Process integration method to tune resistivity of nickel silicide

• Main Authors: Ren, He, Yu, Minrui, Naik, Mehul B
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 20.08.2019
• Subjects: BASIC ELECTRIC ELEMENTS; CHEMICAL SURFACE TREATMENT; CHEMISTRY; COATING BY VACUUM EVAPORATION, BY SPUTTERING, BY ION IMPLANTATIONOR BY CHEMICAL VAPOUR DEPOSITION, IN GENERAL; COATING BY VACUUM EVAPORATION, BY SPUTTERING, BY IONIMPLANTATION OR BY CHEMICAL VAPOUR DEPOSITION, IN GENERAL; COATING MATERIAL WITH METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING METALLIC MATERIAL; DIFFUSION TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL; ELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS; ELECTRIC SOLID STATE DEVICES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; ELECTRICITY; INHIBITING CORROSION OF METALLIC MATERIAL OR INCRUSTATION INGENERAL; METALLURGY; SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES; SURFACE TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL BY DIFFUSION INTO THESURFACE, BY CHEMICAL CONVERSION OR SUBSTITUTION

Methods for depositing a low resistivity nickel silicide layer used in forming an interconnect and electronic devices formed using the methods are described herein. In one embodiment, a method for depositing a layer includes positioning a substrate on a substrate support in a processing chamber, the processing chamber having a nickel target and a silicon target disposed therein, the substrate facing portions of the nickel target and the silicon target each having an angle of between about 10 degrees and about 50 degrees from the target facing surface of the substrate, flowing a gas into the processing chamber, applying an RF power to the nickel target and concurrently applying a DC power to the silicon target, concurrently sputtering silicon and nickel from the silicon and nickel targets, respectively, and depositing a NixSi1-x layer on the substrate, where x is between about 0.01 and about 0.99.