Cyclical epitaxial deposition and etch

{
  "publication_number": "US8367528B2",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "B2",
  "title": "Cyclical epitaxial deposition and etch",
  "abstract": "Methods for selectively depositing high quality epitaxial material include introducing pulses of a silicon-source containing vapor while maintaining a continuous etchant flow. Epitaxial material is deposited on areas of a substrate, such as source and drain recesses. Between pulses, the etchant flow continues such that lower quality epitaxial material may be removed, as well as any non-epitaxial material that may have been deposited. The pulse of silicon-source containing vapor may be repeated until a desired thickness of epitaxial material is selectively achieved in semiconductor windows, such as recessed source/drain regions.",
  "claims": [
    "1. A method for selectively forming silicon-containing material in a recess, comprising: providing a substrate, the substrate including a recess and insulating surfaces; introducing a pulse of a silicon-containing source vapor to deposit silicon-containing material in the recess; introducing a continuous etchant flow of one or more vapor-phase etchants to remove portions of the deposited silicon-containing material from the recess; and under isobaric conditions, repeating pulses of the silicon-containing source vapor during the continuous etchant flow to selectively form the silicon-containing material in the recess.",
    "2. The method of claim 1, wherein introducing a pulse of a silicon-containing source vapor is conducted between 2.4 and 12 seconds.",
    "3. The method of claim 1, wherein introducing a pulse of a silicon-containing source vapor is conducted between 20 and 100 times.",
    "4. The method of claim 1, wherein the silicon-containing source vapor is selected from Si 3 H 8, Si 2 H 6, Si 2 H 5 Cl, Si 2 H 4 Cl 2, or 2,2-Si 3 H 6 Cl 2.",
    "5. The method of claim 1, wherein the silicon-containing source has a flow rate between 50 and 200 sccm.",
    "6. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more vapor-phase etchants are introduced continuously for between 2.4 and 30 seconds.",
    "7. The method of claim 1, further comprising using a H 2 carrier gas during the continuous etchant flow.",
    "8. The method of claim 7, wherein the H 2 flow rate is between 1 slm and 20 slm.",
    "9. The method of claim 1, wherein the etchant is Cl 2.",
    "10. The method of claim 9, wherein the Cl 2 flow rate is between 5 sccm and 200 sccm.",
    "11. The method of claim 1, wherein the vapor-phase etchant flow rate is held constant.",
    "12. The method of claim 1, wherein the deposition caused by each pulse of silicon-containing vapor results in no deposition on the insulating surfaces.",
    "13. The method of claim 1, wherein the continuous etchant flow results in removal of deposited silicon-containing material from recess sidewalls in between pulses of the silicon-containing source vapor.",
    "14. The method of claim 1, wherein repeating pulses of the silicon-containing vapor results in a bottom-up growth of an epitaxial layer.",
    "15. The method of claim 14, wherein the bottom-up growth of the epitaxial layer is between 1 nm and 3 nm per pulse."
  ],
  "cpc": [
    "H10D 62/151",
    "H10D 30/0275",
    "H10D 30/797",
    "H10D 62/021",
    "H10P 14/24",
    "H10P 14/271",
    "H10P 14/2905",
    "H10P 14/2925",
    "H10P 14/2926",
    "H10P 14/3411",
    "H10P 14/3441"
  ],
  "assignees": [
    "ASM INC",
    "BAUER MATTHIAS",
    "THOMAS SHAWN G"
  ],
  "filing_date": "2009-11-17",
  "publication_date": "2013-02-05",
  "grant_date": "2013-02-05",
  "priority_date": "2009-11-17",
  "application_number": "US-62048809-A",
  "family_id": "44011590",
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