared by the above-mentioned pulsed CVD method without the use of a co-reactant at various purge gas supply times. The deposition cycle procedure was as follows: RuDMBD pulse / purge time: 5 s / 120 s to 300 s. The substrate temperature was 215 °C, and the deposition pressure was 1.4 Torr. The pulse number was 95 to 110. The thicknesses of the Ru films formed on the SiO2 and WCN substrates ranged from 9 nm to 13 nm. The thicknesses of the Ru films formed on the Al2O3 substrates ranged from 3.5 to 9.4 nm. The Ru film thicknesses were determined by XRF.

[0079] The resistivity of the as-deposited Ru films ("as-dep" films) was measured. The Ru films were further annealed as described above, and the resistivity of the annealed films was measured ("400 °C Ar annealed" films). Figure 5A shows the effect of purge time on the resistivity of films grown on Al2O3 substrates. Figure 5B shows the effect of purge time on the resistivity of films grown on SiO2 substrates. Figure 5C shows the effect of purge time on the resistivity of films grown on WCN substrates. The resistivity of the as-deposited films decreased rapidly with increasing purge time for all three different substrates. The resistivity of the annealed films was similarly low, e.g., ~20 μΩcm.

[0080] Example 7: Effect of RuDMBD pulse time on saturation behavior Ru-containing films on three substrates, SiO2, WCN, and Al2O3, were prepared by the above-mentioned pulsed CVD method without using any co-reactant and with various pulse times of RuDMBD. The deposition cycle procedure was as follows: RuDMBD pulse / purge time: 3 s - 9 s / 240 s. The substrate temperature was 215 °C. The pulse number was 100.

[0081] The growth rates of as-deposited Ru films ("as-dep" films) were measured. The Ru films formed on SiO2 and WCN substrates were further annealed as described above, and the growth rates of the annealed films were measured ("400 °C Ar annealed" films). Figure 6A shows the effect of RuDMBD pulse time on the growth rates of films grown on all three substrates. Figure 6B shows the effect of RuDMBD pulse time on the growth rates of as-deposited and annealed films on SiO2 substrates. Figure 6C shows the effect of RuDMBD pulse time on the growth rates of as-deposited and annealed films grown on WCN substrates. Partially self-limiting growth behavior was observed below the precursor pyrolysis temperature. The growth rate did not fully saturate as in ALD, but it was also not linear as in pure CVD processes.

[0082] Example 8: Effect of deposition temperature on the growth rate of Ru film Ru-containing films on three substrates, SiO2, WCN, and Al2O3, were prepared by the pulsed CVD method described above without using any co-reactant at various substrate temperatures. The deposition cycle sequence was as follows: RuDMBD pulse / purge time: 5 s / 240 s. The deposition pressure was 1.4 Torr. The pulse numbers at various substrate temperatures were 120 pulses at 185°C, 100 pulses at 200-230°C, 65 pulses at 250°C, and 30 pulses at 300°C.

[0083] The growth rates of as-deposited Ru films ("as-dep" films) were measured. Ru films formed on SiO2 substrates were further annealed as described above, and the growth rates of the annealed films were measured ("400 °C Ar annealed" films). Figure 7A shows the effect of substrate temperature on the growth rates (determined by XRF) of films grown on all three substrates. Figure 7B shows the effect of substrate temperature on the growth rates (determined by ellipsometry) of as-deposited and annealed films grown on SiO2 substrates. Growth rates were not strongly temperature-dependent for SiO2 and WCN substrates below ∼230 °C. The rapid increase in growth rate observed above ∼250 °C was due to thermal decomposition.

[0084] Example 9 Effect of deposition temperature on resistivity of Ru film Ru-containing films on three substrates, SiO2, WCN, and Al2O3, were prepared by the pulsed CVD method described above in Example 8.

[0085] The resistivity of the as-deposited Ru films ("as-dep" films) was measured. The Ru films were further annealed as described above, and the resistivity of the annealed films was measured ("400°C Ar annealed" films). Figure 8A shows the effect of substrate temperature on the resistivity of films grown on Al2O3 substrates. Figure 8B shows the effect of substrate temperature on the resistivity of films grown on SiO2 substrates. Figure 8C shows the effect of substrate temperature on the resistivity of films grown on WCN substrates. The optimal deposition temperature was observed between 215 and 230°C, which was close to or below the thermal decomposition temperature of the RuDMBD precursor. The annealed films exhibited the lowest resistivity. At deposition temperatures above 230°C, some films became nonuniform after annealing, and high-resistivity regions appeared.

[0086] Example 10: Effect of Ru deposition with and without NH3 coreactant on the growth rate of Ru films Ru-containing films were prepared on three substrates, SiO2, WCN, and Al2O3, by the pulsed CVD method described above, using NH3 as a co-reactant and without the co-reactant. The deposition cycle sequence without the NH3 co-reactant was as follows: RuDMBD pulse / purge time: 5 s / 240 s. The deposition cycle sequence with the NH3 co-reactant was as follows: RuDMBD pulse / purge time / NH3 pulse / purge time: 5 s / 120 s / 5 s / 115 s. The substrate temperature was 230 °C, and the deposition pressure was 1.4 Torr. The number of deposition cycles varied from 25 to 100 cycles.

[0087] The Ru film thickness (determined by XRF) of the formed Ru films was measured. Figure 9A shows the effect of cycle number on Ru film thickness for films grown on Al2O3. Figure 9B shows the effect of cycle number on Ru film thickness for films grown on SiO2 substrates. Figure 9C shows the effect of cycle number on Ru film thickness for films grown on WCN substrates. NH3 had little effect on the growth rate for RuDMBD at short purge times, such as 10 seconds, but due to its reactivity with Ru, it could significantly increase the growth rate at longer purge times, such as 60–120 seconds; therefore, it resulted in a shorter nucleation delay and a slight increase in liner slope on all three substrates.

[0088] Example 11 Ru Deposition with and without NH3 Co-reactant Effect on Ru Film Resistivity Ru-containing films were prepared on two substrates, SiO2 and WCN, by the pulsed CVD method described above, using NH3 as a co-reactant and without the co-reactant. The deposition cycle without the NH3 co-reactant was as follows: RuDMBD pulse / purge time: 5 s / 120 s. The deposition cycle with the NH3 co-reactant was as follows: RuDMBD pulse / purge time / NH3 pulse / purge time: 5 s / 60 s / 5 s / 55 s. The substrate temperature was 230 °C, and the deposition pressure was 1.4 Torr.

[0089] The resistivity of the as-deposited Ru films ("as-dep" films) was measured. The Ru films were further annealed as described above, and the resistivity of the annealed films was measured ("400 °C Ar annealed" films). Figure 10A shows the effect of Ru film thickness (measured by XRF) on the resistivity of as-deposited films on SiO2 and WCN. Figure 10B shows the effect of Ru film thickness (measured by XRF) on the resistivity of 400 °C Ar annealed films on SiO2 and WCN. NH3 could not react with RuDMBD at a short purge time such as 10 seconds, and N was not detected by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). At a longer purge time of 60 seconds, approximately 6 at% N was found in the as-deposited films on SiO2 formed with the NH3 coreactant. The incorporation of N caused an increase in resistivity compared to the Ru films without the coreactant of the same 10 nm thickness. After 400°C Ar annealing, N was completely removed and could no longer be detected by XPS, and therefore the film resistivity reached the same level as that of annealed co-reactant-free Ru.

[0090] All publications, patent applications, issued patents, and other documents mentioned herein are herein incorporated by reference to the same extent as if each individual publication, patent application, issued patent, or other document was specifically and individually indicated to be incorporated by reference in its entirety. Definitions contained in the text incorporated by reference are excluded to the extent they conflict with definitions in this disclosure.

[0091] The words "comprise", "comprises" and "comprising" are to be interpreted inclusively rather than exclusively.

Claims

1. A pulsed chemical vapor deposition (CVD) method for depositing a ruthenium-containing film, the pulsed CVD method comprising at least one deposition cycle; The deposition cycle comprises: a. pulsing a zerovalent Ru precursor with a carrier gas onto the surface of a substrate in the absence of a co-reactant; and b) supplying a purge gas to the surface of the substrate, wherein the temperature of the substrate is equal to or lower than the thermal decomposition temperature of the zerovalent Ru precursor during the supply of the purge gas, and the purge gas is supplied for at least about 2 minutes.

2. The zerovalent Ru precursor corresponds in structure to Formula I: (L)Ru(CO) ３ (Formula I) In the formula, L is a linear or branched C ２ -C ６ -alkenyl, linear or branched C １ -C ６ -Alkyl, C ３ -C ６ cycloalkenyl, and linear, branched, or cyclic dienyl-containing moieties, and L is optionally C ２ -C ６ -alkenyl, C １ -C ６ - alkyl, alkoxy, and NR １ R ２ and substituted with one or more substituents independently selected from the group consisting of: １ and R ２ are independently alkyl or hydrogen, or 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the zerovalent Ru precursor is (ethylbenzyl)(1-ethyl-1,4-cyclohexadienyl)ruthenium.

3. 3. The method of claim 2, wherein L is a linear, branched, or cyclic dienyl-containing moiety.

4. 4. The method of claim 2 or claim 3, wherein L is a linear, branched, or cyclic dienyl-containing moiety selected from the group consisting of butadienyl, pentadienyl, hexadienyl, cyclohexadienyl, heptadienyl, and octadienyl.

5. The zerovalent Ru precursor is (η ４ -buta-1,3-diene)tricarbonylruthenium; (η ４ -2,3-dimethylbuta-1,3-diene)tricarbonylruthenium; (η ４ -2-methylbuta-1,3-diene)tricarbonylruthenium; and (Cyclohexadiene)tricarbonylruthenium The method according to any one of claims 2 to 4, wherein the compound is selected from the group consisting of:

6. The method of any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the zerovalent Ru precursor is pulsed for about 1 second or more.

7. The method of any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the zerovalent Ru precursor is pulsed for about 1 second to about 10 seconds.

8. The method of any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the zerovalent Ru precursor is pulsed at a pressure of about 0.1 Torr to about 5 Torr.

9. 9. The method of claim 1, wherein the temperature of the substrate is at or below the thermal decomposition temperature of the zerovalent Ru precursor during the pulse of the zerovalent Ru precursor and the carrier gas.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the temperature of the substrate is from about 150°C to about 250°C during the supply of the purge gas.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the temperature of the substrate is from about 150°C to about 250°C during the pulse of the zerovalent Ru precursor and the carrier gas.

12. The substrate is SiO ２ , Al ２ O ３ 12. The method of claim 1, wherein the material comprises one or more of TiN, WN, and WCN.

13. 13. The method of any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein the zerovalent Ru precursor is preheated to a temperature of about 20°C to about 50°C before pulsing.

14. The carrier gas and the purge gas are Ar, N ２ 14. The method of any one of claims 1 to 13, wherein the oxygen atoms are each independently selected from the group consisting of He, CO, and combinations thereof.

15. 15. The method of any one of claims 1 to 14, wherein the carrier gas is preheated to a temperature of about 20°C to about 100°C before pulsing.

16. The method of any one of claims 1 to 15, wherein the ruthenium-containing film has a resistivity of from about 30 μΩ-cm to about 180 μΩ-cm.

17. The method of any one of claims 1 to 16, wherein the ruthenium-containing film has a growth rate of about 0.1 Å / cycle to about 2 Å / cycle.

18. The method of any one of claims 1 to 17, further comprising annealing the ruthenium-containing film at a temperature of from about 300°C to about 500°C.

19. 20. The method of claim 18, wherein the annealed ruthenium-containing film has a resistivity of about 20 μΩ-cm to about 60 μΩ-cm.

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