Initial and steady-state Ru growth by atomic layer deposition studied by in situ Angle Resolved X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy
Abstract
The clear substrate-dependent growth and delayed film continuity are essential challenges of Ru atomic layer deposition (ALD) demanding adequate and versatile approaches for their study. Here, we report on the application of in situ Angle Resolved X-ray Phototelectron Spectroscopy (ARXPS) for investigation of initial and steady-state ALD growth of Ru using Ru(EtCp)2 and O2 as precursors. Using ARXPS surface analysis technique we determine such parameters of Ru ALD initial growth as incubation period, fractional coverage and the thickness of islands/film depending on the substrate chemical state, governed by the presence/absence of NH3/Ar plasma pretreatment. It was demonstrated that NH3/Ar plasma pretreatment allows to obtain the lowest incubation period (∼7 ALD cycles) resulting in a continuous ultrathin (∼20 Å) and smooth Ru films after 70 ALD cycles. In situ XPS at UHV was used at steady state Ru growth for analysis of half-cycle reactions that revealed formation of RuOx (x ≈ 2) layer with thickness of ∼8 Å after O2 pulse (first half-cycle). It was also shown that oxygen of RuOx layer combusts Ru(EtCp)2 ligands in the second half-cycle reaction and the observed Ru growth of ∼0.34 Å per cycle is in a good agreement with the amount of oxygen in the RuOx layer.
- Publication:
-
Applied Surface Science
- Pub Date:
- October 2017
- DOI:
- 10.1016/j.apsusc.2017.05.010
- Bibcode:
- 2017ApSS..419..107E
- Keywords:
-
- Ru ALD;
- Angle-resolved XPS;
- Ruthenium nucleation