Low Temperature, Selective Atomic Layer Deposition of Cobalt Metal Films Using Bis(1,4-di-tert-butyl-1,3-diazadienyl)cobalt and Alkylamine Precursors

Abstract

The atomic layer deposition (ALD) of cobalt metal films is described using the precursor bis(1,4-di-tert-butyl-1,3-diazadienyl)cobalt and tert-butylamine or diethylamine. Platinum, copper, ruthenium, Si(100) with native oxide, thermal SiO2, hydrogen-terminated silicon, and carbon-doped oxide substrates were used with growth temperatures between 160 and 220 °C. Plots of growth rate versus pulse lengths showed saturative, self-limited behavior at ≥3.0 s for bis(1,4-di-tert-butyl-1,3-diazadienyl)cobalt and ≥0.1 s for tert-butylamine. An ALD window was observed between 170 and 200 °C, with a growth rate of 0.98 A/cycle on platinum substrates. A plot of thickness versus the number of cycles at 200 °C on platinum substrates was linear between 25 and 1000 cycles, with a growth rate of 0.98 A/cycle. A 98 nm thick film grown at 200 °C showed crystalline cobalt metal by X-ray diffraction. Atomic force microscopy of 10 and 98 nm thick cobalt metal films grown on platinum substrates at 200 °C showed rms roughness val...