Insituobservation of photochemical prenucleation and patterned metalorganic chemical vapor deposition

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Abstract
Photochemical activation of a silicon native oxide surface with triisobutylaluminum (TIBA) and subsequent patternedmetalorganic chemical vapor deposition(MOCVD) is observed i n s i t u with x‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy. At room temperature and in the presence of a low vapor pressure (10− 7 Torr) of TIBA, an ArF excimer laser is used to photodissociate the metalorganic adsorbed on the surface. The deposit forms islands consisting of oxygen, carbon, and aluminum. The oxygen is included by the reduction of the native oxide surface and the aluminum by the photodissociation of the TIBA. When the surface is heated to 300 °C (with the laser off), this deposit nucleates MOCVD film growth. The unprocessed native oxide surface does not nucleate growth so the deposit grows in the pattern initially written with the laser. The source of the prenucleation barrier that inhibits growth on the native oxide is discussed.