Structure and morphology of Ru films grown by atomic layer deposition from 1-ethyl-1’-methyl-ruthenocene

Ru thin films were grown on TiO2, Al2O3, HfO2, and ZrO2 films as well as on HF-etched silicon and SiO2-covered silicon by atomic layer deposition from 1-ethyl-1’-methyl-ruthenocene, (CH3C5H4)(C2H5C5H4)Ru, and oxygen. The growth of Ru was obtained and characterized at temperatures ranging from 250 to 325 °C. On epitaxial rutile, highly oriented growth of Ru with hexagonal structure was achieved, while on other substrates the films possessed nonoriented hexagonal structure. Ruthenium oxide was not detected in the films. The lowest resistivity value obtained for 5.0–6.6 nm thick films was 26 μΩ cm. The conductivity of the films depended somewhat on the deposition cycle time parameters and, expectedly, more strongly on the amount of deposition cycles. Increase in the deposition temperature of underlying metal oxide films increased the conductivity of Ru layers.