UV assisted low temperature epitaxial growth of silicon-containing films

Abstract

A method of preparing a clean substrate surface for blanket or selective epitaxial deposition of silicon-containing and/or germanium-containing films. In addition, a method of growing the silicon-containing and/or germanium-containing films, where both the substrate cleaning method and the film growth method are carried out at a temperature below 750° C., and typically at a temperature from about 700° C. to about 500° C. The cleaning method and the film growth method employ the use of radiation having a wavelength ranging from about 310 nm to about 120 nm in the processing volume in which the silicon-containing film is grown. Use of this radiation in combination with particular partial pressure ranges for the reactive cleaning or film-forming component species enable the substrate cleaning and epitaxial film growth at temperatures below those previously known in the industry.

1 - 5 . (canceled)  
   
   
       6 . A method of epitaxially growing a silicon-containing film on a surface which enables epitaxial growth of a silicon-containing film having a desired structure, said film growing method comprising the use of radiation having a wavelength ranging from about 310 nm to about 120 nm in the processing chamber in which said film growing method is carried out, wherein said radiation is produced by at least one lamp source, with said at least one lamp source facing said surface on which said silicon-containing film is grown, where the power density of said radiation is at least 1 mW/cm 2 , and wherein said film-growing method is carried out at a temperature ranging between about 500° C. and about 750° C. at a pressure ranging between about 1 Torr and about 80 Torr.  
   
   
       7 . A method in accordance with  claim 6 , wherein said film-growing method is carried out at a temperature ranging between about 550° C. and about 700° C.  
   
   
       8 . A method in accordance with  claim 7 , wherein said film-growing method is carried out using radiation having a wavelength ranging from about 180 nm to about 120 nm.  
   
   
       9 . A method in accordance with  claim 6 , wherein said power density ranges from about 1 mW/cm 2  and about 25 mW/cm 2 .  
   
   
       10 . A method in accordance with  claim 9 , wherein the growth rate of said silicon-containing film is in excess of about 60 Å/minute.  
   
   
       11 . (canceled)  
   
   
       12 . A method in accordance with  claim 8 , wherein said silicon-containing film is a silicon-germanium film, and where the atomic percent of germanium in the epitaxially grown film is constant within a range from 1% to about 99%.  
   
   
       13 . A method in accordance with  claim 12 , wherein said silicon-containing film is a silicon-germanium film, and where the atomic percent of germanium in the epitaxially grown film is constant within a range from 5% to about 40%.  
   
   
       14 . A method in accordance with  claim 13 , wherein said silicon-germanium film is blanket deposited and wherein a precursor providing silicon to said epitaxially grown film is selected from the group consisting of silanes, chlorosilanes, and combinations thereof.  
   
   
       15 . A method in accordance with  claim 14 , wherein said precursor is selected from the group consisting of dichlorosilane, dibromosilane, hexachlorodisilane, and derivatives thereof.  
   
   
       16 . A method in accordance with  claim 14 , wherein a precursor providing germanium to said epitaxially grown film is selected from the group consisting of GeH 4 , Ge 2 H 6 , Ge Cl 4 , GeH 2 Cl 2 , and combinations thereof.  
   
   
       17 . A method in accordance with  claim 15 , wherein a precursor providing germanium to said epitaxially grown film is selected from the group consisting of GeH 4 , Ge 2 H 6 , Ge Cl 4 , GeH 2 Cl 2 , and combinations thereof.  
   
   
       18 . A method in accordance with  claim 12 , wherein said silicon-germanium film is selectively deposited and wherein a precursor providing silicon to said selectively deposited epitaxially grown film is selected from the group consisting of silanes, chlorosilanes, bromosilanes, and combinations thereof.  
   
   
       19 . A method in accordance with  claim 18 , wherein said precursor is selected from the group consisting of dichlorosilane, dibromosilane, hexachlorodisilane, and derivatives thereof.  
   
   
       20 . A method in accordance with  claim 18 , wherein a precursor providing germanium to said epitaxially grown film is selected from the group consisting of GeH 4 , Ge 2 H 6 , Ge Cl 4 , GeH 2 Cl 2 , and combinations thereof.  
   
   
       21 . A method in accordance with  claim 18 , wherein HCl or HBr or Cl 2 , or a combination thereof, is present during said selective deposition of said silicon-germanium film at a volumetric ratio to said silicon-containing precursor of at least 0.05:1.  
   
   
       22 . A method in accordance with  claim 21 , wherein HCl or HBr or Cl 2 , or a combination thereof, is present during said selective deposition of said silicon-germanium film at a volumetric ratio to said silicon-containing precursor within the range of about 0.05:1 to about 50:1.  
   
   
       23 . A method in accordance with  claim 21 , wherein said precursor is selected from the group consisting of dichlorosilane, hexachlorodisilane, and derivatives thereof.  
   
   
       24 . A method in accordance with  claim 18 , wherein a precursor providing germanium to said epitaxially grown film is selected from the group consisting of GeH 4 , Ge 2 H 6 , Ge Cl 4 , GeH 2 Cl 2 , and combinations thereof.  
   
   
       25 . A method in accordance with  claim 23 , wherein a precursor providing germanium to said epitaxially grown film is selected from the group consisting of GeH 4 , Ge 2 H 6 , Ge Cl 4 , GeH 2 Cl 2 , and combinations thereof.  
   
   
       26 . A method in accordance with  claim 6 , wherein said at least one lamp source comprises a plurality of lamps which are spaced from an upper surface of said substrate in a manner to provide even uniformity of radiation over said surface on which said silicon-containing film is grown.  
   
   
       27 . A method in accordance with  claim 6 , wherein said plurality of lamps are placed in a configuration where lamps radially extend from an outside wall of a processing chamber toward a center of said processing chamber.