Integration of barrier layer and seed layer

• US 20030057527A1
• Filed: 09/26/2001
• Published: 03/27/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 09/26/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Applied Materials Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Applied Materials Incorporated
• Inventors: Chang, Mei, Chung, Hua, Chen, Ling, Yu, Jick
• Granted Patent: US 6,936,906 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 257/642
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 14/046 Coating cavities or hollow spaces, e.g. interior of tubes; Infiltration of porous substrates
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 14/165 by cathodic sputtering
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 14/3414 Metallurgical or chemical aspects of target preparation, e.g. casting, powder metallurgy
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/045 Coating cavities or hollow spaces, e.g. interior of tubes; Infiltration of porous substrates
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/34 Nitrides C23C16/303 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/45525 Atomic layer deposition [ALD]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/2855 by physical means, e.g. sputtering, evaporation H01L21/28518 - H01L21/28537 and H01L21/28568 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/28562 Selective deposition
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/76843 formed in openings in a dielectric
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/76846 Layer combinations
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/76862 Bombardment with particles, e.g. treatment in noble gas plasmas; UV irradiation
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/76864 Thermal treatment
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/76871 Layers specifically deposited to enhance or enable the nucleation of further layers, i.e. seed layers
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2221/1089 Stacks of seed layers
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/53238 Additional layers associated with copper layers, e.g. adhesion, barrier, cladding layers
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00 Indexing scheme for arrangements or methods for connecting or disconnecting semiconductor or solid-state bodies as covered by H01L24/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/0002 Not covered by any one of groups H01L24/00, H01L24/00 and H01L2224/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 438/903 Catalyst aided deposition

Abstract

The present invention generally relates to filling of a feature by depositing a barrier layer, depositing a seed layer over the barrier layer, and depositing a conductive layer over the seed layer. In one embodiment, the seed layer comprises a copper alloy seed layer deposited over the barrier layer. For example, the copper alloy seed layer may comprise copper and a metal, such as aluminum, magnesium, titanium, zirconium, tin, and combinations thereof. In another embodiment, the seed layer comprises a copper allloy seed layer deposited over the barrier layer and a second seed layer deposited over the copper alloy seed layer. The copper alloy seed layer may comprise copper and a metal, such as aluminum, magnesium, titanium, zirconium, tin, and combinations thereof The second seed layer may comprise a metal, such as undoped copper. In still another embodiment, the seed layer comprises a first seed layer and a second seed layer. The first seed layer may comprise a metal, such as aluminum, magnesium, titanium, zirconium, tin, and combinations thereof. The second seed layer may comprise a metal, such as undoped copper.

Claims

1. A target for physical vapor deposition of a seed layer, comprising:

copper; and

a metal selected from the group consisting of aluminum, magnesium, titanium, zirconium, tin, and combinations thereof, wherein the metal is present in the target in a concentration between about 0.001 atomic percent and about 5.0 atomic percent.

2. The target of claim 1, wherein the metal is present in the target in a concentration between about 0.01 atomic percent and about 2.0 atomic percent.

3. The target of claim 1, wherein the metal is present in a concentration between about 0.1 atomic percent and about 1.0 atomic percent.

4. A chamber adapted to deposit a seed layer, comprising:

a target comprising copper and a metal selected from the group consisting of aluminum, magnesium, titanium, zirconium, tin, and combinations thereof, wherein the metal is present in the target in a concentration between about 0.001 atomic percent and about 5.0 atomic percent.

5. The chamber of claim 4, wherein the metal is present in the target in a concentration between about 0.01 atomic percent and about 2.0 atomic percent.

6. The chamber of claim 4, wherein the metal is present in a concentration between about 0.1 atomic percent and about 1.0 atomic percent.

7. A system for processing a substrate, comprising:

a first chamber for depositing a copper alloy seed layer, wherein the copper alloy seed layer comprises copper and a metal selected from the group consisting of aluminum, magnesium, titanium, zirconium, tin, and combinations thereof and wherein the metal is present in the copper alloy in a concentration between about 0.01 atomic percent and about 2.0 atomic percent.

8. The system of claim 7, further comprising a second chamber for depositing a barrier layer, wherein the copper alloy seed layer is deposited over the barrier layer.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein the first chamber is selected from the group consisting of a physical vapor deposition chamber, a chemical vapor deposition chamber, an atomic layer deposition chamber, and an electroless deposition chamber.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the second chamber is selected from the group consisting of an atomic layer depositing chamber, a chemical vapor deposition chamber, and a physical vapor deposition chamber.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the first chamber is a physical vapor deposition chamber and the second chamber is an atomic layer deposition chamber.

12. The system of claim 8, further comprising a transfer chamber in communication with the first chamber and the second chamber.

13. The system of claim 8, wherein at least two of the chambers are a single chamber.

14. A system for processing a substrate, comprising:

a first chamber for depositing a copper alloy seed layer, wherein the copper alloy seed layer comprises copper and a metal selected from the group consisting of aluminum, magnesium, titanium, zirconium, tin, and combinations thereof, and

a second chamber for depositing an undoped copper seed layer over the copper alloy seed layer.

15. The system of claim 14, further comprising a third chamber for depositing a barrier layer, wherein the copper alloy seed layer is deposited over the barrier layer.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the first chamber is selected from the group consisting of a physical vapor deposition chamber, a chemical vapor deposition chamber, an atomic layer deposition chamber, and an electroless deposition chamber.

17. The system of claim 14, wherein the second chamber is selected from the group consisting of a physical vapor deposition chamber, a chemical vapor deposition chamber, an atomic layer deposition chamber, and an electroless deposition chamber.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein the third chamber is selected from the group consisting of an atomic layer depositing chamber, a chemical vapor deposition chamber, and a physical vapor deposition chamber.

19. The system of claim 15, wherein the first chamber is a physical vapor deposition chamber, the second chamber is a physical vapor deposition chamber, and the third chamber is an atomic layer deposition chamber.

20. The system of claim 15, further comprising a transfer chamber in communication with the first chamber, the second chamber, and the third chamber.

21. The system of claim 15, wherein at least two of the chambers are a single chamber.

22. A system for processing a substrate, comprising:

a first chamber for depositing a metal seed layer, wherein the metal seed layer comprises a metal selected from the group consisting of aluminum, magnesium, titanium, zirconium, tin, and combinations thereof, and

a second chamber for depositing an undoped copper seed layer over the metal seed layer.

23. The system of claim 22, further comprising a third chamber for depositing a barrier layer, wherein the metal seed layer is deposited over the barrier layer.

24. The system of claim 22, wherein the first chamber is selected from the group consisting of a physical vapor deposition chamber, a chemical vapor deposition chamber, an atomic layer deposition chamber, and an electroless deposition chamber.

25. The system of claim 22, wherein the second chamber is selected from the group consisting of a physical vapor deposition chamber, a chemical vapor deposition chamber, an atomic layer deposition chamber, and an electroless deposition chamber.

26. The system of claim 23, wherein the third chamber is selected from the group consisting of an atomic layer depositing chamber, a chemical vapor deposition chamber, and a physical vapor deposition chamber.

27. The system of claim 23, wherein the first chamber is a physical vapor deposition chamber, the second chamber is a physical vapor deposition chamber, and the third chamber is an atomic layer deposition chamber.

28. The system of claim 23, further comprising a transfer chamber in communication with the first chamber, the second chamber, and the third chamber.

29. The system of claim 23, wherein at least two of the chambers are a single chamber.