Atomic Layer Deposition Using Radicals Of Gas Mixture

Abstract

Performing atomic layer deposition (ALD) using radicals of a mixture of nitrogen compounds to increase the deposition rate of a layer deposited on a substrate. A mixture of nitrogen compound gases is injected into a radical reactor. Plasma of the compound gas is generated by applying voltage across two electrodes in the radical reactor to generate radicals of the nitrogen compound gases. The radicals are injected onto the surface of a substrate previously injected with source precursor. The radicals function as a reactant precursor and deposit a layer of material on the substrate.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A radical reactor for generating radicals of gas, comprising:
 a first body formed with:
 a first channel for supplying a gas mixture of a nitrogen compound gas and another gas; 
 a plasma chamber connected to the first channel to receive the supplied gas mixture and generate radicals of the supplied gas mixture; 
 a reaction chamber connected to the plasma chamber to receive the generated radicals, the reaction chamber located above a substrate to expose the substrate to the radicals; 
 one or more exhaust portions to discharge excess gas mixture or radicals; and 
   an electrode extending in the first body, voltage applied across the electrode and the first body to generate plasma in the plasma chamber.   
     
     
         2 . The radical reactor of  claim 1 , wherein the nitrogen compound gas comprises NH 3  and the other gas comprises N 2 O. 
     
     
         3 . The radical reactor of  claim 2 , wherein the ratio of NH 3  and N 2 O is 10:90 to 30:70. 
     
     
         4 . The radical reactor of  claim 1 , further comprising a second body adjacent to the first body, the second body formed with a second channel for supplying trimethylaluminum to the substrate before the substrate is exposed to the radicals of the gas mixture in the first body. 
     
     
         5 . The radical reactor of  claim 4 , wherein exposure of the substrate to the radicals deposit aluminum oxynitride (AlON) on the substrate. 
     
     
         6 . The radical reactor of  claim 1 , wherein a distance between the substrate and the plasma chamber is less than 80 mm. 
     
     
         7 . The radical reactor of  claim 1 , wherein a distance between the substrate and the plasma chamber is less than 20 mm. 
     
     
         8 . The radical reactor of  claim 1 , wherein the first body is further formed with a perforation connecting the plasma chamber and the reactor chamber. 
     
     
         9 . The radical reactor of  claim 1 , wherein at least part of the radical reactor is placed in a vacuum state. 
     
     
         10 . The radical reactor of  claim 1 , wherein the substrate contains a layer of material selected from a group consisting of Tetraethylmethylaminozirconium (TEMAZr), Trimethylsilane (TMS), Tridimethylaminesilicone (3DMAS) and Tetraethylmethylaluminumtitanium (TEMATi). 
     
     
         11 . The radical reactor of  claim 1 , wherein the nitrogen compound gas comprises NH 3  and the other gas comprises CH 4 . 
     
     
         12 . The radical reactor of  claim 1 , wherein the electrode has a semi-circular cross section comprising an arcuate surface connected to a flat surface, the arcuate surface facing the first body and the flat surface facing the substrate.