Methods and apparatus for making integrated-circuit wiring from copper, silver, gold, and other metals
First Claim
1. A processing chamber for one or more integrated-circuit assemblies, comprising means for sputtering a material and means for vapor-depositing a material.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
In recent years, copper wiring has emerged as a promising substitute for the aluminum wiring in integrated circuits, because copper offers lower electrical resistance and better reliability at smaller dimensions than aluminum. However, use of copper typically requires forming a diffusion barrier to prevent contamination of other parts of an integrated circuit and forming a seed layer to facilitate copper plating steps. Unfortunately, conventional methods of forming the diffusion barriers and seed layers require use of separate wafer-processing chambers, giving rise to transport delays and the introduction of defect-causing particles. Accordingly, the inventors devised unique wafer-processing chambers and methods of forming barrier and seed layers. One embodiment of the wafer-processing chamber includes equipment for physical vapor deposition and equipment for chemical vapor deposition to facilitate formation of diffusion barriers and seed layers within one chamber, thereby promoting fabrication efficiency and reducing defects.
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Citations
37 Claims
- 1. A processing chamber for one or more integrated-circuit assemblies, comprising means for sputtering a material and means for vapor-depositing a material.
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10. A processing chamber for one or more integrated-circuit assemblies, comprising:
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means for holding a sputter target;
means for depositing a material including means for vapor-depositing; and
means for preventing contamination of the sputter target during operation of the means for vapor-depositing the material. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A processing chamber for one or more integrated-circuit assemblies, comprising:
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means for holding a sputter target within the chamber;
plasma means for introducing a plasma into the chamber;
means for vapor-deposition; and
means for isolating the plasma means from the means for vapor-deposition during operation of the means for vapor-depositing. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A processing chamber for one or more integrated-circuit assemblies, comprising:
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means for holding a sputter target within the chamber;
plasma means for introducing a plasma into the chamber;
means for vapor-deposition;
means for isolating the plasma means from the means for vapor-deposition during operation of the means for vapor-depositing; and
means for preventing contamination of the sputter target during operation of the means for vapor-depositing the material. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. A processing chamber for one or more integrated-circuit assemblies, comprising:
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a wafer holder for holding a wafer or substrate;
means for sputtering a material onto a surface of a wafer held by the wafer holder, including;
one or more sputter-target holders within the chamber for holding a sputter target;
a plasma source coupled to the chamber; and
means for vapor-depositing a material, including;
one or more mass-flow controllers coupled to the chamber; and
a gas-emission tube coupled to at least one of the mass-flow controllers and having one or more orifices oriented for emitting gas toward a sputter target held by the one or more sputter target holders.
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29. Apparatus for processing one or more integrated-circuit assemblies, comprising:
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a chamber;
a sputtering target holder within the chamber;
an electron-cyclotron-resonance plasma source coupled to the chamber; and
a mass-flow controller coupled to the chamber. - View Dependent Claims (28, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37)
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Specification