Chemical Control over Interface Formation and Impurity Introduction and Distribution in Thin Solid Films

在分析和表面化学项目的支持下，特拉华大学化学系的Teplyakov教授及其同事正在研究钛和碳化钽/氮化物超薄阻挡层的成核和生长。利用原位和非原位表面光谱和微观方法，结合对这些薄膜的电子结构和生长过程的计算建模，研究了有机金属前驱体的生长。这项工作的重点是获得屏障层生长机制的基本理解，以及这些层中污染物的控制。这种基本的理解将有助于为更小的电子器件设计微电子器件制造工艺。随着电子设备尺寸的缩小，金属导体和有源半导体之间的扩散屏障必须变得更薄、更有效，才能使这些设备正常工作。该项目支持的研究考察了基于钛、碳化钽和氮化物化合物的极薄层形成和生长的基本机制，这些极薄层可用于这些设备中的阻挡层。这些基本信息将对下一代微电子器件的设计有用。

With the support of the Analytical and Surface Chemistry Program, Professor Teplyakov and coworkers in the Department of Chemistry at the University of Delaware are investigating the nucleation and growth of ultra-thin barrier layers of titanium and tantalum carbide/nitrides. Growth from organometallic precursors is examined using in situ and ex situ surface spectroscopic and microscopic methods, coupled with computational modeling of the electronic structure and growth process of these thin films. The focus of the work is on obtaining a fundamental understanding of the mechanisms of barrier layer growth, and the control of contaminants in these layers. This fundamental understanding will be useful in the design of microelectronic device fabrication processes for ever smaller electronic devices. As electronic device sizes shrink, barriers to diffusion between metallic conductors and active semiconductors must become thinner and more effective, for these devices to work properly. The research supported in this project examines the fundamental mechanisms of formation and growth of very thin layers based on titanium and tantalum carbide and nitride compounds, which can be used for barrier layers in these devices. This fundamental information will be useful for the design of next generation microelectronic devices.