In this work, an approach for copper atomic layer deposition (ALD) via reduction of CuxO films was investigated regarding applications in ULSI interconnects, like Cu seed layers directly grown on diffusion barriers (e. g. TaN) or possible liner materials (e. g. Ru or Ni) as well as non-ferromagnetic spacer layers between ferromagnetic films in GMR sensor elements, like Ni or Co. The thermal CuxO ALD process is based on the Cu (I) β-diketonate precursor [(nBu3P)2Cu(acac)] and a mixture of water vapor and oxygen ("wet O2") as co-reactant at temperatures between 100 and 130 °C. Highly efficient conversions of the CuxO to metallic Cu films are realized by a vapor phase treatment with formic acid (HCOOH), especially on Ru substrates. Electrochemical deposition (ECD) experiments on Cu ALD seed / Ru liner stacks in typical interconnect patterns are showing nearly perfectly filling behavior. For improving the HCOOH reduction on arbitrary substrates, a catalytic amount of Ru was successful introduced into the CuxO films during the ALD with a precursor mixture of the Cu (I) β-diketonate and an organometallic Ru precursor. Furthermore, molecular and atomic hydrogen were studied as promising alternative reducing agents.

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are a highly promising material for future interconnects. It is expected that the decoration of CNTs with Cu particles or also the filling of the interspaces between the CNTs with Cu instead of the currently used SiO2 can enhance the performance of CNT-based interconnects. Due to the high aspect ratio of CNTs an appropriate deposition technique has to be applied which is able to coat such structures uniformly. The current work is therefore considered with thermal atomic layer deposition (ALD) of CuxO from the liquid Cu (I) β-diketonate precursor [(nBu3P)2Cu(acac)] and wet oxygen at 135°C on variously pretreated multi-walled CNTs. The different in-situ pre-treatments of the CNTs with oxygen, water vapor and wet oxygen in a temperature range from 100 to 300°C at a pressure of 1.33 mbar have been carried out prior to the ALD to enable uniform nucleation on the otherwise chemical inert CNT surface. The reduction of the CuxO as well as the filling of the space between the CNTs is not part of this work. Variations of the oxidation temperature as well as the oxidation agents resulted in different growth modes of the CuxO. An oxidation with wet oxygen at 300°C yielded in a partially layer like growth of the CuxO. It is expected that this growth mode is connected to a partial destruction of the outer CNT shell due to the oxidation. However, the damage introduced to the CNTs was not high enough to be detected by Raman spectroscopy. For all other investigated pretreatments, the formation of nanoparticles (NPs) was observed by electron microscopy. This formation of CuxO NPs can be explained by the metal-tube-interaction. Furthermore, the NPs probably decorate defect sites of the CNTs due to their higher reactivity. Additionally, analysis of energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and spectroscopic ellipsometry measurements suggests that the used precursor [(nBu3P)2Cu(acac)] requires reactive oxygen surface groups for initiating the ALD growth. The observation of layer-like growth of CuxO on CNTs pretreated with wet oxygen at 300°C appears promising for deposition processes of Cu seed layers on CNTs. However, more aggressive pretreatments at higher temperatures or with more aggressive oxidation agents could be required to enable layer like growth on the entire CNTs.

Atomic layer deposition (ALD) of copper films is getting enormous interest. Ultrathin Cu films are applied as the seed layer for electrochemical deposition (ECD) of copper in interconnect circuits and as the non-magnetic material for the realization of giant magnetoresistance (GMR) sensors. Particularly, Co/Cu multi-layered structures require sub 4.0 nm copper film thickness for obtaining strong GMR effects. The physical vapor deposition process for the deposition of the copper seed layers are prone to non-conformal coating and poor step coverage on side-walls and bottoms of trenches and vias, and presence of overhanging structures. This may cause failure of interconnections due to formation of voids after copper ECD. ALD is the most suitable technology for the deposition of conformal seed layers for the subsequent ECD in very high aspect ratio structures, also for the technology nodes below 20 nm. Surface chemistry during the ALD of oxides is quite well studied. However, surface chemistry during the ALD of pure metal is rather immature. This knowledge is necessary to optimize the process parameters, synthesize better precursors systems, and enhance the knowledge of existing metal ALD processes. The major goal of this work is to understand the surface chemistry of the used precursor and study the growth of ultrathin copper films using in-situ X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Copper films are deposited by ALD using the precursor mixture consisting of 99 mol% [(nBu3P)2Cu(acac)], as copper precursor and 1 mol% of Ru(η5 C7H11)(η5 C5H4SiMe3), as ruthenium precursor. The purpose in having catalytic amount of ruthenium precursor is to obtain the Ru doped Cu2O layers for subsequent reduction with formic acid at temperatures below 150 °C on arbitrary substrates. Two different approaches for the growth of ultrathin copper films have been studied in this dissertation. In the first approach, direct thermal ALD of copper has been studied by using H2 as co-reactant on Co as catalytic substrate. In the second approach, Ru-doped Cu2O is deposited by ALD using wet-O2 as co-reactant on SiO2 as non-catalytic substrate. The Ru-doped Cu2O is successfully reduced by using either formic acid or carbon-monoxide on SiO2. / Atomlagenabscheidung (ALD) von Kupfer steht im Fokus der ALD Gemeinschaft. Ultradünne Kupferschichten können als Keimschicht für die elektrochemische Abscheidung (ECD) von Kupfer in der Verbindungstechnologie eingesetzt werden. Sie können ebenfalls für Sensoren, welche auf den Effekt des Riesenmagnetowiderstandes (GMR) basieren, als nicht-ferromagnetische Zwischenschicht verwendet werden. Insbesondere Multischichtstrukturen aus ferromagnetische Kobalt und Kupfer erfordern Schichtdicken von weniger als 4,0 nm, um einen starken GMR-Effekt zu gewährleisten. Das derzeit verwendete physikalische Dampfabscheidungsverfahren für ultradünne Kupferschichten, ist besonders anfällig für eine nicht-konforme Abscheidung an den Seitenwänden und Böden von Strukturen mit hohem Aspektverhältnis. Des Weiteren kann es zur Bildung von Löchern und überhängenden Strukturen kommen, welche bei der anschließenden Kupfer ECD zu Kontaktlücken (Voids) führen können. Für die Abscheidung einer Kupfer-Keimschicht ist die ALD besonders gut geeignet, da sie es ermöglicht, ultradünne konforme Schichten auf strukturierten Oberflächen mit hohem Aspektverhältnis abzuscheiden. Dies macht sie zu einer der Schlüsseltechnologien für Struckturgrößen unter 20 nm. Im Gegensatz zur Oberflächenchemie rein metallischer ALD sind die Oberflächenreaktionen für oxidische ALD Schichten sehr gut untersucht. Die Kenntnis der Oberflächenchemie während eines ALD Prozesses ist essenziel für die Bestimmung von wichtigen Prozessparametern als auch für die Verbesserung der Präkursorsynthese ansich. Diese Arbeit beschäftigt sich mit der Untersuchung der Oberflächenchemie und Charakterisierung des Wachstums von ultradünnen Metall-Cu-Schichten mittels In-situ XPS, welche eines indirekten (Oxid) bzw. direkten Metall-ALD Prozesses abgeschieden werden, wobei die Kupfer-Oxidschichten im Anschluss einem Reduktionsprozess unterworfen werden. Hierfür wird eine Präkursormischung bestehend aus 99 mol% [(nBu3P)2Cu(acac)] und 1 mol% [Ru(η5 C7H11)(η5-C5H4SiMe3)] verwendet. Die katalytische Menge an Ru, welche in der entstehenden Cu2O Schicht verbleibt, erhöht den Effekt der Reduktion der Cu2O Schicht auf beliebigen Substraten mit Ameinsäure bei Wafertemperaturen unter 150 °C. In einem ersten Schritt wird ein direkter thermisches Kupfer ALD-Prozess, unter Verwendung von molekularem Wasserstoff als Coreaktant, auf einem Kobalt-Substrat untersucht. In einem zweiten Schritt wird ein indirekter thermischer Cu2O-ALD-Prozess, unter gleichzeitiger Verwendung von Sauerstoff und Wasserdampf als Coreaktant, mit anschließender Reduktion durch Ameinsäure oder Kohlenstoffmonoxid zu Kupfer auf den gleichen Substraten betrachtet. Die vorliegende Arbeit beschreibt das Wachstum von ultradünnen und kontinuierlichen Kupfer-Schichten mittels thermischer ALD auf inerten- SiO2 und reaktiven Kobalt-Substraten.

The present thesis describes the synthesis and characterization of magnesium, copper, and iron complexes and their application in the MOCVD (Metal-Organic Chemical Vapor Deposition) process, as well as the synthesis and characterization of yttrium and gadolinium complexes and their use as spin-coating precursors for metal oxide thin layer formation. The objective of this scientific work is the development of the family of bis(β-ketoiminato) magnesium(II) complexes and a series of heteroleptic β-ketoiminato copper(II) precursors for the formation of magnesium oxide and copper/copper oxide layers by using the MOCVD process. Modifications of the ketoiminato ligands affect the physical and chemical properties of the respective complexes. Another central theme of this work is the development of β-diketonato iron(III) complexes for the deposition of carbon-free gamma- and alpha-Fe2O3 layers via MOCVD. The thermal behavior and vapor pressure of the precursors could be influenced by the variation of the β-diketonate ligands. In addition, the synthesis and characterization of yttrium and gadolinium β-diketonates and their use as spin-coating precursors are described. Field-effect transistors were successfully fabricated by the deposition of carbon nanotubes on top of the Y2O3 films.

The following is the accepted manuscript of the original article: Marcel Melzer, Thomas Waechtler, Steve Müller, Holger Fiedler, Sascha Hermann, Raul D. Rodriguez, Alexander Villabona, Andrea Sendzik, Robert Mothes, Stefan E. Schulz, Dietrich R.T. Zahn, Michael Hietschold, Heinrich Lang and Thomas Gessner “Copper oxide atomic layer deposition on thermally pretreated multi-walled carbon nanotubes for interconnect applications”, Microelectron. Eng. 107, 223-228 (2013). Digital Object Identifier: 10.1016/j.mee.2012.10.026 Available via http://www.sciencedirect.com or http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.mee.2012.10.026 © 2013 Elsevier B.V. Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are a highly promising material for future interconnects. It is expected that a decoration of the CNTs with Cu particles or also the filling of the interspaces between the CNTs with Cu can enhance the performance of CNT-based interconnects. The current work is therefore considered with thermal atomic layer deposition (ALD) of CuxO from the liquid Cu(I) β-diketonate precursor [(nBu3P)2Cu(acac)] and wet oxygen at 135°C. This paper focuses on different thermal in-situ pre-treatments of the CNTs with O2, H2O and wet O2 at temperatures up to 300°C prior to the ALD process. Analyses by transmission electron microscopy show that in most cases the CuxO forms particles on the multi-walled CNTs (MWCNTs). This behavior can be explained by the low affinity of Cu to form carbides. Nevertheless, also the formation of areas with rather layer-like growth was observed in case of an oxidation with wet O2 at 300°C. This growth mode indicates the partial destruction of the MWCNT surface. However, the damages introduced into the MWCNTs during the pre treatment are too low to be detected by Raman spectroscopy.