Silicon-Phosphorous Vapor Deposition for Low-Temperature Doped Films
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Solution Overview
Problem
The microelectronic industry faces challenges in achieving desired properties of phosphorous and arsenic containing silicon-based materials due to evolving processing limitations, particularly in selective area deposition at lower temperatures and maintaining uniform doping over high aspect ratio features.
Innovation Solution
The method involves using silicon-phosphorous compounds in vapor deposition processes, specifically exposing a substrate to a deposition gas containing these compounds during epitaxy or atomic layer deposition processes, to form silicon-phosphorous materials with preserved silicon-phosphorous bonds.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If lower temperatures are used during deposition, then device performance is enhanced and material properties are improved, but growth rate and active dopant levels undesirably reduce
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical parameters of the deposition process by using silicon-phosphorous compounds with specific molecular structures and compositions. These parameter changes enable the deposition to proceed at lower temperatures while maintaining acceptable growth rates, as the specialized compounds facilitate deposition under milder conditions than conventional methods.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs composite silicon-phosphorous compounds as deposition precursors. These composite materials contain both silicon and phosphorous in specific ratios and configurations, allowing simultaneous achievement of low-temperature deposition and adequate growth rates. The composite nature of these compounds enables dual functionality: facilitating low-temperature processing while providing sufficient material deposition rate.
2Reliability
If lower temperatures are used during deposition, then material properties are improved, but active dopant levels undesirably reduce
Solution Approach 1:
The silicon-phosphorous compounds used as deposition precursors are composite materials designed to provide both silicon and phosphorous simultaneously. The phosphorous content in these compounds is optimized to ensure sufficient active dopant levels are achieved even at lower deposition temperatures, while the composite structure maintains desirable material properties.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent modifies the chemical composition parameters of the deposition precursors by using silicon-phosphorous compounds with specific stoichiometries. This parameter change ensures that adequate phosphorous content is delivered to the substrate at lower temperatures, maintaining active dopant levels without compromising material properties.
3Ease of manufacture
If conventional deposition methods are used, then processing is simpler, but selective area deposition at lower temperatures becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical parameters of the deposition system by introducing silicon-phosphorous compounds as precursors. These parameter changes enable selective area deposition at lower temperatures while maintaining relatively simple processing procedures. The compounds' chemical properties facilitate selective deposition without requiring complex processing modifications.
4Ease of manufacture
If conventional deposition methods are used, then processing is simpler, but conformal dielectric films with uniform doping over high aspect ratio features are challenging
Solution Approach 1:
The patent modifies the deposition process parameters by using silicon-phosphorous compounds that enable conformal coating at lower temperatures. These parameter changes improve doping uniformity across high aspect ratio features while keeping the processing approach relatively simple, avoiding the need for complex multi-step procedures.
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 approach enables a relatively fast growth rate of silicon-phosphorous materials at low deposition temperatures, achieving high phosphorous concentration for low resistivity values and reduced phosphorous diffusion due to the initial silicon-phosphorus bond.
Implementation Method 1
The substrate can be heated to a temperature of about 400° C. to about 700° C.
Implementation Method 2
exposing the substrate to a deposition gas containing one or more silicon-phosphorous compounds during a deposition process and depositing a film containing the silicon-phosphorous material on the substrate
Implementation Method 3
using silicon-phosphorous compounds in vapor deposition processes
Implementation Method 4
the processing chamber can be maintained at a pressure of about 20 Torr to about 600 Torr
Implementation Method 5
reduced phosphorous diffusion due to the initial silicon-phosphorus bond
Data Source
AI summary
Embodiments generally relate to methods for depositing silicon-phosphorous materials, and more specifically, relate to using silicon-phosphorous compounds in vapor deposition processes (e.g., epitaxy, CVD, or ALD) to deposit silicon-phosphorous materials. In one or more embodiments, a method for forming a silicon-phosphorous material on a substrate is provided and includes exposing the substrate to a deposition gas containing one or more silicon-phosphorous compounds during a deposition process and depositing a film containing the silicon-phosphorous material on the substrate. The silicon-phosphorous compound has the chemical formula [(R3-vHvSi)—(R2-wHwSi)n]xPHyR′z, where each instance of R and each instance of R′ are independently an alkyl or a halogen, n is 0, 1, or 2; v is 0, 1, 2, or 3; w is 0, 1, or 2; x is 1, 2, or 3; y is 0, 1, or 2; z is 0, 1, or 2, and where x+y+z=3.