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Thin films of niobium nitride are useful for their physical, chemical, and electrical properties. NbN superconducting properties have been utilized in a wide range of applications. Plasma-enhanced atomic layer deposition (PEALD) of NbN with (t-butylimido) tris(diethylamido) niobium(V) and remote H2/N2 plasmas has been investigated. Deposited film properties have been studied as a function of substrate temperature (100–300 °C), plasma power (150–300 W), and H2 flow rate (10–80 sccm). PEALD NbN films were characterized with spectroscopic ellipsometry (thickness, optical properties), four point probe (resistivity), x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (composition), x-ray reflectivity (density and thickness), x-ray diffraction (crystallinity), and superconductivity measurements. Film composition varied with deposition conditions, but larger cubic NbN crystallites and increased film density at higher substrate temperatures and H2 flow rates lead to room temperature resistivity values as low as 173 μΩ cm and super...

Tungsten nitride (WN) has potential as an interconnect barrier film. Deposition of WN films with bis(tert-butylimido)bis(dimethylamido)tungsten utilizing plasma-enhanced atomic layer deposition has been investigated over a temperature range of 100–400 °C employing N2, H2/N2, and NH3 remote plasmas. Spectroscopic ellipsometry has been used to determine film thickness and optical properties. Film growth rate varied from 0.44 to 0.65 A/cycle. Chemical composition was investigated with x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. W:N ratios varied from 0.95:1 to 3.76:1 and carbon levels were sub-2% for atomic layer deposition conditions. Resistivity measurements, derived from four-point probe measurements, indicate higher deposition temperature and gas flow rates produce the lowest resistivity films. The lowest resistivity film of the study, which measured 405 μΩ cm, was deposited with a hydrogen-rich H2/N2 plasma at 400 °C.

This article describes direct laser printing of thin-film polymer onto rigid substrates for use as an etch mask or liftoff layer in patterning on-chip electrical components. Using this technique, the authors fabricated planar spiral inductors of 12×12mm2 with 2.5–5.5 turns producing series inductance Ls=80–180nH as well as planar interdigitated capacitors of 10×10mm2 with two to nine fingers producing series capacitance Cs=100–1600nF. This technique is a low cost, low temperature, rapid turn around, maskless, resist-free means of patterning device features as small as 130μm.