Patent ID: 6110543
Filing Date: 2000-08-29
Classification: C23C

Abstract:
A process for forming a compound film on a substrate comprising:placing a substrate in a chamber;combining at least two reactant gases that provide a source for at least three different elements, one of which is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen and deuterium in a nozzle chamber, wherein the reactant gases dissociate into species that combine to form the compound film selected from the group consisting of metal silicides, metal nitrides, silicon nitride, metal carbides, metal borides, tantalum oxide, titanium oxide and aluminum oxide comprising the three different elements;generating a plasma in the nozzle chamber and;directing the reactant gases toward a surface of the substrate on which the compound film is to be formed, wherein the gas stream is directed toward the substrate by at least one nozzle and wherein the first stream of gas contains a first reactant gas mixed with an inert carrier gas and the second stream of gas is supplied via a manifold which in turn is connected to a first gas supply which is a pure inert carrier gas and a second gas supply which is a carrier combined with a second reactant gas wherein the gas supply is switched from the first gas supply to the second gas supply to control the composition and wherein a portion of the species in the plasma are selected from the group consisting of hydrogen species, hydrogen-containing species, deuterium, and deuterium-containing species and wherein the chamber has a pressure that provides an environment that does not favor reaction of the first reactant gas with the second reactant gas in the gas stream and that prevents the dissociation of the reactant gases on the chamber walls, and wherein the surface on which the film is to be formed is not removed from the purview of the gas stream comprising the at least two reactant gases that provide the source for the at least three elements and an inert carrier gas during film formation.