Atomic layer deposition of ultrathin Cu{sub 2}O and subsequent reduction to Cu studied by in situ x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy
- Center for Microtechnologies—ZfM, Technische Universität Chemnitz, D-09107 Chemnitz (Germany)
- Institute of Chemistry, Inorganic Chemistry, Technische Universität Chemnitz, D-09107 Chemnitz (Germany)
- ION-TOF GmbH, Heisenbergstr. 15, D-48149 Münster (Germany)
- Center for Microtechnologies—ZfM, Technische Universität Chemnitz, D-09107 Chemnitz, Germany and Fraunhofer Institute for Electronic Nano Systems—ENAS, Technologie-Campus 3, D-09126 Chemnitz (Germany)
The growth of ultrathin (<5 nm) Ru-doped Cu{sub 2}O films deposited on SiO{sub 2} by atomic layer deposition (ALD) and Cu films by subsequent reduction of the Cu{sub 2}O using HCO{sub 2}H or CO is reported. Ru-doped Cu{sub 2}O has been deposited by a mixture of 16: 99 mol. % of [({sup n}Bu{sub 3}P){sub 2}Cu(acac)] as Cu precursor and 17: 1 mol. % of [Ru(η{sup 5}-C{sub 7}H{sub 11})(η{sup 5}-C{sub 5}H{sub 4}SiMe{sub 3})] as Ru precursor. The catalytic amount of Ru precursor was to support low temperature reduction of Cu{sub 2}O to metallic Cu by formic acid (HCO{sub 2}H) on arbitrary substrate. In situ x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy investigations of the Cu{sub 2}O ALD film indicated nearly 1 at. % of carbon contamination and a phosphorous contamination below the detection limit after sputter cleaning. Systematic investigations of the reduction of Ru-doped Cu{sub 2}O to metallic Cu by HCO{sub 2}H or CO as reducing agents are described. Following the ALD of 3.0 nm Cu{sub 2}O, the ultrathin films are reduced between 100 and 160 °C. The use of HCO{sub 2}H at 110 °C enabled the reduction of around 90% Cu{sub 2}O. HCO{sub 2}H is found to be very effective in the removal of oxygen from Ru-doped Cu{sub 2}O films with 2.5–4.7 nm thickness. In contrast, CO was effective for the removal of oxygen from the Cu{sub 2}O films only below 3.0 nm at 145 °C. Root mean square surface roughness of 0.4 ± 0.1 nm was observed from atomic force microscopy (AFM) investigations after the ALD of Cu{sub 2}O, followed by the subsequent reduction of 3.0 nm Cu{sub 2}O using either HCO{sub 2}H at 110 °C or CO at 145 °C on SiO{sub 2}. Furthermore, ex situ low energy ion scattering and AFM investigations confirmed that the Cu{sub 2}O film after ALD and Cu films after subsequent reduction was continuous on the SiO{sub 2} substrate.
- OSTI ID:
- 22489745
- Journal Information:
- Journal of Vacuum Science and Technology. A, Vacuum, Surfaces and Films, Vol. 34, Issue 1; Other Information: (c) 2015 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
42 ENGINEERING
ATOMIC FORCE MICROSCOPY
CARBON MONOXIDE
COPPER OXIDES
DEPOSITION
DOPED MATERIALS
LAYERS
PRECURSOR
REDUCING AGENTS
REDUCTION
ROUGHNESS
SCATTERING
SENSITIVITY
SILICON OXIDES
SPUTTERING
SUBSTRATES
SURFACES
THIN FILMS
X-RAY PHOTOELECTRON SPECTROSCOPY