US 12,176,204 B2
Cyclic low temperature film growth processes
Jianping Zhao, Austin, TX (US); Peter Lowell George Ventzek, Austin, TX (US); and Toshihiko Iwao, Austin, TX (US)
Assigned to Tokyo Electron Limited, Tokyo (JP)
Filed by Tokyo Electron Limited, Tokyo (JP)
Filed on Jan. 17, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/155,507.
Application 18/155,507 is a continuation of application No. 17/026,168, filed on Sep. 19, 2020, granted, now 11,605,536.
Prior Publication US 2023/0154745 A1, May 18, 2023
Int. Cl. H01L 21/02 (2006.01); C23C 16/34 (2006.01)
CPC H01L 21/02247 (2013.01) [C23C 16/345 (2013.01); H01L 21/0217 (2013.01); H01L 21/0234 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method of nitridation comprising cyclically performing the following steps in situ within a processing chamber at a temperature less than about 400° C.:
directing an energy flux to at least one localized region of a substrate, both the at least one localized region and at least one remaining region of the substrate being in an unreactive state, wherein directing the energy flux comprises
converting the unreactive state of the at least one localized region to a reactive state to form at least one localized reactive region, and
maintaining the at least one remaining region in the unreactive state; and
selectively nitridating the at least one localized reactive region using a nitrogen-based gas to convert the at least one localized reactive region to at least one localized nitride region.