摘要:
A novel method for preventing the formation of voids in metal interconnects fabricated on a wafer, particularly during a thermal anneal process, is disclosed. The method includes fabricating metal interconnects between metal lines on a wafer. During a thermal anneal process carried out to reduce electrical resistance of the interconnects, the wafer is positioned in spaced-apart relationship to a wafer heater. This spacing configuration facilitates enhanced stabilility and uniformity in heating of the wafer by reducing the presence of particles on and providing a uniform flow of heated air or gas against and the wafer backside. This eliminates or at least substantially reduces the formation of voids in the interconnects during the anneal process.
摘要:
A novel method for preventing the formation of voids in metal interconnects fabricated on a wafer, particularly during a thermal anneal process, is disclosed. The method includes fabricating metal interconnects between metal lines on a wafer. During a thermal anneal process carried out to reduce electrical resistance of the interconnects, the wafer is positioned in spaced-apart relationship to a wafer heater. This spacing configuration facilitates enhanced stabilility and uniformity in heating of the wafer by reducing the presence of particles on and providing a uniform flow of heated air or gas against and the wafer backside. This eliminates or at least substantially reduces the formation of voids in the interconnects during the anneal process.
摘要:
A method of stabilizing plating film impurities in an electrochemical plating bath solution is disclosed. The method includes providing an electrochemical plating machine in which an electrochemical plating process is carried out. A by-product bath solution is formed by continually removing a pre-filtered bath solution from the machine and removing an additive from the pre-filtered bath solution. A clean bath solution is formed by removing an additive by-product from the by-product bath solution. An additive bath solution is formed by adding a fresh additive to the clean bath solution. The additive bath solution is added to the electrochemical plating machine. An apparatus for stabilizing film impurities in an electrochemical plating bath solution is also disclosed.
摘要:
A method of stabilizing plating film impurities in an electrochemical plating bath solution is disclosed. The method includes providing an electrochemical plating machine in which an electrochemical plating process is carried out. A by-product bath solution is formed by continually removing a pre-filtered bath solution from the machine and removing an additive from the pre-filtered bath solution. A clean bath solution is formed by removing an additive by-product from the by-product bath solution. An additive bath solution is formed by adding a fresh additive to the clean bath solution. The additive bath solution is added to the electrochemical plating machine. An apparatus for stabilizing film impurities in an electrochemical plating bath solution is also disclosed.
摘要:
A method of electroplating conductive material on semiconductor wafers improves deposited film quality by providing greater control over the formation of the film grain structure. Better grain size control is achieved by applying a continuous DC plating current to the wafer which avoids sharp discontinuities in the current as the applied current is increased in successive stages during a plating cycle. Current discontinuities are avoided by gradually increasing the current in a ramp-like fashion between the successive plating stages.
摘要:
A semiconductor structure includes a transistor formed over a substrate. The transistor includes a transistor gate and at least one source/drain region. The semiconductor structure includes a pre-determined region coupled to the transistor. The semiconductor structure further includes a resist protection oxide (RPO) layer formed over the pre-determined region, wherein the RPO layer has a level of nitrogen of about 0.35 atomic % or less.
摘要:
A method for monitoring bubble formation in and over a spin-on glass(SOG) layer during the CVD deposition of a superjacent insulative layer is described wherein a monitor wafer is processed either with or without a metal pattern. After a SOG layer has been deposited and cured, a layer of silicon oxide is deposited over it by CVD. If bubbles are formed during the silicon oxide deposition step as a result of out-gassing of the SOG layer, they are entrapped at or near the SOG/silicon oxide interface. The silicon oxide layer is then subjected to a buffered HF etch which exposes the bubbles either by opening them up by eroding the SOG layer underneath the oxide layer or by bringing the surface of the silicon oxide layer closer to the entrapped bubbles, thereby decorating them to make them visible to a white light scanning tool. The monitor wafer is initially scanned just prior to the SOG deposition to obtain a reference scan. A final scan is made after the deposited surface oxide layer has received the buffered HF etch. Bubbles formed over and in an improperly cured SOG layer, occur in clusters that reveal a swirling pattern, reflecting the spin deposition step. The monitor and method of use provides a convenient means for detecting problems with the SOG deposition and curing process, thereby permitting timely remedial action to re-center a deviate process.
摘要:
A flash EPROM device includes a floating gate electrode with a top surface and sidewalls is formed on a gate oxide layer covering a semiconductor substrate. A polyoxide cap layer is formed on the top surface of the floating gate electrode. A blanket tunnel oxide layer covers the cap layer, the sidewalls of the floating gate electrode, and the exposed surfaces of the gate oxide layer. A spacer structure is formed on the surface of the tunnel oxide layer adjacent to the sidewalls of the floating gate electrode and above the gate oxide layer. A dielectric, silicon nitride inner spacer, having an annular or an L-shaped cross section, is formed on the blanket tunnel oxide layer adjacent to the sidewalls of the floating gate electrode. In the case of the L-shaped cross section inner spacer, an outer dielectric, spacer is formed over the inner dielectric, spacer. A blanket interelectrode dielectric layer covers the blanket tunnel oxide layer, and the spacer structure. A control gate electrode is formed over the interelectrode dielectric layer on one side of the floating gate electrode.
摘要:
A method of forming a spacer structure adjacent to the sidewall of a floating gate electrode with a top surface and sidewalls, the floating gate electrode being formed on a silicon oxide dielectric layer, and the silicon oxide dielectric layer being formed on the top surface of a semiconductor substrate include the following steps. Form a cap layer on the floating gate electrode, and a blanket tunnel oxide on the device. Form an inner dielectric, spacer layer over the device including the cap layer and the sidewalls thereby with conforming sidewalls, and an outer dielectric, spacer layer over the inner dielectric, spacer layer including the conforming sidewalls. Partially etch away the outer dielectric, spacer layer with a dry etch to form a outer dielectric spacer adjacent to the conforming sidewalls. Then partially etch away more of the outer dielectric, spacer layer with a wet etch to expose a portion of the conforming sidewalls of the inner dielectric, spacer layer. Finally, etch away the portion of the inner dielectric, spacer layer unprotected by the outer dielectric spacer before forming interelectrode dielectric layers and the control gate electrode.
摘要:
A method of reducing copper hillocks in copper metallization is described. An opening is made through a dielectric layer overlying a substrate on a wafer. A copper layer is formed overlying the dielectric layer and completely filling the opening. The copper layer is polished back to leave the copper layer only within the opening. Copper hillocks are reduced by applying F ions to the copper layer to form a buffer zone on a surface of the copper layer and in-situ depositing a capping layer overlying the copper layer. The F ions remove copper oxide naturally formed on the copper surface and the buffer zone transfers thermal vertical strain in the copper to horizontal strain thereby preventing formation of copper hillocks.