Abstract:
In conjunction with sputtering a metal, especially copper, into high aspect-ratio holes in a wafer, an oblique ion milling method in which argon ions or other particles having energies in the range of 200 to 1500e V are directed to the wafer at between 10 and 35° to the wafer surface to sputter etch material sputter deposited preferentially on the upper corners of the holes. The milling may be performed in the sputter deposition chamber either simultaneously with the deposition or after it or performed afterwards in a separate milling reactor. A plurality of ion sources arranged around the chamber improve angular uniformity or arranged axially improve radial uniformity or vary the angle of incidence. An annular ion source about the chamber axis allows a plasma current loop. Anode layer ion sources and sources composed of copper are advantageous.
Abstract:
A method of forming a copper via and the resultant structure. A thin layer of an insulating barrier material (30), such as aluminum oxide or tantalum nitride, is conformally coated onto the sides and bottom of the via hole, for example, by atomic layer deposition (ALD) to a thickness of less than 5nm, preferably less than 2nm and having an electrical resistivity of more than 500 microohm-cm. A copper seed layer (40) is then deposited under conditions such that copper is deposited on the via sidewalls but not deposited over most of the bottom of via hole. Instead energetic copper ions sputter the barrier material from the via bottom. Copper (50) is electroplated into the via hole lined only on its sidewalls with the barrier. The invention preferably extends also to dual-damascene structures in which the copper seed sputter process sputters the barrier layer from the via bottom but not the trench floor.
Abstract:
A high-reliability damascene interconnect structure and a method for forming the same are provided. An interlevel dielectric (42) is formed over a semiconductor topography (40), and trenches (44, 46) for interconnects and/or vias are formed in the interlevel dielectric (42). A trench liner (48) may then be deposited, followed by deposition of a low-resistance metal (50) such as copper. The low-resistance metal deposition is preferably stopped before the trenches (44, 46) are entirely filled. Portions of the metal and trench liner external to the trenches (44, 46) are subsequently removed, such that low-resistance metal interconnect portions (52, 54) are formed. A high-melting-point metal (60), such as tungsten, is deposited over upper surfaces of the interconnect portions (52, 54) and interlevel dielectric (42). Portions of the high-melting-point metal are removed to form interconnects having a low-resistance metal lower portion (52, 54) and a high-melting-point metall upper portion (62, 64).
Abstract:
A method may include providing a surface feature on a substrate, the surface feature comprising a feature shape, feature location, and dimension along a first direction within a substrate plane; depositing a layer comprising a layer material on the surface feature; and directing ions in an ion exposure at an angle of incidence toward the substrate, the angle of incidence forming a non-zero angle with respect to a perpendicular to the substrate plane, wherein the ion exposure comprises the ions and reactive neutral species, the ion exposure reactively etching the layer material, wherein the ions impact a first portion of the surface feature and do not impact a second portion of the surface feature, and wherein an altered surface feature is generated, the altered surface feature differing from the surface feature in at least one of: the dimension along the first direction, the feature shape, or the feature location.
Abstract:
In described examples, a microelectronic device (100) is formed by providing a substrate having a recess (124) at a top surface (130), and a liner layer (132) formed over the top surface (130) of the substrate, extending into the recess (124). A protective layer (138) is formed over the liner layer (132), extending into the recess (124). A CMP process (142) removes the protective layer (138) and the liner layer (132) from over the top surface (130) of the subsrate, leaving the protective layer (138) and the liner layer (132) in the recess (124). The protective layer (138) is subsequently removed from the recess (124), leaving the liner layer (132) in the recess (124). The substrate may include an interconnect region (104) with a bond pad (116) and a PO layer (122) having an opening which forms the recess (124); the bond pad (116) is exposed in the recess (124). The liner layer (132) in the recess (124) may be a metal liner suitable for a subsequently-formed wire bond or bump bond.
Abstract:
Bottom-up fill approaches for forming metal features of semiconductor structures, and the resulting structures, are described. In an example, a semiconductor structure includes a trench disposed in an inter-layer dielectric (ILD) layer. The trench has sidewalls, a bottom and a top. A U-shaped metal seed layer is disposed at the bottom of the trench and along the sidewalls of the trench but substantially below the top of the trench. A metal fill layer is disposed on the U-shaped metal seed layer and fills the trench to the top of the trench. The metal fill layer is in direct contact with dielectric material of the ILD layer along portions of the sidewalls of the trench above the U-shaped metal seed layer.
Abstract:
Provided is a method for removing barrier layer for minimizing sidewall recess. The method comprises the following steps: introduce noble-gas-halogen compound gas and carrier gas into an etching chamber within which a thermal gas phase etching process is being performed for etching a barrier layer (206) on non-recessed areas of an interconnection structure (501); detect an end point of the thermal gas phase etching process (502), if the thermal gas phase etching process reaches the end point, then execute the next step; if the thermal gas phase etching process doesn't reach the end point, then return to the previous step; stop introducing the noble-gas-halogen compound gas and the carrier gas to the etching chamber (503).
Abstract:
Methods and apparatus for processing a substrate in a process chamber, include receiving process control parameters for one or more devices from a process controller to perform a first chamber process, determining a time to send each of the process control parameters to the one or more devices, for each of the one or more devices, adjusting the determined time to send each of the process control parameters using specific signal process delays associated with each of the one or more devices, and sending the process control parameters to each of the one or more devices at the adjusted times to perform the first chamber process, wherein the synchronization controller includes one or more output channels, each channel directly coupled to one of the one or more devices.