	US 12,119,221 B2
	PEALD nitride films
Hanhong Chen, Milpitas, CA (US); Philip A. Kraus, San Jose, CA (US); and Joseph AuBuchon, San Jose, CA (US)
Assigned to Applied Materials, Inc., Santa Clara, CA (US)
Filed by Applied Materials, Inc., Santa Clara, CA (US)
Filed on Mar. 23, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/125,509.
Application 18/125,509 is a division of application No. 17/025,373, filed on Sep. 18, 2020, granted, now 11,626,281.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/902,807, filed on Sep. 19, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2023/0230830 A1, Jul. 20, 2023
Int. Cl. H01L 21/02 (2006.01); C23C 16/34 (2006.01); C23C 16/455 (2006.01)

CPC H01L 21/0228 (2013.01) [C23C 16/34 (2013.01); C23C 16/45542 (2013.01); H01L 21/0217 (2013.01); H01L 21/02186 (2013.01); H01L 21/02205 (2013.01); H01L 21/02211 (2013.01); H01L 21/02274 (2013.01)]

16 Claims

1. A method of depositing a nitride film, the method comprising:

exposing a substrate to a precursor to form a reactive species on the substrate;

exposing the reactive species to a first plasma gas flow formed from a first plasma gas to form an activated species, the first plasma gas comprising N₂; and

exposing the activated species to a second plasma gas flow formed from a second plasma gas to form the nitride film, the second plasma gas comprising NH₃, wherein the first plasma gas flow and the second plasma gas flow are separated by a purge gas, and the method defines a deposition cycle, and the deposition cycle is repeated until a predetermined thickness of the nitride film has been formed.