Continued scaling of semiconductor devices requires atomic-level control in processing. This can be challenging and costly using traditional top-down patterning processes. Area-selective deposition provides a bottom-up approach, depositing material only on the desired surface and not on other exposed surfaces. Area-selective atomic layer deposition (AS-ALD) is of particular interest to the semiconductor industry. It combines the ability to deposit conformal thin films with atomic-level precision for both film thickness and film placement. While AS-ALD has sparked wide-spread attention in recent years in academic research, further development is needed to find techniques that are compatible with high-volume manufacturing. Here, we will report on the current strategies for achieving AS-ALD, including self-assembled monolayers and surface inhibition, and addressing the key challenges facing the implementation of these strategies in device fabrication. Techniques to improve selectivity will also be discussed, including atomic layer etching (ALE) to remove selectivity defects.

Approaches to atomic-scale engineering through selective processes

255th National Meeting (2018)

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