Lam Research Corporation
Selective deposition of silicon nitride on silicon oxide using catalytic control

Abstract:

Methods and apparatuses for selectively depositing silicon nitride on exposed surfaces of a substrate having hydroxyl end groups relative to exposed surfaces having S--H bonds are provided herein. Techniques involve providing a transition metal-containing reactant or a non-hydride aluminum-containing gas to the substrate to form a transition metal-containing or an aluminum-containing moiety on an exposed surface having hydroxyl end groups and selectively depositing silicon nitride on the surface using alternating pulses of an aminosilane and a hydrazine by thermal atomic layer deposition catalyzed by the transition metal-containing or aluminum-containing moiety on the exposed surface having hydroxyl end groups relative to an exposed surface having S--H bonds. Additional techniques involve providing a transition metal-containing gas to an exposed silicon oxide surface to form a transition metal-containing moiety that acts as a catalyst during thermal atomic layer deposition of silicon nitride using alternating pulses of an aminosilane and a hydrazine.