Niobium precursor compound for thin film deposition and method for forming a niobium-containing thin film using the same

Abstract

To provide a novel niobium precursor compound for thin film deposition and a method of forming a thin film containing niobium using the same.SOLUTION: A heteroleptic niobium compound used as a precursor for thin film deposition is excellent in thermal stability, exists in a liquid state at normal temperature, has high volatility, and is advantageously applied to a thin film formation process. A niobium thin film formed using the niobium precursor compound has a low residue content and has homogeneous physical properties.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a niobium precursor compound and a method for forming a niobium-containing thin film using the same, and more particularly to a heteroleptic niobium compound used as a precursor for thin film deposition and a method for forming a niobium-containing thin film using the same. [Background technology]

[0002] As electronic technology advances, there is a rapidly increasing demand for miniaturization and weight reduction of electronic elements used in various electronic devices. To form these miniatures, a variety of physical and chemical deposition methods have been proposed, and diverse research is underway to manufacture various electronic elements, such as metal thin films, metal oxide thin films, or metal nitride thin films, using these deposition methods.

[0003] In the manufacturing of semiconductor devices, thin films containing Group 5 metal compounds are generally formed using Metal Organic Chemical Vapor Deposition (MOCVD) or Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD) processes.

[0004] Compared to the MOCVD deposition process, the ALD deposition process has the advantage of superior step coverage due to its self-limiting reaction, and because it is a relatively low-temperature process, it can avoid degradation of device characteristics due to thermal diffusion.

[0005] To deposit thin films containing niobium (Nb), a Group 5 metal compound, it is crucial to select a precursor compound suitable for the deposition process. Currently, a wide variety of niobium precursors exist in the semiconductor industry. Conventional niobium precursor compounds include niobium halides such as niobium(V) chloride and niobium alkoxides such as niobium(V) ethoxide. These niobium precursor compounds are homologous precursor compounds consisting of one or more identical ligands. Niobium halides have high thermal stability, a wide deposition temperature range, and sufficient reactivity, but they have a low vapor pressure because they are solid at room temperature. Furthermore, by-products generated during the deposition process affect the physical properties of the thin film, making it difficult to form a thin film with uniform properties. Niobium alkoxides have sufficient vapor pressure and a low melting point, and are easy to synthesize in liquid form, but they have the disadvantage of easily decomposing during the thin film formation process due to their low thermal stability, resulting in a high carbon content in the thin film.

[0006] Therefore, in recent years, heteroreptic precursor compounds have been proposed to compensate for the shortcomings of homoreptic precursor compounds. Heteroreptic precursor compounds contain two or more different ligands. A typical heteroreptic precursor compound is an alkylamide-imide precursor compound such as tris(diethylamido)(tert-butylimido)niobium(V). Such alkylamide-imide precursor compounds ensure a high thin-film growth rate (GPC) over a wide temperature range and can form high-quality thin films compared to homoreptic precursor materials. However, they have the disadvantage of having a high carbon content in the thin film at low temperatures.

[0007] Ligands with different chemical structures exhibit different reactivity with the reaction gas, even under the same deposition conditions, resulting in the formation of different deposition surfaces. In particular, the number of ligands in the precursor compound reacting with the hydroxyl-terminant surface during ALD deposition can affect the charge trapping density, which in turn can impact thin film quality. Therefore, controlling the number of ligands reacting in each cycle to be substantially identical is essential for obtaining an ideal thin film with low charge trapping density. However, known heteroreptic niobium precursor compounds have limitations in improving process efficiency due to their rapid reactivity, high ligand exchangeability, and difficulty in vapor pressure control. Specifically, during MOCVD deposition, the niobium precursor compound must be thermally stable so as not to decompose on a heated substrate but not during transport. Furthermore, during ALD deposition, it must possess high thermal stability and reactivity so as not to decompose due to heat but to react when exposed to relative reactants.

[0008] Therefore, there remains a need for precursor compounds that can be easily used in both MOCVD and ALD deposition processes, exist in a liquid state at room temperature, and possess excellent thermal stability and reactivity, enabling the formation of high-quality, uniform thin films. [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0009] The object of the present invention is to provide a niobium precursor compound that is suitable for thin film growth, has robust thermal stability, and exists in a liquid state at room temperature while having a high vapor pressure, thereby eliminating process problems associated with the use of conventional niobium precursor compounds.

[0010] Furthermore, an object of the present invention is to provide a niobium precursor compound for thin film deposition that can provide a high-quality, uniform thin film using the niobium precursor compound.

[0011] Furthermore, an object of the present invention is to provide a method for forming a niobium-containing thin film that is highly efficient in terms of process efficiency and enables the formation of a high-quality thin film using the niobium precursor composition for thin film deposition.

[0012] The problems addressed by the present invention are not limited to those mentioned above, and other problems not mentioned can be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the following description. [Means for solving the problem]

[0013] One embodiment of the present invention provides a niobium precursor compound represented by the following chemical formula 1 or chemical formula 2.

[0014] [ka]

[0015] [ka]

[0016] (In the above formula 1, R1 and R2 are each independently selected from linear alkyl groups having 1 to 6 carbon atoms and branched alkyl groups having 3 to 6 carbon atoms, R3, R4 and R5 are each independently selected from hydrogen, linear alkyl groups having 1 to 10 carbon atoms and branched alkyl groups having 3 to 10 carbon atoms, in the above formula 2, R6 and R7 are each independently selected from linear alkyl groups having 1 to 6 carbon atoms and branched alkyl groups having 3 to 6 carbon atoms, R8 and R9 are each independently selected from hydrogen, linear alkyl groups having 1 to 10 carbon atoms and branched alkyl groups having 3 to 10 carbon atoms, R 10 R is selected from linear alkylene groups having 1 to 20 carbon atoms and branched alkylene groups having 3 to 20 carbon atoms. 11 and R 12 Each of these is independently selected from hydrogen and a linear alkyl group having 1 to 4 carbon atoms, and in the above formulas 1 and 2, n is an integer from 1 to 5.

[0017] Another embodiment of the present invention provides a precursor composition for niobium-containing thin film deposition. The precursor composition for thin film deposition according to one embodiment of the present invention includes the niobium precursor compound represented by Chemical Formula 1 or Chemical Formula 2.

[0018] Another embodiment of the present invention provides a method for forming a niobium-containing thin film by depositing a thin film on a substrate through a Metal Organic Chemical Vapor Deposition (MOCVD) process or an Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD) process using the niobium precursor compound represented by Chemical Formula 1 or Chemical Formula 2.

[0019] Specific matters of other embodiments are included in the detailed description and the drawings.

Advantages of the Invention

[0020] The niobium precursor compound according to one embodiment of the present invention has excellent thermal stability, exists in a liquid state at room temperature, has high volatility, and is advantageous for application in the thin film formation process. In particular, the niobium precursor compound of the present invention can form a high-quality niobium thin film during thin film formation in the MOCVD deposition process or the ALD deposition process while having excellent thermal stability and high reactivity.

[0021] Some ligands included in the niobium precursor compound according to one embodiment of the present invention contain substituents that cause relatively steric hindrance. This can facilitate the purification of the product during the production of the niobium precursor compound and contribute to an improvement in purity.

[0022] Also, when performing the ALD deposition process using the niobium precursor compound according to one embodiment of the present invention, it has a constant thin film growth rate in a wide temperature range, and the quality of the thin film can be further improved.

[0023] Moreover, the niobium thin film formed from the niobium precursor compound according to one embodiment of the present invention has excellent thermal stability, excellent morphological characteristics, low diffusivity, low leakage, and low charge trapping properties, and thus can be used for various applications such as dielectrics, barrier films, and electrodes.

[0024] The effects of the present invention are not limited to those exemplified above, and a wide variety of other effects are included within the present invention. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0025] [Figure 1] This graph shows the thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) results for each niobium precursor compound related to Example 1, Example 2, and Comparative Example 1. [Figure 2] This graph shows the growth rate of the thin film with respect to the deposition temperature during the atomic layer deposition process using the respective niobium precursor compounds in Example 1, Example 2, and Comparative Example 1. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0026] The advantages and features of the present invention, and the methods for achieving them, will become clearer with reference to the embodiments described below in detail with the accompanying drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments disclosed below, but is embodied in a variety of different shapes, and these embodiments are provided merely to complete the disclosure of the present invention and to fully inform a person with ordinary skill in the art to which the present invention belongs of the scope of the invention, and the present invention is defined only by the scope of the claims.

[0027] In describing the present invention, if it is determined that a specific explanation of related prior art would unnecessarily obscure the gist of the invention, such detailed explanation will be omitted. Where "includes," "has," "is made," etc., as mentioned in the present invention are used, other parts may be added unless "only" is used. When a component is expressed singularly, it includes cases where it includes multiple components unless otherwise explicitly stated.

[0028] When interpreting the constituent elements, they shall be interpreted as including a margin of error, even if not explicitly stated otherwise.

[0029] Throughout this specification, the term "room temperature" means a temperature of 15°C to 30°C, or 20°C to 27°C.

[0030] A niobium precursor compound according to one embodiment of the present application can be represented by the following formula 1.

[0031] [ka]

[0032] In Chemical Formula 1, R1 and R2 may each be independently selected from a linear alkyl group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms and a branched alkyl group having 3 to 6 carbon atoms. For example, R1 may be a linear alkyl group having 1 to 3 carbon atoms, and R2 may be a branched alkyl group having 3 to 6 carbon atoms, but is not limited to these.

[0033] In Chemical Formula 1, R3, R4, and R5 may each be independently selected from hydrogen, a linear alkyl group having 1 to 10 carbon atoms, and a branched alkyl group having 3 to 10 carbon atoms. Specifically, for example, R3 and R4 may each be a linear alkyl group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms, and R5 may be a branched alkyl group having 3 to 6 carbon atoms, but is not limited to these.

[0034] In equation 1, n is an integer between 1 and 5.

[0035] For example, in Chemical Formula 1, n may be 1, and R1 may be a linear alkyl group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms. Preferably, for example, in Chemical Formula 1, R1 may be a methyl group. When such a methylcyclopentadiene structure is included, the bonding strength with the metal may be reduced compared to a cyclopentadiene structure that does not contain a methyl group. As a result, the content of unwanted residues in the thin film formed through the vapor deposition process can be greatly reduced. Furthermore, when a methylcyclopentadiene structure is included, the shielding effect of methylcyclopentadiene can facilitate the synthesis of heteroreptic niobium precursor compounds. In addition, the purification efficiency of niobium precursor compounds can be improved, and highly pure heteroreptic niobium precursor compounds can be obtained.

[0036] More specifically, the niobium precursor compound may be a compound represented by the following chemical formula 3.

[0037] [ka]

[0038] Niobium precursor compounds with a structure like that shown in Chemical Formula 3 exhibit superior thermal stability, further reducing the content of residues during thin film formation. Furthermore, they demonstrate a constant thin film growth rate over a wide temperature range during the deposition process, making them applicable to both MOCVD and ALD deposition processes.

[0039] Another example of the present invention's niobium precursor compound can be represented by the formula shown in Chemical Formula 2 below.

[0040] [ka]

[0041] The niobium precursor compound shown in formula 2 is a ligand-OR compound bonded to a niobium atom. 10 N(R 11 )(R 12Among them, the nitrogen atom forms a stable structure while forming a coordination bond with the niobium atom. As a result, the niobium precursor compound represented by Chemical Formula 2 has a more stable structure than the niobium precursor compound of Chemical Formula 1, and thus has the advantage of being more excellent in thermal stability. As a result, the thin film formed in the vapor deposition process using the niobium precursor compound represented by Chemical Formula 2 has a further reduced residue content and shows a constant thin film growth rate in a wider temperature range. Therefore, the thin film manufactured using the niobium precursor compound represented by Chemical Formula 2 exhibits better quality characteristics.

[0042] In Chemical Formula 2, R6 and R7 may each independently be any one selected from a linear alkyl group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms and a branched alkyl group having 3 to 6 carbon atoms. Specifically, for example, R6 may be a linear alkyl group having 1 to 3 carbon atoms, and R7 may be a branched alkyl group having 3 to 6 carbon atoms, but is not limited thereto.

[0043] In Chemical Formula 2, R8 and R9 may each independently be any one selected from hydrogen, a linear alkyl group having 1 to 10 carbon atoms, and a branched alkyl group having 3 to 10 carbon atoms. Specifically, for example, R8 and R9 may each be a linear alkyl group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms, but is not limited thereto.

[0044] In Chemical Formula 2, R 10 may be selected from a linear alkylene group having 1 to 20 carbon atoms and a branched alkylene group having 3 to 20 carbon atoms. Specifically, for example, R 10 may be a linear alkylene group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms, but is not limited thereto.

[0045] In Chemical Formula 2, R 11 and R 12 may each independently be any one selected from hydrogen and a linear alkyl group having 1 to 4 carbon atoms. Specifically, for example, R 11 and R 12 may each be a linear alkyl group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms, but is not limited thereto.

[0046] In equation 2, n is an integer between 1 and 5.

[0047] For example, in chemical formula 2, n may be 1, and R6 may be a linear alkyl group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms. Preferably, for example, in chemical formula 2, R6 may be a methyl group. As described above, when a methylcyclopentadiene structure is included, the bonding strength with the metal is reduced compared to cyclopentadiene without a methyl group, and the content of unwanted residues in the thin film can be greatly reduced. In addition, the shielding effect of methylcyclopentadiene facilitates the synthesis and purification of heteroreptic niobium precursor compounds, making it possible to obtain high-purity and high-quality niobium precursor compounds.

[0048] More specifically, the niobium precursor compound may be a compound represented by the following chemical formula 4.

[0049] [ka]

[0050] The niobium precursor compound represented by Formula 4 exhibits further improved thermal stability, and the content of residual material can be further reduced during thin film formation. As a result, thin films produced in the vapor deposition process using the niobium precursor compound of Formula 4 have even better physical properties.

[0051] Niobium precursor compounds represented by Chemical Formula 1 or Chemical Formula 2 can be used as precursor compositions for niobium-containing thin film deposition.

[0052] Furthermore, the niobium precursor compound according to one embodiment of the present invention exists in a liquid state at room temperature, making it easy to store and handle, and its high volatility makes it advantageously applicable for forming thin films using a vapor deposition process.

[0053] The following describes in detail a method for forming a niobium-containing thin film according to one embodiment of the present invention. The method for forming the niobium-containing thin film uses the niobium precursor compound described above, and redundant explanations related to the niobium precursor compound will be omitted.

[0054] A method for forming a niobium-containing thin film according to one embodiment of the present invention involves depositing a thin film onto a substrate through a deposition process using a niobium precursor compound represented by Chemical Formula 1 or Chemical Formula 2.

[0055] The deposition process can be carried out by atomic layer deposition (ALD) or chemical vapor deposition (CVD), such as metal-organic vapor deposition (MOCVD). The deposition process can be carried out at 50 to 700°C.

[0056] First, a niobium precursor compound represented by Formula 1 or Formula 2 is transferred onto the substrate. For example, the niobium precursor compound can be supplied onto the substrate by methods such as bubbling, vapor phase mass flow controller, direct gas injection (DGI), direct liquid injection (DLI), or liquid transfer by dissolving it in an organic solvent, but is not limited to these methods.

[0057] More specifically, the niobium precursor compound can be mixed with a carrier gas or diluent gas containing one or more selected from argon (Ar), nitrogen (N2), helium (He), and hydrogen (H2), and then transferred onto the substrate by bubbling or direct gas injection.

[0058] On the other hand, the deposition process may include the step of supplying one or more reaction gases selected from water vapor (H2O), oxygen (O2), ozone (O3), and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) when forming a niobium thin film.

[0059] As another example, the deposition process may include the step of supplying one or more reaction gases selected from ammonia (NH3), hydrazine (N2H4), nitrous oxide (N2O), and nitrogen (N2) when forming a niobium thin film.

[0060] Niobium thin films produced by the thin film formation method according to one embodiment of the present invention can provide high-quality thin films with effectively reduced residue. Furthermore, the thin film formation method according to one embodiment of the present invention can provide niobium thin films with more uniform physical properties, exhibiting a constant thin film growth rate over a wide thin film growth temperature range.

[0061] In the following, the niobium precursor compounds according to the present invention will be described in more detail through the following examples. However, these are presented only to aid in understanding the present invention, and the present invention is not limited to the following examples.

[0062] [Example 1] 1. Production of intermediate compounds In a flame-dried 500 mL Schlenk flask, 32.9 g (0.111 mol, 1 equivalent) of (tert-butylimide)tris(dimethylamide)niobium (tBuN)(NMe2)3Nb and 300 mL of hexane (n-hexane) were added and the mixture was stirred at room temperature. 11 g (0.137 mol, 1.2 equivalents) of methylcyclopentadiene (C5MeH5) was added dropwise to the flask at -20°C or below, and the reaction solution was stirred at room temperature for 12 hours. Subsequently, the solvent was removed under reduced pressure, and 26.5 g (72% yield) of the pale yellow liquid compound represented by (η-C5H4CH3)(tBuN)Nb(N(CH3)2)2 was obtained by vacuum distillation.

[0063] Nuclear magnetic resonance analysis ( 1 The synthesis of the intermediate compound (η-C5H4CH3)(tBuN)Nb(N(CH3)2)2, represented by the following chemical formula A, was confirmed by 1H NMR.

[0064] [ka]

[0065] 2. Preparation of the compound (η-C5H4CH3)(tBuN)Nb(N(CH3)2)(tBuO) In a flame-dried 500 mL Schlenk flask, 26.5 g (0.08 mol, 1 equivalent) of the intermediate compound (tert-butylimide)bis(dimethylamide)(methylcyclopentadienyl)niobium(η-C5H4CH3)(tBuN)Nb(N(CH3)2) prepared as described above, and 150 mL of hexane (n-hexane) were added and the mixture was stirred at room temperature. 6.5 g (0.088 mol, 1.1 equivalents) of tert-butanol (tBuOH) was added dropwise to the flask at -20°C or below, and the reaction solution was stirred at room temperature for 12 hours. Thereafter, the solvent was removed under reduced pressure, and 16.7 g (58% yield) of the pale yellow liquid compound was obtained by vacuum distillation.

[0066] Nuclear magnetic resonance analysis ( 1 The synthesis of the niobium precursor compound (η-C5H4CH3)(tBuN)Nb(N(CH3)2)(tBuO), represented by the following chemical formula 3, was confirmed by 1H NMR.

[0067] [ka]

[0068] [Example 2] In a flame-dried 500 mL Schlenk flask, 232.9 g (0.099 mol, 1 equivalent) of (tert-butylimide)bis(dimethylamide)(methylcyclopentadienyl)niobium(η-C5H4CH3)(tBuN)Nb(N(CH3)2) obtained in the intermediate preparation step of Example 1 and 300 mL of hexane (n-hexane) were added and the mixture was stirred at room temperature. Dimethylethanolamine ((CH3)2NCH2CH2OH) 17.7 g (0.199 mol, 2 equivalents) was added dropwise to the flask at -20°C or below, and the reaction solution was stirred at room temperature for 24 hours. Thereafter, the solvent was removed under reduced pressure, and 15.7 g (42% yield) of the pale yellow liquid compound was obtained by vacuum distillation.

[0069] Nuclear magnetic resonance analysis ( 1 The synthesis of the niobium precursor compound (η-C5H4CH3)(tBuN)Nb(N(CH3)2)((CH3)2NCH2CH2O), represented by the following chemical formula 4, was confirmed by 1H NMR.

[0070] [ka]

[0071] [Comparative Example 1] In a flame-dried 500 mL Schlenk flask, 211 g (0.029 mol, 1 equivalent) of bis(diethylamide)(tert-butylimide)(cyclopentadienyl)niobium(η-C5H5)(tBuN)Nb(NEt2) and 150 mL of hexane (n-hexane) were added and the mixture was stirred at room temperature. 3.8 g (0.063 mol, 2.2 equivalents) of isopropyl alcohol [C3H7OH] was added dropwise to the flask at -20°C or below, and the reaction solution was stirred at room temperature for 12 hours. The solvent was removed from the reaction solution under reduced pressure, and the mixture was distilled under reduced pressure to obtain 9 g (90% yield) of a pale yellow liquid compound.

[0072] Nuclear magnetic resonance analysis ( 1 The synthesis of the niobium precursor compound (η-C5H5)(tBuN)Nb(OCHC2H6)2, represented by the following chemical formula 5, was confirmed by 1H NMR.

[0073] [ka]

[0074] [Example of experiment] 1.Thermogravimetric analysis Thermogravimetic analysis (TGA) was performed to investigate the thermal properties of the compounds related to Comparative Example 1 and Examples 1 and 2. First, the thermogravimetic analysis equipment was stored in a nitrogen glove box where the moisture and oxygen content was maintained at less than 1 ppm. After placing a 15 mg sample in a crucible, measurements were taken while increasing the temperature from 35°C to 350°C at a rate of 10°C / min. The mass loss of the sample was monitored as a function of the crucible temperature. The results are shown in Figure 1.

[0075] Figure 1 is a graph showing the thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) results for each niobium precursor compound related to Comparative Example 1 and Examples 1 and 2.

[0076] Referring to Figure 1, it can be confirmed that the niobium precursor compounds produced in Example 1 and Example 2 each contain less than 2% by weight of residual matter that has not volatilized at temperatures above 330°C. Furthermore, the graph in Figure 1 can be confirmed that the niobium precursor compounds produced in Example 1 and Example 2 either decompose during volatilization or do not form by-products. In other words, the niobium precursor compounds produced in Example 1 and Example 2 volatilize with almost no residual matter and are thermally stable.

[0077] In contrast, the niobium precursor compound in Comparative Example 1 exhibits mass loss at a much lower temperature of around 100°C than in Examples 1 and 2, and has a shorter half-life compared to the examples. This confirms that the niobium precursor compound in Comparative Example 1 has inferior thermal properties compared to the examples.

[0078] In summary, the niobium precursor compounds according to Examples 1 and 2 exist in a liquid state at room temperature, making them easy to handle and purify. When heated, they do not undergo thermal decomposition and volatilize into vapor with almost no residue. Therefore, it can be seen that the niobium precursor compounds according to Examples 1 and 2 are easily applicable to MOCVD and ALD deposition processes.

[0079] 2. Thin film deposition properties The growth rate of the thin films during the atomic layer deposition process using the niobium precursor compounds for Comparative Example 1, Example 1, and Example 2 was analyzed. The results are shown in Figure 2.

[0080] Figure 2 is a graph showing the growth rate per cycle (GPC) of thin films at different deposition temperatures (Dep.Temp.) during atomic layer deposition processes using the respective niobium precursor compounds for Comparative Example 1, Example 1, and Example 2.

[0081] The deposition conditions involved filling a canister with the niobium precursor compound, heating it to 110°C, and using ozone (O3) as the oxidizing agent. A silicon wafer was used as the reaction substrate, and deposition was carried out by heating it from 250°C to 340°C. After introducing a pulse of the precursor for 10 seconds, argon (Ar) was purged for 10 seconds. Then, after introducing a pulse of ozone (O3) into the reaction chamber for 15 seconds, argon (Ar) was purged for 10 seconds. This method was repeated 80 to 100 times. Using this method, niobium oxide thin films of the same thickness were formed for each precursor.

[0082] Referring to Figure 2, it can be seen that when using the niobium precursor compounds according to Example 1 and Example 2, respectively, during the atomic layer deposition process, the slope of the curve is gentler compared to when using the niobium precursor compound of Comparative Example 1. In particular, when using the niobium precursor compound according to Example 2, it can be seen that the thin film growth rate is low and that the thin film growth rate is maintained at a constant rate over a wide temperature range.

[0083] In the atomic layer deposition process, maintaining a constant thin film growth rate means that a stably formed thin film is achieved without incidental reactions such as incomplete reactions, deposition in a precursor state without chemical reaction, or decomposition due to heat. In other words, Figure 2 shows that when using the niobium precursor compounds of Examples 1 and 2, a more stable thin film deposition process is possible compared to when using the niobium precursor compound of Comparative Example 1. In particular, when using the niobium precursor compound of Example 2, it is observed that a nearly constant thin film growth rate is observed within the deposition temperature range, and a niobium thin film with superior physical properties and uniformity can be obtained. This can be judged to be the result of the niobium precursor compound of Example 2, represented by Chemical Formula 4, forming a stable structure by having some of the ligand's nitrogen atoms coordinate with the niobium atoms.

[0084] Although the present invention has been described in detail through examples above, other forms of embodiment are also possible. Therefore, the technical idea and scope of the claims described below are not limited to the examples.

Claims

1. A niobium precursor compound represented by the following chemical formula 2, 【Chemistry 2】 In the above formula 2, R ６ and R ７ Each of these is independently selected from linear alkyl groups having 1 to 6 carbon atoms and branched alkyl groups having 3 to 6 carbon atoms, R ８ and R ９ Each of these is independently selected from hydrogen, a linear alkyl group having 1 to 10 carbon atoms, and a branched alkyl group having 3 to 10 carbon atoms, R １０ R is selected from linear alkylene groups having 1 to 20 carbon atoms and branched alkylene groups having 3 to 20 carbon atoms. １１ and R １２ Each is independently selected from hydrogen and a linear alkyl group having 1 to 4 carbon atoms. In the above formula 2, n is an integer from 1 to 5.

2. In the above formula 2, n is 1, and in the above formula 2, R ６ The niobium precursor compound according to claim 1, wherein each of these is a methyl group.

3. The niobium precursor compound is represented by the following chemical formula 4: 【Chemistry 4】 The niobium precursor compound according to claim 1.

4. The niobium precursor compound according to claim 1, wherein the niobium precursor compound is a liquid at room temperature.

5. A niobium-containing precursor composition for thin film deposition, comprising the niobium precursor compound described in any one of claims 1 to 4.

6. A method for forming a niobium-containing thin film, comprising depositing a thin film onto a substrate through a Metal Organic Chemical Vapor Deposition (MOCVD) step or an Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD) step using a niobium precursor compound according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

7. The method for forming a niobium-containing thin film according to claim 6, wherein the metal-organic chemical vapor deposition step or the atomic layer deposition step is carried out in a temperature range of 50 to 700°C.

8. A method for forming a niobium-containing thin film according to claim 6, wherein the metal-organic chemical vapor deposition step or the atomic layer deposition step includes the step of transferring the niobium precursor compound to the substrate through one method selected from a bubbling method, a vapor phase mass flow controller (MFC) method, a direct gas injection (DGI) method, a direct liquid injection (DLI) method, and an organic solution supply method in which the niobium precursor compound is dissolved in an organic solvent and transferred.

9. The niobium precursor compound is moved onto the substrate together with the transport gas by the bubbling method or the direct gas injection method. The transport gas is a mixture containing one or more selected from argon (Ar), nitrogen (N ２ ), helium (He), and hydrogen (H ２ ), and the method for forming the niobium-containing thin film according to claim 8.

10. The metal-organic chemical vapor deposition process or the atomic layer deposition process involves, during the formation of the niobium-containing thin film, water vapor (H) ２ O), oxygen (O ２ ), ozone (O ３ ) and hydrogen peroxide (H ２ O ２ A method for forming a niobium-containing thin film according to claim 6, comprising the step of supplying one or more reaction gases selected from among the following.

11. The metal-organic chemical vapor deposition step or the atomic layer deposition step involves ammonia (NH) during the formation of the niobium-containing thin film. ３ ), hydrazine (N ２ H ４ ), nitrous oxide ( ２ O) and nitrogen (N) ２ A method for forming a niobium-containing thin film according to claim 6, comprising the step of supplying one or more reaction gases selected from among the following.

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