US 12,448,686 B2
Reducing line bending during metal fill process
Anand Chandrashekar, Fremont, CA (US); Lei Guo, San Jose, CA (US); Gang L. Liu, Fremont, CA (US); and Sanjay Gopinath, Fremont, CA (US)
Assigned to Lam Research Corporation, Fremont, CA (US)
Appl. No. 18/550,190
Filed by Lam Research Corporation, Fremont, CA (US)
PCT Filed Mar. 7, 2022, PCT No. PCT/US2022/019195
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Sep. 12, 2023,
PCT Pub. No. WO2022/197481, PCT Pub. Date Sep. 22, 2022.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/200,564, filed on Mar. 15, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2024/0158913 A1, May 16, 2024
Int. Cl. C23C 16/455 (2006.01); C23C 16/06 (2006.01)
CPC C23C 16/45527 (2013.01) [C23C 16/06 (2013.01); C23C 16/45553 (2013.01)] 21 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method comprising:
providing a substrate having a plurality of features spaced apart, each feature having a feature opening width, wherein the width of the feature narrows from the top of the feature to the bottom of the feature;
depositing a first conformal metal nucleation layer in the plurality of features; and
depositing a second conformal metal nucleation layer on the first conformal metal nucleation layer, wherein one or more of the following is different during deposition of the first conformal metal nucleation layer than during deposition of the second conformal metal nucleation layer: a) reducing agent chemistry, b) metal precursor and reducing agent flow sequence, c) metal precursor and reducing agent flow duration, d) purge conditions, e) chamber pressure, and f) substrate temperature.