Method of forming metal on a substrate using a Ruthenium-based catalyst

• US 20070004587A1
• Filed: 06/30/2005
• Published: 01/04/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Chebiam, Ramanan, Goldstein, Mike
• Application Number:
  US11/170,160
• Publication Number:
  US 20070004587A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 502/167
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 23/462 Ruthenium
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 37/16 Reducing
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 18/1844 with use of organic or inorganic compounds other than metals, first
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 18/1893 with use of organic or inorganic compounds other than metals, first
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 18/38 Coating with copper

Abstract

A method of forming metal on a substrate includes forming a coupling agent with nitrogen on a substrate, forming a first layer containing a Ruthenium catalyst over the coupling agent, and depositing a second layer including a metal over the first layer using the Ruthenium catalyst as a nucleating agent.

Claims

1. A process, comprising:

forming a coupling agent with nitrogen on a substrate;

forming a first layer containing a Ruthenium catalyst over the coupling agent; and

depositing a second layer including a metal over the first layer using the Ruthenium catalyst as a nucleating agent.

2. The process of claim 1, wherein the coupling agent includes a Silane group of elements which bonds to the substrate.

3. The process of claim 2, wherein the Siliane group of elements is at a first end of the coupling agent adjacent the substrate and the nitrogen is at a second end of the coupling agent adjacent the first layer.

4. The process of claim 1, wherein the nitrogen in the coupling agent is included in an azo group.

5. The process of claim 1, wherein forming the first layer includes:

immersing the coupling agent with nitrogen in a solution containing Ruthenium ions; and

exposing a layer of Ruthenium ions formed on the coupling agent as a result of said immersing to a reducing agent, which at least partially reduces the Ruthenium ions to form the Ruthenium catalyst.

6. The process of claim 5, wherein the Ruthenium ions are Ru2+ ions and the Ruthenium catalyst includes Ru+/Ru.

7. The process of claim 1, wherein a coordinate covalent bond is formed between the nitrogen in the coupling agent and the Ruthenium catalyst in the first layer.

8. The process of claim 1, wherein depositing the second layer includes:

forming the second layer over the first layer using an electroless deposition process, in which the Ruthenium catalyst acts as a nucleating agent.

9. The process of claim 1, wherein the metal in the second layer includes copper.

10. A process, comprising:

forming an activation layer on a substrate; and

forming a metal layer over the activation layer, the activation layer including a Ruthenium catalyst which serves as a nucleating agent to initiate formation of the metal layer over the substrate.

11. The process of claim 10, wherein forming the activation layer includes:

bonding the activation layer to the substrate using a coupling agent having a Silane group at a first end and nitrogen at a second end.

12. The process of claim 11, wherein the Silane group is adjacent the substrate and the nitrogen is adjacent the activation layer.

13. A coupling structure, comprising:

a coupling agent;

a molecule from an azo group along a surface of the coupling agent; and

a Ruthenium catalyst adjacent the azo group along the surface of the coupling agent, said catalyst serving as a nucleating agent for initiating formation of a metal layer.

14. The coupling structure of claim 13, wherein the coupling agent includes one or more molecules from a Silane group, the one or more Silane group molecules located along another surface of the coupling agent.

15. The coupling structure of claim 13, wherein the molecule from the azo group includes nitrogen.

16. A method, comprising:

forming a metal layer on a substrate using a Ruthenium catalyst as a nucleating agent.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the Ruthenium catalyst is complexed with molecules from a Silane group.

18. A system, comprising:

a first circuit; and

an interconnect coupling the first circuit to a second circuit,

wherein the interconnect includes a metal layer attached to a substrate by a coupling structure, the coupling structure including;

(a) a coupling agent;

(b) a molecule from an azo group along a surface of the coupling agent; and

(c) a Ruthenium catalyst adjacent the azo group along the surface of the coupling agent, said catalyst serving as a nucleating agent for initiating formation of a metal layer.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the first and second circuits are located on a same chip die.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein the first circuit is located on a chip die and the second circuit is an off-die component.