Area-Selective Metal Deposition with Aminoalkoxide Precursors
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing semiconductor manufacturing processes face challenges in achieving high selectivity for material deposition, often requiring expensive lithographic techniques and surface treatments, which can lead to pattern misalignment issues at advanced technology nodes.
Innovation Solution
A method using metal aminoalkoxide precursors for selective deposition of metals on substrates with different surface materials, employing cyclic deposition processes like ALD and CVD to achieve high selectivity without additional surface treatments.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If conventional blanket layer deposition with photolithographic masking is used, then material can be deposited on substrate, but expensive multi-step lithographic techniques are required and pattern misalignment occurs at advanced technology nodes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by making the deposition process itself selective through the use of area-selective atomic layer deposition (AS-ALD). Different surface materials (e.g., noble metal vs. dielectric) exhibit different chemical reactivities with the metal aminoalkoxide precursor, enabling material to be deposited only on specific surface areas without requiring external masks or lithographic steps. This intrinsic selectivity based on local surface chemistry resolves the contradiction by achieving high pattern alignment precision while eliminating complex multi-step lithography processes
2Manufacturing precision
If surface pretreatment is applied to inhibit or encourage deposition on given surfaces, then selectivity for deposition can be improved, but additional lithography steps are required to apply treatments
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements self-service by designing a deposition system where the substrate surfaces themselves provide the selectivity mechanism. The noble metal surfaces and dielectric surfaces have inherently different chemical reactivities with the metal aminoalkoxide precursor, allowing the deposition process to automatically select which surfaces receive material without requiring external pretreatment steps. This self-selecting mechanism maintains high deposition selectivity while eliminating the need for additional lithography steps, thereby improving processing efficiency
3Productivity
If area-selective atomic layer deposition is used, then lithography steps can be reduced, but selectivity for deposition processes is often not high enough to accomplish the goals of selectivity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent achieves high deposition selectivity through parameter changes in the chemical composition and reactivity of the metal aminoalkoxide precursor. By carefully selecting precursors with specific chemical properties that differentiate their interaction with noble metal surfaces versus dielectric surfaces, the process achieves >99.5% selectivity. This chemical parameter optimization allows the AS-ALD process to maintain both high productivity (reduced lithography steps) and high manufacturing precision (superior deposition selectivity)
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The method enables selective deposition of metals with high selectivity (>99.5%) on specific surfaces, reducing the need for lithographic steps and improving manufacturing efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
depositing material comprising metal on the first surface relative to the second surface by cyclic deposition
Implementation Method 2
providing a metal aminoalkoxide precursor into the reaction chamber in vapor phase to deposit a material comprising a metal
Data Source
AI summary
The current disclosure relates to methods and apparatuses for the manufacture of semiconductor devices. In the disclosure, a material comprising metal is selectively deposited on a substrate by a cyclic deposition process. The deposition method comprises providing a substrate in a reaction chamber, wherein the substrate comprises a first surface comprising a first material, and a second surface comprising a second material. A metal precursor comprising a metal aminoalkoxide is provided in the reaction chamber in vapor phase to deposit a material comprising metal on the first surface relative to the second surface.