Remote Plasma Exposure Research Articles

MOS Capacitance Measurements for PEALD TiO2 Dielectric Films Grown under Different Conditions and the Impact of Al2O3 Partial-Monolayer Insertion.

In this paper, we report the plasma-enhanced atomic layer deposition (PEALD) of TiO2 and TiO2/Al2O3 nanolaminate films on p-Si(100) to fabricate metal-oxide-semiconductor (MOS) capacitors. In the PEALD process, we used titanium tetraisopropoxide (TTIP) as a titanium precursor, trimethyl aluminum (TMA) as an aluminum precursor and O2 plasma as an oxidant, keeping the process temperature at 250 °C. The effects of PEALD process parameters, such as RF power, substrate exposure mode (direct or remote plasma exposure) and Al2O3 partial-monolayer insertion (generating a nanolaminate structure) on the physical and chemical properties of the TiO2 films were investigated by Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy (RBS), Raman spectroscopy, grazing incidence X-ray diffraction (GIXRD), and field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) techniques. The MOS capacitor structures were fabricated by evaporation of Al gates through mechanical mask on PEALD TiO2 thin film, followed by evaporation of an Al layer on the back side of the Si substrate. The capacitors were characterized by current density-voltage (J-V), capacitance-voltage (C-V) and conductance-voltage (G-V) measurements. Our results indicate that RF power and exposure mode promoted significant modifications on the characteristics of the PEALD TiO2 films, while the insertion of Al2O3 partial monolayers allows the synthesis of TiO2/Al2O3 nanolaminate with well-spaced crystalline TiO2 grains in an amorphous structure. The electrical characterization of the MOS structures evidenced a significant leakage current in the accumulation region in the PEALD TiO2 films, which could be reduced by the addition of partial-monolayers of Al2O3 in the bulk of TiO2 films or by reducing RF power.

Remote Plasma Oxidation and Atomic Layer Etching of MoS2

Exfoliated molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) is shown to chemically oxidize in a layered manner upon exposure to a remote O2 plasma. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), low energy electron diffraction (LEED), and atomic force microscopy (AFM) are employed to characterize the surface chemistry, structure, and topography of the oxidation process and indicate that the oxidation mainly occurs on the topmost layer without altering the chemical composition of underlying layer. The formation of S-O bonds upon short, remote plasma exposure pins the surface Fermi level to the conduction band edge, while the MoOx formation at high temperature modulates the Fermi level toward the valence band through band alignment. A uniform coverage of monolayer amorphous MoO3 is obtained after 5 min or longer remote O2 plasma exposure at 200 °C, and the MoO3 can be completely removed by annealing at 500 °C, leaving a clean ordered MoS2 lattice structure as verified by XPS, LEED, AFM, and scanning tunneling microscopy. This work shows that a remote O2 plasma can be useful for both surface functionalization and a controlled thinning method for MoS2 device fabrication processes.

A crystalline oxide passivation for Al2O3/AlGaN/GaN

In situ X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and low energy electron diffraction are performed to study the formation of a crystalline oxide on the AlGaN surface. The oxidation of the AlGaN surface is prepared by annealing and remote N2 + O2 plasma pretreatments resulting in a stable crystalline oxide. The impact of the oxide on the interface state density is studied by capacitance voltage (C-V) measurements. It is found that a remote plasma exposure at 550 °C shows the smallest frequency dispersion. Crystalline oxide formation may provide a novel passivation method for high quality AlGaN/GaN devices.

Microbial inactivation and pesticide removal by remote exposure of atmospheric air plasma in confined environments

Microbial inactivation and pesticide removal by remote exposure of atmospheric air plasma were investigated in confined environments, including an airtight box and commercial refrigerator. The relative sterilization ratios of remote plasma exposure in an airtight box were found to be affected by the distance from the plasma generator, the volume of box and the time of irradiation; however, over 99% saturation was obtained within only 120 s in all experiments. The sterilization of microorganisms and the removal of pesticide in a refrigerator with a volume of 292 l were also successfully achieved, resulting in over 99% inactivation or decontamination in a few minutes. Considering the reported results by direct plasma exposure and circulation, it can be concluded that the confined environment enhances the efficient irradiation of plasma by eliminating air flow. This system can be applied to the storage to keep agricultural products freshly and exclusion of harmful materials on the products.

Influence of C4F8/Ar-based etching and H2-based remote plasma ashing processes on ultralow k materials modifications

The authors evaluated photoresist (PR) stripping processes that are compatible with ultralow dielectric constant (ULK) materials using H2-based remote plasmas generated in an inductively coupled plasma reactor. The materials used were 193 nm PR and nanoporous SiCOH-based ULK (JSR LKD 5109). PR ashing rates and ULK damage (carbon depletion) were measured for H2, H2/N2, and H2/Ar discharges as a function of substrate temperature over the range of 200–275 °C. They employed ellipsometry, x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), optical emission spectroscopy, and time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectroscopy (ToF-SIMS) for analysis. For their H2 remote plasmas and a substrate temperature in the range of 200–275 °C, the PR ashing rate varied from 270 to 880 nm/min, whereas 3–5 nm of ULK damage was measured for 20 s remote plasma exposure. As a useful process metric, they defined ashing efficiency as the thickness of PR removed over the thickness of ULK simultaneously damaged. PR stripping processes can be optim...

Low-Temperature Deposition of TiN by Plasma-Assisted Atomic Layer Deposition

Titanium nitride () films were deposited by a plasma-assisted atomic layer deposition (PA-ALD) process, based on precursor dosing and remote plasma exposure, at temperatures ranging from 100 to . The plasma, the PA-ALD process, and the resulting material properties were extensively investigated. The plasma was studied by optical emission spectroscopy and Langmuir probe, revealing an ion density of and an electron temperature of just above the substrate. Under floating conditions there is thus a considerable ion flux towards the substrate per ALD cycle with a typical ion energy of . film growth was studied by in situ spectroscopic ellipsometry, revealing self-limiting surface reactions for the complete temperature range. At the growth rate of was found to be significantly lower than the growth rate of at . The stoichiometry of the films varied with the plasma exposure time, while the Cl content was mostly affected by the deposition temperature ( at to at ). Resistivities as low as were obtained at a temperature of , while at a fair resistivity of was reached. These results show that PA-ALD with and plasma is well suited for low-temperature deposition of high-quality films.

Low-temperature Ar/N2 remote plasma nitridation of SiO2 thin films

Low-temperature nitridation of SiO2 thin films by Ar/N2 remote plasma processing was investigated using on-line Auger electron spectroscopy, angle-resolved x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (ARXPS), and optical emission spectroscopy (OES). Nitridation experiments were performed at 300 °C using 30 W Ar/N2 remote plasmas at 0.1 and 0.3 Torr. Ar/N2 remote plasma exposure of 5 nm SiO2 films for 30 min results in nitrogen incorporation throughout the films, independent of process pressure and plasma reactor configuration (i.e., upstream versus downstream N2 injection). ARXPS indicates a N–Si3 local bonding configuration with second nearest neighbor oxygen atoms. Ar/N2 remote plasma exposure at 0.1 Torr results in higher nitrogen concentrations (8–10 at. %). Reactor configuration has a negligible effect at 0.1 Torr; conversely, downstream N2 injection results in higher nitrogen concentrations (5–6 at. %) than upstream injection (3–4 at. %) at 0.3 Torr. OES indicates that the Ar/N2 remote plasmas contain N2 triplet excited states and ground-state N atoms. The Ar emission intensities and the saturation N concentrations in the resultant films follow similar trends with processing pressure and reactor configuration; the N2 first positive emission intensities run counter to these trends. We infer that low-temperature SiO2 nitridation by Ar/N2 remote plasmas is a two-step process: O removal by Ar+ ion bombardment and N insertion by plasma-generated active N species. Moreover, the first step appears to be rate limiting under the conditions employed in this study. Annealing the oxynitride films in N2 at 900 °C decreases the N concentration and results in a more uniform nitrogen distribution.

Nitrogen incorporation in ultrathin gate dielectrics: A comparison of He/N2O and He/N2 remote plasma processes

Ultrathin Si oxynitride films grown by low-temperature remote plasma processing were examined by on-line Auger electron spectroscopy and angle-resolved x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy to determine the concentration, spatial distribution, and chemical bonding of nitrogen. The films were grown at 300 °C on Si(100) substrates using two radio-frequency remote plasma processes: (i) He/N2O remote plasma-assisted oxidation (RPAO) and (ii) two-step remote plasma oxidation/nitridation. A 5 min He/N2O RPAO process produces a 2.5 nm oxynitride film incorporating approximately 1 monolayer of nitrogen at the Si–SiO2 interface. The interfacial nitrogen is bonded in a N–Si3 configuration, as in silicon nitride (Si3N4). By comparison, a 90 s He/N2 remote plasma exposure of a 1 nm oxide (grown by 10 s He/O2 RPAO) consumes substrate Si atoms creating a 1 nm subcutaneous Si3N4 layer. The nitrogen areal density obtained via the two-step process depends on the initial oxide thickness and the He/N2 remote plasma exposure time. Moreover, as the oxide thickness is increased (by increasing the He/O2 remote plasma exposure), the nitrogen distribution shifts away from the Si–SiO2 interface and into the oxide. More nitrogen with a tighter distribution is incorporated using He versus Ar dilution. Insight into the remote plasma chemistry was provided by optical emission spectroscopy. Strong N2 first positive and second positive emission bands were observed for He/N2O and He/N2 remote plasmas indicating the presence of N2 metastables and ground-state N atoms.

Ultra Thin SiO2 Mask Layer for Nano-Scale Selective-Area Pecvd of Si

AbstractWe discuss the applicability of ultrathin SiO2 layers as a mask for low-temperature selective-area deposition of Si. Thin oxide layers with estimated thickness ranging from 4 to 20 Å were formed by oxidizing H-terminated Si(100) surfaces by a remote plasma exposure at room temperature. Low-temperature selective-area deposition was carried out using two different techniques: flow-modulated plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (FM-PECVD) using SiH4 and H2, and very low pressure CVD (VLPCVD) using Si2H4. We show that the ultra-thin plasma oxide layers exhibit good properties for a use as a passivating mask layer, and that the oxide layer can be patterned directly by E-beam irradiation. These results open up a possibility to realize Si-nanostructures formation by selective-area processing. Degradation of the oxide layer by plasma processing is also discussed.