Low temperature plasma-enhanced atomic layer deposition of thin vanadium nitride layers for copper diffusion barriers

Journal Article · Mon Mar 18 04:00:00 EDT 2013 · Applied Physics Letters

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4798337· OSTI ID:22162793

Rampelberg, Geert; Devloo-Casier, Kilian; Deduytsche, Davy; Detavernier, Christophe ^[1]; Schaekers, Marc ^[2]; Blasco, Nicolas ^[3]

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1. Department of Solid State Sciences, Ghent University, Krijgslaan 281/S1, B-9000 Ghent (Belgium)
2. IMEC, Kapeldreef 75, B-3001 Leuven (Belgium)
3. Air Liquide Electronics US, L.P., 46401 Landing Parkway, Fremont, California 94538 (United States)

Thin vanadium nitride (VN) layers were grown by atomic layer deposition using tetrakis(ethylmethylamino)vanadium and NH{sub 3} plasma at deposition temperatures between 70 Degree-Sign C and 150 Degree-Sign C on silicon substrates and polymer foil. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy revealed a composition close to stoichiometric VN, while x-ray diffraction showed the {delta}-VN crystal structure. The resistivity was as low as 200 {mu}{Omega} cm for the as deposited films and further reduced to 143 {mu}{Omega} cm and 93 {mu}{Omega} cm by annealing in N{sub 2} and H{sub 2}/He/N{sub 2}, respectively. A 5 nm VN layer proved to be effective as a diffusion barrier for copper up to a temperature of 720 Degree-Sign C.

• OSTI ID: 22162793
• Journal Information: Applied Physics Letters, Journal Name: Applied Physics Letters Journal Issue: 11 Vol. 102; ISSN APPLAB; ISSN 0003-6951
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
ANNEALING
COPPER
CRYSTAL STRUCTURE
DEPOSITION
DIFFUSION BARRIERS
FOILS
HYDROGEN
LAYERS
NITROGEN
PLASMA
SILICON
STOICHIOMETRY
SUBSTRATES
THIN FILMS
VANADIUM NITRIDES
X-RAY DIFFRACTION
X-RAY PHOTOELECTRON SPECTROSCOPY