Selective AlN Deposition on Substrate Surfaces
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current integrated circuit manufacturing processes require complex steps for material deposition on semiconductor substrates, including full surface deposition followed by selective removal, which can be inefficient and require additional processing steps.
Innovation Solution
The development of a selective deposition process for aluminum and nitrogen-containing materials, such as aluminum nitride (AlN), using vapor phase precursors and thermal atomic layer deposition (ALD) to deposit AlN preferentially on one surface of a substrate relative to another, with enhanced selectivity and etch resistance, allowing for reduced processing steps and improved layer formation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If full surface deposition is used followed by selective removal, then material can be deposited on the entire substrate surface, but the number of processing steps increases and manufacturing efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The substrate surfaces are pre-treated with different treatments (e.g., plasma treatment, chemical treatment, or surface coating) to create differential surface properties before deposition. This preliminary action enables selective deposition to occur during the deposition process itself, eliminating the need for subsequent selective removal steps and reducing overall process complexity
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the substrate surface are given different properties (e.g., hydrophilic vs hydrophobic, reactive vs inert) through localized pre-treatment. This allows the deposition process to naturally select which regions receive material based on their surface properties, achieving patterned deposition without additional processing steps
2Manufacturing precision
If conventional deposition methods are used, then material can be deposited on substrate surfaces, but selectivity between different surfaces is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The deposition process parameters (temperature, pressure, precursor flow rates, deposition time) are optimized and differentiated for different substrate surfaces based on their pre-treated properties. This enables high selectivity in material deposition on specific surfaces while maintaining efficient processing without requiring multiple separate deposition steps
3Manufacturing precision
If selective deposition is achieved through multiple processing steps, then deposition selectivity improves, but manufacturing time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The surface pre-treatment and deposition steps are merged into a single integrated process sequence, where pre-treatment is performed immediately before deposition without intermediate handling or separate processing equipment. This combination achieves high deposition selectivity while minimizing total processing time by eliminating transitions between separate steps
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
This process enables efficient and selective deposition of AlN on specific surfaces with high selectivity and etch resistance, reducing the number of processing steps and improving the precision and efficiency of integrated circuit manufacturing.
Implementation Method 1
a material comprising aluminum and nitrogen is deposited on a first surface of a substrate relative to a second dielectric surface of the same substrate in a process comprising one or more deposition cycles comprising contacting the substrate with a first vapor phase precursor comprising aluminum and contacting the substrate with a second vapor phase precursor comprising nitrogen
Implementation Method 2
thermal atomic layer deposition (ALD) to deposit AlN preferentially on one surface of a substrate
Data Source
AI summary
Methods are provided for selectively depositing Al and N containing material on a first conductive surface of a substrate relative to a second, dielectric surface of the same substrate. In some aspects, methods of forming an Al and N containing protective layer or etch stop layer for use in integrated circuit fabrication are provided.