Group 4 ALD Precursor Composition for Stable Film Growth
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for forming Group 4 metal element-containing films using atomic layer deposition (ALD) face challenges in achieving uniform film growth and excellent step coverage, especially on substrates with complex shapes and high aspect ratios, across a wide temperature range.
Innovation Solution
A composition for film deposition comprising a Group 4 metal element-containing precursor compound, specifically represented by Formula 1, is used in a method that involves reacting the precursor compound with a reaction gas to form a Group 4 metal element-containing film on a substrate. This method ensures consistent film growth per ALD gas supply cycle across a wide temperature range, from low to high temperatures.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If conventional precursor compounds are used for ALD, then film deposition can be achieved, but the growth per cycle (GPC) varies significantly across a wide temperature range, especially at high temperatures
Solution Approach 1:
The patent modifies the molecular structure of the precursor compound by changing ligand types and metal centers (Zr, Hf, Ti) to achieve stable GPC across a wide temperature range (200-400°C). Specifically, using cyclopentadienyl and alkyl ligand combinations with Group 4 metals creates a precursor that maintains consistent decomposition and reaction behavior at varying temperatures, resolving the temperature-dependent GPC variation problem
Solution Approach 2:
The invention employs composite precursor compounds containing multiple ligand types (cyclopentadienyl, alkyl) coordinated with Group 4 metal elements. This composite molecular structure enables the precursor to exhibit stable film growth characteristics across wide temperature ranges while maintaining self-limiting ALD reaction behavior, unlike conventional single-ligand precursors
2Manufacturing precision
If ALD is performed on substrates with complex shapes and high aspect ratios, then complete film coverage is desired, but achieving uniform thickness and excellent step coverage is difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a precursor compound with specific molecular structure (Formula 1) that enables complete and uniform surface coverage during the ALD process. The precursor's design ensures that reactive sites are accessible and react uniformly across complex substrate geometries, including high aspect ratio structures, before the reaction becomes self-limiting. This preliminary uniform coverage action achieves excellent step coverage and film uniformity on complex substrates
3Reliability
If a precursor compound is designed for stable GPC at high temperatures, then self-limiting growth is achieved, but adaptability to various process temperatures becomes limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent develops a universal precursor compound (Formula 1) that simultaneously achieves self-limiting ALD growth behavior and broad temperature range adaptability (200-400°C). The cyclopentadienyl-alkyl ligand combination with Group 4 metals creates a multi-functional precursor that maintains stable GPC, ensures complete surface coverage, and enables self-limiting reactions across diverse process temperatures, making it adaptable to various ALD process conditions
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 achieves self-limiting film growth and uniform film thickness even on substrates with complex shapes and high aspect ratios, across a wide temperature range, thereby facilitating the manufacture of various semiconductor devices such as DRAM and 3D NAND flash memory with excellent step coverage.
Implementation Method 1
subjecting a composition for film deposition comprising a Group 4 metal element-containing precursor compound represented by the following Formula (1) to a reaction with a reaction gas to form a Group 4 metal element-containing film on a substrate
Data Source
AI summary
A film depositing composition including a Group 4 metal element-containing precursor compound and a method for forming a Group 4 metal element-containing film using same is described. The use of the film depositing composition including a Group 4 metal element-containing precursor compound achieves self-limiting film growth of ALD over a wide temperature range from low to high temperatures, enabling the formation of a Group 4 metal element-containing film for various purposes at various process temperatures. Particularly, according to the method for forming a Group 4 metal element-containing film of this invention, the growth per cycle (GPC) of ALD is consistent over a broad temperature range, thus making it possible to form a Group 4 metal element-containing film of uniform thickness even on surfaces with large aspect ratio trenches. Thus, the method can be advantageously utilized in manufacturing various semiconductor devices, such as DRAM, 3D NAND flash memory, and the like.