Effect of deposition temperature on the characteristics of HfN(x) thin films prepared by plasma assisted cyclic chemical vapor deposition.

ABSTRACT

This study examined the resistivity, composition and crystallinity of chemically-vapor-deposited HfN(x) films deposited using tetrakis(dimethylamido)hafnium and plasma activated hydrogen as a function of the deposition temperature. The film growth rate (thickness/cycle) ranged from 0.09-0.15 nm/cycle depending on the deposition temperature. The deposition rate was initially insensitive to the substrate temperature at 150-200 degrees C but increased significantly at higher temperatures. The carbon impurities in the films were in the range of approximately 17 to 18 at% and formed Hf-C bonds. All the deposited films were polycrystalline, regardless of the deposition conditions, with a (111) preferred orientation. High substrate temperatures tended to yield films with low resistivity that was relatively constant at temperatures above 225 degrees C.