Low sheet resistance titanium nitride films by low-temperature plasma-enhanced atomic layer deposition using design of experiments methodology
A design of experiments methodology was used to optimize the sheet resistance of titanium nitride (TiN) films produced by plasma-enhanced atomic layer deposition (PE-ALD) using a tetrakis(dimethylamino)titanium precursor in a N{sub 2}/H{sub 2} plasma at low temperature (250 °C). At fixed chamber pressure (300 mTorr) and plasma power (300 W), the plasma duration and N{sub 2} flow rate were the most significant factors. The lowest sheet resistance values (163 Ω/sq. for a 20 nm TiN film) were obtained using plasma durations ∼40 s, N{sub 2} flow rates >60 standard cubic centimeters per minute, and purge times ∼60 s. Time of flight secondary ion mass spectroscopy data revealed reduced levels of carbon contaminants in the TiN films with lowest sheet resistance (163 Ω/sq.), compared to films with higher sheet resistance (400–600 Ω/sq.) while transmission electron microscopy data showed a higher density of nanocrystallites in the low-resistance films. Further significant reductions in sheet resistance, from 163 Ω/sq. to 70 Ω/sq. for a 20 nm TiN film (corresponding resistivity ∼145 μΩ·cm), were achieved by addition of a postcycle Ar/N{sub 2} plasma step in the PE-ALD process.
- OSTI ID:
- 22258614
- Journal Information:
- Journal of Vacuum Science and Technology. A, Vacuum, Surfaces and Films, Vol. 32, Issue 3; Other Information: (c) 2014 American Vacuum Society; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0734-2101
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND SUPERFLUIDITY
CARBON
COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS
DESIGN
FILMS
FLOW RATE
HYDROGEN
ION MICROPROBE ANALYSIS
MASS SPECTROSCOPY
PLASMA
SOCIO-ECONOMIC FACTORS
TEMPERATURE RANGE 0065-0273 K
TIME-OF-FLIGHT METHOD
TITANIUM
TITANIUM NITRIDES
TRANSMISSION ELECTRON MICROSCOPY