Advanced chemical deposition techniques - from research to production

Chemical deposition techniques show distinct advantages for research tasks as well as for microelectronic production lines. This review will summarize the state of the art of the Chemical Solution Deposition (CSD) and of the Metal-Organic Chemical Vapor Deposition (MOCVD) processes for high-permittivity, ferroelectric, and other complex electronic oxide thin films as well as their applications in integrated capacitors, FeRAMs, etc Emphasis will be laid on the selection and the properties of the precursors, the microscopic mechanisms of film deposition, and the tailoring of the microstructure by the deposition parameters. In the main part of the review, topics of current interest will be specifically discussed: (1) the deposition of ultrathin films, (2) device integration issues, and (3) lateral nanostructuring and the formation of single grains. The techniques will be evaluated for their potential use in a future nanotechnology environment. Besides these research-oriented topics, both CSD and MOCVD show features which render the techniques highly suitable for large-wafer, high through-put production. The migration path from R&D systems to production tools will be outlined.