Published March 18, 2013 | Version v1
Journal article Metadata-only

Low temperature plasma-enhanced atomic layer deposition of thin vanadium nitride layers for copper diffusion barriers

Creators

  • 1. Department of Solid State Sciences, Ghent University, Krijgslaan 281/S1, B-9000 Ghent (Belgium)
  • 2. IMEC, Kapeldreef 75, B-3001 Leuven (Belgium)
  • 3. Air Liquide Electronics US, L.P., 46401 Landing Parkway, Fremont, California 94538 (United States)

Description

Thin vanadium nitride (VN) layers were grown by atomic layer deposition using tetrakis(ethylmethylamino)vanadium and NH3 plasma at deposition temperatures between 70 °C and 150 °C on silicon substrates and polymer foil. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy revealed a composition close to stoichiometric VN, while x-ray diffraction showed the δ-VN crystal structure. The resistivity was as low as 200 μΩ cm for the as deposited films and further reduced to 143 μΩ cm and 93 μΩ cm by annealing in N2 and H2/He/N2, respectively. A 5 nm VN layer proved to be effective as a diffusion barrier for copper up to a temperature of 720 °C.

Additional details

Identifiers

DOI
10.1063/1.4798337;

Publishing Information

Journal Title
Applied Physics Letters
Journal Volume
102
Journal Issue
11
Journal Page Range
p. 111910-111910.4
ISSN
0003-6951
CODEN
APPLAB

INIS

Country of Publication
United States
Country of Input or Organization
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)
INIS RN
44117227
Subject category
S36: MATERIALS SCIENCE;
Descriptors DEI
ANNEALING; COPPER; CRYSTAL STRUCTURE; DEPOSITION; DIFFUSION BARRIERS; FOILS; HYDROGEN; LAYERS; NITROGEN; PLASMA; SILICON; STOICHIOMETRY; SUBSTRATES; THIN FILMS; VANADIUM NITRIDES; X-RAY DIFFRACTION; X-RAY PHOTOELECTRON SPECTROSCOPY
Descriptors DEC
COHERENT SCATTERING; DIFFRACTION; ELECTRON SPECTROSCOPY; ELEMENTS; FILMS; HEAT TREATMENTS; METALS; NITRIDES; NITROGEN COMPOUNDS; NONMETALS; PHOTOELECTRON SPECTROSCOPY; PNICTIDES; SCATTERING; SEMIMETALS; SPECTROSCOPY; TRANSITION ELEMENT COMPOUNDS; TRANSITION ELEMENTS; VANADIUM COMPOUNDS

Optional Information

Notes
(c) 2013 American Institute of Physics