Method of forming metal interconnection layer in semiconductor device

• US 20030186524A1
• Filed: 12/23/2002
• Published: 10/02/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 04/01/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hynix Semiconductor Incorporated (SK Hynix Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hynix Semiconductor Incorporated (SK Hynix Inc.)
• Inventors: Ryo, Sung Gyu
• Granted Patent: US 6,720,248 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 438/597
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/76807 for dual damascene structures
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/76814 post-treatment or after-treatment, e.g. cleaning or removal of oxides on underlying conductors
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/76843 formed in openings in a dielectric
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/76864 Thermal treatment
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/76868 Forming or treating discontinuous thin films, e.g. repair, enhancement or reinforcement of discontinuous thin films
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/76873 for electroplating
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/76874 for electroless plating
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/76877 Filling of holes, grooves or trenches, e.g. vias, with conductive material

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method of forming a metal interconnection layer in a semiconductor device by which a dual damascene pattern, a via hole or a trench having a high aspect ratio is consecutively filled with a metal film without void by means of an electroplating method. For this, the method comprises the steps of forming a lower conductive layer on a semiconductor substrate, forming an interlayer insulating film on the semiconductor substrate on which the lower conductive layer is formed, selectively etching the interlayer insulating film to form an opening of a given shape through which the lower conductive layer is exposed, forming a metal seed layer along the step on the result in which the opening of the given shape is formed, reflowing the metal seed layer by means of a laser process to form the metal seed layer of an uniform thickness, performing a hydrogen reduction annealing process for the metal seed layer, and forming a metal film on the metal seed layer by means of an electroplating method.

Claims

1. A method of forming a metal interconnection layer in a semiconductor device, comprising the steps of:

forming a lower conductive layer on a semiconductor substrate;

forming an interlayer insulating film on the semiconductor substrate on which the lower conductive layer is formed;

selectively etching the interlayer insulating film to form an opening of a given shape through which the lower conductive layer is exposed;

forming a metal seed layer along the step on the result in which the opening of the given shape is formed;

reflowing the metal seed layer by means of a laser process to form the metal seed layer of an uniform thickness;

performing a hydrogen reduction annealing process for the metal seed layer; and

forming a metal film on the metal seed layer by means of an electroplating method.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the laser process is performed using nitrogen or helium as a light source of a laser.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the laser process includes illuminating the laser beam at the energy intensity of 1 through 5 mJ/cm² and application voltage of 1 through 20 KV.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the laser process includes illuminating the laser beam by moving the semiconductor substrate to scan with the light source of the laser being fixed, or by moving the light source of the laser to scan the semiconductor substrate with the semiconductor substrate being fixed.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the laser process includes illuminating the laser beam by reflecting the laser emitted from a laser discharge device using a reflecting mirror and making the focus of the laser beam using a focus control means in order to control the energy intensity.

6. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the laser process includes illuminating the laser beam by positing a slit between a focus control device and the semiconductor substrate and then controlling the intensity of the laser beam emitted from the focus control device.

7. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the laser process is performed using an ArF or KrF excimer laser of a short wavelength.

8. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the metal seed layer is formed of copper (Cu), nickel (Ni), molybdenum (Mo), platinum (Pt), titanium (Ti) or aluminum (Al).

9. The method as claimed in claim 8, wherein the metal seed layer is formed in thickness of 50 through 2500 Å

.

10. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the hydrogen reduction annealing process is performed using a hydrogen gas, or a hydrogen-mixed gas containing argon (Ar) or nitrogen (N₂) of a given concentration at room temperature through 350°

C. for 1 minute through 3 hours, in order to make rough the grain size of the metal seed layer and remove a native oxide film formed on the surface of the metal seed layer.

11. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising the step of forming a diffusion barrier layer on the semiconductor substrate in which the opening is formed before the metal seed layer is formed.

12. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising the steps of after the metal film is formed using the electroplating method,

performing a hydrogen reduction annealing process for the metal film;

and

performing a chemical mechanical polishing process for the semiconductor substrate in which the metal film is formed.

13. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the metal film is a copper (Cu) film.

14. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the opening of the given shape is a dual damascene pattern, a via hole or a trench.