Plasma-Enhanced Atomic Layer Deposition of Silver Thin Films

Thermal properties of various silver precursors known in the literature were evaluated in order to discover which precursor is the most suitable one for plasma-enhanced atomic layer deposition (PEALD) of silver thin films. Ag(fod)(PEt3) (fod = 2,2-dimethyl-6,6,7,7,8,8,8-heptafluorooctane-3,5-dionato) was found to be the best choice. Using Ag(fod)(PEt3) together with plasma-activated hydrogen, silver thin films were deposited at growth temperatures of 120–150 °C, and ALD-type saturative growth was achieved at 120–140 °C. At 120 °C, the growth rate was 0.03 nm per cycle. The plasma exposure time had also an effect on the growth rate: with shorter exposure times, the growth rate was lower over…