Low-Pressure chemical vapour deposition of tantalum pentoxide films for ulsi devices using tantalum pentaethoxide as precursor

A laminar flow low-pressure chemical vapour deposition (LPCVD) system (LAM Integrity^TM) has been used to deposit tantalum pentoxide (Ta₂O₅) from Ta(OEt)₅ films in the presence of oxygen (O₂) at 470 °C at a typical deposition rate of 4 nm min^?1. Uniformities of <1.5% (SD 1σ) over a 150 mm silicon substrate were obtained. The layers were annealed under different conditions. It was discovered that the films did not change their stoichiometry as determined by Rutherford backscattering (RBS). The as-deposited films were amorphous but became crystalline (β-Ta₂O₅) at temperatures > 700 °C. The transmission electron microscopy (TEM) results on crystallisation behaviour were supported by X-ray diffraction data. The electrical properties of the Ta₂O₅ films have been characterised using MIS (metal/insulator/silicon) capacitor structures. Leakage values of <10^?6 A cm^?2 at 6 MV cm^?1 equivalent applied electric field and breakdown strengths of >7 MV cm^?1 at 1.6 μA were obtained for annealed layers. Compound dielectric constants (native silicon oxide thickness of about 2.5 nm plus Ta₂O₅ of various thicknesses) between 14 and >30 have been measured. The electrical properties reveal the potential use of Ta₂O₅ as a storage capacitor dielectric in 64 and 256 Mbit DRAM (dynamic random access memory) devices.