Effect of chamber surface coat on TiN film growth

The growth rate of titanium nitride (TiN) film is compared between preventive maintenance (PM) rounds showing differences in starting deposition rate after chamber coats and the number of coats required to return to optimal deposition rate. It is important to reach the constant deposition rate for process stability, and it is hypothesized that the self-limiting nature of atomic layer deposition (ALD) and surface conditions of the chamber parts exposed to the TiN film are the driving factors for the change in growth of the TiN film. Surface characterization of key chamber parts are analyzed and correlated to TiN film deposition rate.