Method for forming capped copper electrical interconnects
First Claim
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1. A method of making capped electrical interconnect comprising the steps of:
- (a) depositing at least one seed layer on a substrate,(b) depositing at least one resist layer over said at least one seed layer,(c) exposing and developing said at least one resist layer so as to define at least one opening in said at least one resist layer such that a portion of said at least one seed layer is exposed,(d) depositing copper in said at least one opening to define electrical interconnects,(e) thermally treating said substrate through at least one thermal cycle so that said resist separates from said deposited copper, and the side walls of said deposited copper are exposed,(f) capping said deposited copper electrical interconnect and the side walls thereof with at least one metallic capping material,(g) removing said at least one resist layer such that at least a portion of said at least one seed layer underneath said at least one resist layer is exposed, and(h) removing said exposed portion of said at least one seed layer, and thereby forming said capped electrical interconnect.
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Abstract
The present invention relates generally to a new structure and method for capped copper electrical interconnects. More particularly, the invention encompasses a novel structure in which one or more of the copper electrical interconnects within a semiconductor substrate are capped to obtain a robust electrical interconnect structure. A method for obtaining such capped copper electrical interconnect structure is also disclosed. These capped interconnects can be a single layer or multi-layer structures. Similarly, the interconnect structure that is being capped can itself be composed of single or multi-layered material.
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Citations
30 Claims
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1. A method of making capped electrical interconnect comprising the steps of:
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(a) depositing at least one seed layer on a substrate, (b) depositing at least one resist layer over said at least one seed layer, (c) exposing and developing said at least one resist layer so as to define at least one opening in said at least one resist layer such that a portion of said at least one seed layer is exposed, (d) depositing copper in said at least one opening to define electrical interconnects, (e) thermally treating said substrate through at least one thermal cycle so that said resist separates from said deposited copper, and the side walls of said deposited copper are exposed, (f) capping said deposited copper electrical interconnect and the side walls thereof with at least one metallic capping material, (g) removing said at least one resist layer such that at least a portion of said at least one seed layer underneath said at least one resist layer is exposed, and (h) removing said exposed portion of said at least one seed layer, and thereby forming said capped electrical interconnect. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A method of making capped electrical interconnect comprising the steps of:
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(a) depositing at least one seed layer on a substrate, (b) depositing at least one resist layer over said at least one seed layer, (c) exposing and developing said at least one resist layer so as to define at least one opening in said at least one resist layer such that a portion of said at least one seed layer is exposed, (d) depositing copper in said at least one opening to define electrical interconnects, (e) developing said at least one resist layer using at least one heated developer solution so that said at least one resist separates from said deposited copper, and the side walls of said deposited copper are exposed, (f) capping said deposited copper electrical interconnect and the sidewalls thereof with at least one metallic capping material, (g) removing said at least one resist layer such that at least a portion of said at least one seed layer underneath said at least one resist layer is exposed, and (h) removing said exposed portion of said at least one seed layer, and thereby forming said capped electrical interconnect. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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Specification