Titanium ALD Activator for Low-Temperature High-Purity Films
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing atomic layer deposition (ALD) processes face issues with thermal history leading to decreased film density, thickness uniformity, and increased impurities, affecting electrical and chemical properties of deposition films.
Innovation Solution
Employing an alkyl-free halogenide as an activator to change the ligand of a precursor compound, using a second halogen different from the first halogen in the precursor, to enhance reactivity and improve deposition reaction rate, thickness uniformity, and density of the deposition film.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If the deposition temperature is reduced, then the film quality deteriorates and resistivity increases, but the thermal history of the precursor increases leading to thermal decomposition
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the chemical parameters of the precursor compound by replacing the original ligand with a new ligand that has different thermal stability characteristics. This allows the deposition process to occur at lower temperatures without causing thermal decomposition, as the new ligand maintains stability at reduced temperatures while still enabling quality film formation.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention uses a precursor compound with a modified ligand structure that replicates the desirable deposition properties of high-temperature processes while avoiding the harmful thermal decomposition effects. The new ligand design copies the functional benefits of thermal processing without requiring actual high-temperature exposure.
2Use of energy by moving object
If the deposition temperature is reduced, then energy consumption decreases, but the deposition reaction rate and film density deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The invention modifies the chemical parameters of the precursor by introducing a new ligand with enhanced reactivity at lower temperatures. This chemical parameter change enables the deposition reaction to proceed efficiently at reduced temperatures, maintaining film density and quality while lowering energy consumption compared to conventional high-temperature processes.
3Productivity
If the ligand is released from central metal through thermal decomposition, then the deposition reaction rate increases, but the film density and thickness uniformity decrease
Solution Approach 1:
The invention segments the deposition process into distinct stages: first, the new ligand is selectively removed under controlled conditions to expose the central metal; second, the reactant is introduced to complete the film formation. This segmentation allows the deposition reaction rate to increase without compromising film density, as each stage is optimized independently.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention performs preliminary ligand removal before the main deposition reaction. By pre-exposing the central metal sites through controlled ligand dissociation, the subsequent reactant deposition proceeds more rapidly and uniformly, improving both reaction rate and film density without requiring high-temperature thermal decomposition.
4Productivity
If the ligand is released from central metal, then the reactivity with reactant increases, but impurities remain in the deposited thin film
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts and removes the ligand completely from the central metal before depositing the reactant. This extraction process ensures that no ligand fragments or impurities remain in the final film, while the exposed central metal maintains high reactivity with the incoming reactant for efficient deposition.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention uses an intermediary processing step between ligand removal and reactant deposition. This intermediary stage allows for controlled purification and ensures that the central metal surface is ready for reactant binding without contamination, maintaining high reactivity while preventing impurity incorporation.
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 solution results in improved deposition reaction rate, thickness uniformity, and reduced impurities, enhancing the electrical characteristics and crystallinity of the deposition film, particularly in semiconductor substrates.
Implementation Method 1
by providing a compound containing a halogen different from a halogen ligand contained in a precursor compound as an activator, by enhancing the reactivity with the subsequently injected reactant through exchange with the halogen ligand in the precursor compound
Implementation Method 2
This process is a kind of chemical vapor deposition (CVD) character
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to an activator, and a semiconductor substrate and semiconductor device fabricated using the same. By using a titanium precursor compound and a specific reaction gas according to a method of manufacturing a titanium-containing deposition film of the present invention, a deposition film with high purity may be easily manufactured by a simple process.