Methods of forming ruthenium-containing films by atomic layer deposition and/or chemical vapor deposition are provided. The methods include a first step of forming a first film on a surface of the substrate and a second step of forming the ruthenium-containing film on at least a portion of the first film. The first step includes delivering a titanium precursor and a first nitrogen-containing co-reactant to the substrate and delivering a first ruthenium precursor and a second nitrogen-containing co-reactant to the substrate to form the first film. The second step includes delivering a second ruthenium precursor and a third co-reactant to the substrate. Ruthenium-containing films are also provided.

The present invention is in the field of processes for preparing inorganic metal- or semimetal-containing films. The process for preparing inorganic metal- or semimetal-containing films comprising (a) depositing a metal- or semimetal-containing compound from the gaseous state onto a solid substrate and (b) bringing the solid substrate with the deposited metal- or semimetal-containing compound in contact with a compound of general formula (I) or (II) wherein Z is NR.sub.2, PR.sub.2, OR, SR, CR.sub.2, SiR.sub.2, X is H, R′ or NR′.sub.2, wherein at least one X is H, n is 1 or 2, and R and R′ is an alkyl group, an alkenyl group, an aryl group, or a silyl group.

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Provided is a method of producing a copper-containing layer, including: step 1: a step of reducing a surface of a substrate, provided that a substrate having a surface formed of a silicic acid compound is excluded, through use of a reducing agent; and step 2: a step of forming a copper-containing layer on the surface having been reduced in the step 1 through use of a thin-film forming raw material containing a copper compound by a plasma atomic layer deposition method.

An yttrium compound and a method of manufacturing an integrated circuit device, the compound being represented by General Formula (I):

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Disclosed herein is a method for producing a film of mixed yttrium and hafnium oxides, nitrides or fluorides on a substrate by an atomic layer deposition process. The process includes providing a reaction chamber containing a substrate, pulsing into the chamber an yttrium source reactant; purging the chamber with a purging material; pulsing into the chamber a co-reactant precursor; purging the chamber with a purging material (first subcycle); pulsing into the chamber a hafnium source reactant; purging the chamber with a purging material; pulsing into the chamber a co-reactant precursor; urging the chamber with a purging material (second subcycle). Each subcycle may be repeated multiple times in a super cycle.

The present invention provides a thin-film forming raw material, which is used in an atomic layer deposition method, including a compound represented by the following general formula (1): ##STR00001##
where R.sup.1 to R.sup.4 each independently represent an alkyl group having 1 to 5 carbon atoms, and A.sup.1 represents an alkanediyl group having 1 to 5 carbon atoms.

Processes for producing flexible organic-inorganic laminates by atomic layer deposition are described, as well as barrier films comprising flexible organic-inorganic laminates. In particular, a process for producing a laminate including (a) depositing an inorganic layer by an atomic layer deposition process, and (b) depositing an organic layer comprising selenium by a molecular layer deposition process is provided.

Thin tin oxide films are used as spacers in semiconductor device manufacturing. In one implementation, thin tin oxide film is conformally deposited onto a semiconductor substrate having an exposed layer of a first material (e.g., silicon oxide or silicon nitride) and a plurality of protruding features comprising a second material (e.g., silicon or carbon). For example, 10-100 nm thick tin oxide layer can be deposited using atomic layer deposition. Next, tin oxide film is removed from horizontal surfaces, without being completely removed from the sidewalls of the protruding features. Next, the material of protruding features is etched away, leaving tin oxide spacers on the substrate. This is followed by etching the unprotected portions of the first material, without removal of the spacers. Next, underlying layer is etched, and spacers are removed. Tin-containing particles can be removed from processing chambers by converting them to volatile tin hydride.

A method for selectively depositing a metal oxide film is disclosed. In particular, the method comprises pulsing a metal or semi-metal precursor onto the substrate and pulsing an organic reactant onto the substrate. A reaction between the metal or semi-metal precursor and the organic reactant selectively forms a metal oxide film on either a dielectric layer or a metal layer.

A method for manufacturing an electrode having a porosity of between 20% and 60% by volume and pores with an average diameter of less than 50 nm. In the method, provision is made of a substrate and a colloidal suspension of aggregates or agglomerates of monodisperse primary nanoparticles of an active electrode material, having an average primary diameter D.sub.50 of between 2 and 100 nm, the aggregates or agglomerates having an average diameter D.sub.50 of between 50 nm and 300 nm. A layer is deposited from said colloidal suspension on the substrate. The deposited layer is then dried and consolidated to obtain a mesoporous layer. A coating of an electronically conductive material is then deposited on and inside the pores of the porous layer. Such a porous electrode can be used in lithium-ion microbatteries.