ATOMIC LAYER DEPOSITION OF GERMANIUM OR GERMANIUM OXIDE

Abstract

A process of depositing germanium on a substrate includes sequentially exposing in at least one deposition cycle the substrate inside a chamber with a Ge-containing precursor and a reducing or oxidizing precursor.

Claims

1. A process of depositing germanium on a substrate comprising sequentially exposing in at least one deposition cycle the substrate inside a chamber with a Ge-containing precursor and a reducing or oxidizing precursor.

2. The process according to claim 1, wherein the at least one deposition cycle comprises: a. Ge containing precursor pulse; b. Purge with an inert gas; c. Reducing or oxidizing pulse; and d. Purge with an inert gas.

3. The process according to claim 1, wherein in step c. the reducing precursor is selected from the group consisting of H.sub.2 and hydrogen plasma.

4. The process according to claim 1, wherein H.sub.2 is used in the step c. of the deposition cycle as the reducing pulse in an amount of about 4-100% (vol./vol.), preferably about 5-50% (vol./vol.), most preferably about 15% (vol./vol.) in a mixture with an inert gas.

5. The process according to claim 1, wherein in the step c. the oxidizing precursor is selected from O.sub.2, O.sub.3, H.sub.2O.sub.2, oxygen plasma, water and water plasma.

6. The process according to claim 1, wherein the deposition cycle is carried out at a temperature of about 50 C.-about 800 C., preferably at about 100 C.-about 500 C., more preferably at about 300 C.-about 400 C., and most preferably at about 350 C.

7. The process according to claim 1, wherein the inert gas is nitrogen or argon, and the inert gas is argon when a plasma precursor is used.

8. The process according to claim 1, wherein the Ge-containing precursor has a volatility of at least 1 hPa at a temperature range of from room temperature to 200 C.

9. The process according to claim 1, wherein the Ge-containing precursor is selected from the group consisting of alkyl germanium, alkylamine germanium, tetrakis(dimethylamine) germanium, diketonate germanium, germanium halides, and germanium alchoxide.

10. The process according to claim 1, wherein the substrate is a silicon substrate, germanium substrate, III-V semiconductor, silicon oxide, or germanium oxide substrate, or a substrate based on inorganic and organic/polymer materials.

11. The process according to claim 1, wherein the process is based on self-saturating surface reactions.

12. The process according to claim 1, wherein the deposition cycle is repeated until the deposited layer has a thickness of 10-100 nm.

13. Use of tetrakis(dimethylamino) germanium in atomic layer deposition.

14. The use according to claim 13, wherein said atomic layer deposition is for depositing a silicon substrate.

15. A Ge deposited article manufactured by coating an undeposited article as a substrate by the process according to claim 1.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0024] FIG. 1 is an XRD graph providing data on deposition using the deposition method according to the disclosed embodiments.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0025] In the following description, Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD) technology is used to make Ge or GeO.sub.2 coatings on substrates. The basic principles of the ALD deposition are known to a skilled person. As discussed above, ALD is a special chemical deposition method based on the sequential introduction of at least two reactive precursor species to at least one substrate. The method according to the disclosed embodiments is equally applicable to coating more than one substrate of same or different type. The at least one substrate is exposed to temporally separated precursor pulses in a reaction chamber to deposit material on the substrate surfaces by sequential self-saturating surface reactions. In the context of this application, the term ALD comprises all applicable ALD based techniques and any equivalent or closely related technologies, such as, for example MLD (Molecular Layer Deposition) technique.

[0026] A basic ALD deposition cycle consists of four sequential steps: pulse A, purge A, pulse B and purge B. Pulse A consists of a first precursor vapor and pulse B of another precursor vapor. Inactive gas and a vacuum pump are typically used for purging gaseous reaction by-products and the residual reactant molecules from the reaction space during purge A and purge B. A deposition sequence comprises at least one deposition cycle. Deposition cycles are repeated until the deposition sequence has produced a thin film or coating of desired thickness.

[0027] The ALD process according to certain example embodiments is further illustrated by the following description. Ge or GeO.sub.2 is grown on a substrate from heated Ge precursor and reducing/oxidizing precursor. A heated Ge precursor source is heated to a selected source temperature to create sufficient Ge precursor vapor pressure to be transferrable to the reaction chamber at about 0.1-10 Torr. In some embodiments which use heat-sensitive precursors or substrates it is advantageous to evaporate the precursor at temperatures as low as possible to avoid unnecessary decomposition of precursors or substrates, while still generating a sufficiently big precursor vapor dosage for covering the whole substrate surface. A skilled person is able to adjust the required temperature according to the particular precursor and substrate.

[0028] An advantage of volatile precursors at low pressure is that low pressure increases the diffusion speed of gas molecules and helps to recover the equilibrium vapor pressure as fast as possible.

[0029] In certain example embodiments, the first precursor is selected from the group consisting of tetrakis(dimethylamino)Ge and derivatives of germanium amidinates, alkyl germanium; alky halide germanium; tetramethyl-Ge, (CH.sub.3).sub.3GeCl; germanium beta-diketonates, germanium acetyl acetonates, and germanium halides. The second precursor is selected from the group consisting of H.sub.2, hydrogen plasma, and O.sub.2, O.sub.3, H.sub.2O.sub.2, oxygen plasma, water and water plasma.

[0030] In certain example embodiments, tetrakis(dimethylamino)Ge, having the chemical formula [(CH.sub.3).sub.2N].sub.4Ge, is used in the atomic layer deposition method.

[0031] In certain example embodiments, tetrakis(dimethylamino)Ge is used as the first precursor and the second precursor is O.sub.3. The following deposition reaction is obtained:

[(CH.sub.3).sub.2N].sub.4Ge+O.sub.3.fwdarw.GeO.sub.2+by products

[0032] In certain example embodiments, tetrakis(dimethylamino)Ge, having the chemical formula [(CH.sub.3).sub.2N].sub.4Ge, is used as the first precursor and the second precursor is H.sub.2.

[0033] The following deposition reaction is obtained:

[(CH.sub.3).sub.2N].sub.4Ge+H*.fwdarw.Ge+by products

H* refers to radicals, plasma and other energetic species.

[0034] The amount of hydrogen as the second precursor in the process may vary. Suitable amounts of H.sub.2 in this respect are 4%-100% based on the volume of hydrogen in an inert carrier gas. The amount of H.sub.2 may be about 4%-90%, about 4%-80%, about 4%-70%, about 4%-60%, about 4%-50%, about 4%-40%, about 4%-30%, about 4%-20%, about 4%-10%, about 10%-90%, about 10%-80%, about 10%-70%, about 10%-60%, about 10%-50%, about 10%-40%, about 10%-30%, or about 10-20%, such as about 95%, 90%, 85%, 80%, 75%, 70%, 65%, 60%, 55%, 50%, 45%, 40%, 35%, 30%, 25%, 20%, 15%, 10%, 5% or 4%. Suitably, the inert carrier gas may be N.sub.2 or Ar. When hydrogen plasma is used, the inert gas is preferably Ar.

[0035] The formation of the deposited layer can be verified e.g. by X-ray diffractometry (XRD), X-ray photon spectroscopy (XPS), or X-ray reflection (XRR).

[0036] The deposition process may be carried out at a temperature in the range of about 300 C.-about 800 C., such as at about 800 C., 750 C., 700 C., 650 C., 600 C., 550 C., 500 C., 450 C., 440 C., 430 C., 420 C., 410 C., 400 C., 390 C., 380 C., 370 C., 360 C., 350 C., 340 C., 330 C., 320 C., 310 or 300 C. Suitably lower temperatures are preferred in which the risk of decomposing the precursor is lower.

[0037] The following embodiments are provided:

Embodiment 1

[0038] A process of depositing germanium on a substrate comprising sequentially exposing in at least one deposition cycle the substrate inside a chamber with a Ge-containing precursor and a reducing or oxidizing precursor.

Embodiment 2

[0039] The process according to embodiment 1, wherein the at least one deposition cycle comprises:

[0040] a. Ge containing precursor pulse;

[0041] b. Purge with an inert gas;

[0042] c. Reducing or oxidizing pulse; and

[0043] d. Purge with an inert gas.

Embodiment 3

[0044] The process according to embodiment 1 or 2, wherein in step c the reducing precursor is selected from the group consisting of H.sub.2 and hydrogen plasma.

Embodiment 4

[0045] The process according to any one of embodiments 1-3, wherein H.sub.2 is used in the step c of the deposition cycle as the reducing pulse in an amount of about 4-100%, preferably about 5-50%, most preferably about 15% (volume/volume) in a mixture with an inert gas.

Embodiment 5

[0046] The process according to embodiment 1 or 2, wherein in the step c the oxidizing precursor is selected from O.sub.2, O.sub.3, H.sub.2O.sub.2, oxygen plasma, water and water plasma.

Embodiment 6

[0047] The process according to any one of embodiments 1-5, wherein the deposition cycle is carried out at a temperature of about 50 C.-about 800 C., preferably at about 100 C.-about 500 C., more preferably at about 300 C.-about 400 C., most preferably at about 350 C.

Embodiment 7

[0048] The process according to any one of embodiments 1-6, wherein the inert gas is nitrogen or argon, and the inert gas is argon when a plasma precursor is used.

Embodiment 8

[0049] The process according to any one of embodiments 1-7, wherein the Ge-containing precursor has a volatility of at least 1 hPa at temperature a range of from room temperature to 200 C.

Embodiment 9

[0050] The process according to any one of embodiments 1-8, wherein the Ge-containing precursor is selected from the group consisting of alkyl germanium, alkylamine germanium, tetrakis(dimethylamine) germanium, diketonate germanium, germanium halides, and germanium alchoxide.

Embodiment 10

[0051] The process according to any one of embodiments 1-9, wherein the substrate is a silicon substrate, germanium substrate, III-V semiconductor, silicon oxide, or germanium oxide substrate, or a substrate based on inorganic and organic/polymer materials.

Embodiment 11

[0052] The process according to any one of embodiments 1-10, wherein the process is based on self-saturating surface reactions.

Embodiment 12

[0053] The process according to any one of embodiments 1-11, wherein the deposition cycle is repeated until the deposited layer has a thickness of 10-100 nm.

Embodiment 13

[0054] Use of tetrakis(dimethylamino)Ge in atomic layer deposition.

Embodiment 14

[0055] The use according to embodiment 13, wherein said atomic layer deposition is for depositing a silicon substrate.

Embodiment 15

[0056] The use according to any one of embodiments 13-14 wherein the use comprises depositing Ge or GeO.sub.2.

Embodiment 16

[0057] A Ge or GeO.sub.2 deposited article manufactured by coating an undeposited article as a substrate by the process according to any one of embodiments 1-12.

EXAMPLES

[0058] The following examples are provided to illustrate various aspects of the disclosed embodiments. They are not intended to limit the disclosed embodiments, which is defined by the accompanying claims.

Example 1

Deposition of Elemental Germanium

[0059] Tetrakis(dimethylamino)germanium and H.sub.2 were used as precursors to deposit Ge on Si substrate.

[0060] The following deposition cycle at 350 C. was used to run 1000 cycles. Suitable line pressure for precursor source line is 1-10 torr, reaction vessel pressure 1-10 torr, inert carrier gas flow rate 30-300 sccm:

1s[(CH.sub.3).sub.2N].sub.4Ge/2sN.sub.2/1s15% H.sub.2 in N.sub.2/1sN.sub.2

[0061] As revealed by the XRD analysis shown in FIG. 1, Ge film was deposited on the Si substrate. The small amount of Ge oxide seen in the analysis is due to oxidation of the deposited Ge layer caused by oxygen present in the atmosphere.

[0062] Instead of tetrakis(dimethylamino)Ge, one or more of the following Ge-containing precursors may be used to deposit Ge or GeO.sub.2 on substrates: alkyl germanium; alky halide germanium; alkyl germanium; alkyl halide germanium; tetramethyl-Ge, (CH.sub.3).sub.3GeCl; germanium beta-deketonates; germanium acetyl acetonates: and germanium amidinates. Suitably, the deposition parameters, such as temperature and, reaction pressure, precursor line pressure are adjusted to be compatible with the particular precursor.

[0063] The above deposition method can also be carried out at various temperatures listed above as long as the temperature is below decomposition temperature of the precursors.

Example 2

Deposition of Germanium Dioxide

[0064] Tetrakis(dimethylamino)germanium and O.sub.3 were used as precursors to deposit GeO.sub.2 on a Si substrate.

[0065] The following deposition cycle at 350 C. was used to run 1000 cycles:

1s[(CH.sub.3).sub.2N].sub.4Ge/2sN.sub.2/1sO.sub.3/1sN.sub.2

[0066] The substrate was coated with a Ge oxide film.

[0067] Instead of tetrakis(dimethylamino)Ge one or more of the following Ge-containing precursors may be used: alkyl germanium; alky halide germanium; alkyl germanium; alkyl halide germanium; tetramethyl-Ge, (CH.sub.3).sub.3GeCl; germanium beta-diketonates; germanium acetyl acetonates: and germanium amidinates.

[0068] The above deposition method can also be carried out at various temperatures below decomposition temperature of the precursors.