Method for fabricating a semiconductor device having a refractory metal pillar for electrical connection

• US 5,910,020 A
• Filed: 12/18/1996
• Issued: 06/08/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 12/18/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: NEC Electronics Corporation (Renesas Electronics Corporation)
• Original Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Inventors: Yamada, Yoshiaki
• Primary Examiner(s): QUACH, TUAN N
• Application Number:
  US08/769,162
• Time in Patent Office: 902 Days
• Field of Search: 438/622, 438/623, 438/624, 438/631, 438/633, 438/634, 438/637, 438/648, 438/656, 257/752, 257/758, 257/759, 257/760, 257/763
• US Class Current: 438/624
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/76802 by forming openings in dielectrics
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/76885 By forming conductive members before deposition of protective insulating material, e.g. pillars, studs
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/5226 Via connections in a multilevel interconnection structure
• 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

Abstract

Disclosed is a method for fabricating a semiconductor device which prevents generation of imperfections in an aluminum alloy as an upper wiring even when part of a refractory metal pillar, which fills in a contact hole connecting lower and upper wiring layers, is exposed due to displacement of the upper wiring layer. The method comprises forming a third insulation film, a second insulation film and a second wiring layer, on a first wiring layer, forming holes which extend to the first wiring layer therethrough, forming refractory metal pillars by filling in the holes with a refractory metals, and forming a fourth insulation film. The second wiring layer is formed within a groove formed by removing the third and fourth insulation films to expose top and side surfaces of the refractory metal pillar. Even when displacement is caused between the refractory metal pillar and the second wiring layer, the reliability does not decrease, since the refractory metal pillars are covered with the fourth insulation film. The second wiring layer is preferably formed by polishing.

Claims

1. A method for fabricating a semiconductor device, said method comprising the steps of:

forming a first insulation film on a first wiring layer formed on a semiconductor substrate;

forming a second insulation film on said first insulation film;

forming a third insulation film on said second insulation film;

forming a hole through said first, second and third insulation films to expose said first wiring layer at its bottom;

forming a refractory metal pillar structure by filling in said hole with a refractory metal;

forming a fourth insulation film to cover exposed surfaces of said pillar structure and said third insulation film;

selectively removing portions of said third and fourth insulation films to form an opening exposing a side and a top surface of said refractory metal pillar structure; and

filling in said opening with a conductive wiring material to form a second wiring layer to electrically connect with said refractory metal pillar.

2. The method for fabricating a semiconductor device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the film thickness of said third insulation film is 1/3 to 2/3 times the film thickness of said second wiring layer.

3. The method for fabricating a semiconductor device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the film thickness of said third insulation film is 1/3 to 2/3 times the film thickness of said second wiring layer, and the film thickness of said second insulation film is 10-30 nm.

4. The method for fabricating a semiconductor device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said third insulation film is silicon oxide having a film thickness of 1/3 to 2/3 times the film thickness of said second wiring layer, and said second insulation film is silicon nitride having a film thickness of 10-30 nm.

5. The method for fabricating a semiconductor device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said third insulation film is etched with a higher etch rate than said second insulation film so that said second insulation film is used as an etching stopper film in said selective removing step.

6. The method for fabricating a semiconductor device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the film thickness of said third insulation film is 1/3 to 2/3 times the film thickness of said second wiring layer, and said third insulation film is etched with a higher etch rate than said second insulation film so that said second insulation film is used as an etching stopper film in said selective removing step.

7. The method for fabricating a semiconductor device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the film thickness of said third insulation film is 1/3 to 2/3 times the film thickness of said second wiring layer, the film thickness of said second insulation film is 10-30 nm, wherein said third insulation film is etched with a higher etch rate than said second insulation film so that said second insulation film is used as an etching stopper film in said selective removing step.

8. The method for fabricating a semiconductor device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said second wiring layer is provided by depositing a wiring metal on an area containing said opening and thereafter subjecting said wiring metal to surface polishing to remove said wiring metal outside said opening.

9. The method for fabricating a semiconductor device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the film thickness of said third insulation film is 1/3 to 2/3 times the film thickness of said second wiring layer, and said second wiring layer is provided by depositing a wiring metal on an area containing said opening and thereafter subjecting said wiring metal to surface polishing to remove said wiring metal outside said opening.

10. The method for fabricating a semiconductor device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the film thickness of said third insulation film is 1/3 to 2/3 times the film thickness of said second wiring layer, and the film thickness of said second insulation film is 10-30 nm, wherein said second wiring layer is provided by depositing a wiring metal on an area containing said opening and thereafter subjecting said wiring metal to surface polishing to remove said wiring metal outside said opening.

11. The method for fabricating a semiconductor device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said refractory metal is tungsten, and said wiring material is an aluminum alloy.

12. The method for fabricating a semiconductor device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said refractory metal pillar comprises a laminated structure of titanium, titanium nitride, and tungsten successively filled in said hole, and said wiring material is an aluminum alloy.

13. The method for fabricating a semiconductor device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said selective removing step partially exposes said side surface and said top surface of said refractory metal pillar.

14. A method for fabricating a semiconductor device, said method comprising the steps of:

forming a first insulation film on a first wiring layer formed on a semiconductor substrate;

forming a second insulation film to a predetermined thickness on said first insulation film;

forming a hole through said first and second insulation films to expose said first wiring layer at its bottom;

forming a refractory metal pillar structure by filling in said hole with a refractory metal;

forming a third insulation film to cover exposed surfaces of said pillar structure and said second insulation film;

selectively removing portions of said second and third insulation films to form an opening exposing a side and a top surface of said refractory metal pillar structure, wherein a height of said side of said pillar exposed is made substantially equal to said predetermined thickness by etching said second insulation film with a higher etch rate than said first insulation film so that said first insulation film is used as an etching stopper film; and

filling in said opening with a conductive wiring material to form a second wiring layer to electrically connect with said refractory metal pillar.

15. The method for fabricating a semiconductor device as claimed in claim 14, wherein the film thickness of said second insulation film is 1/3 to 2/3 times the film thickness of said second wiring layer.

16. The method for fabricating a semiconductor device as claimed in claim 14, wherein the film thickness of said second insulation film is 1/3 to 2/3 times the film thickness of said second wiring layer, and said second insulation film is etched with a higher etch rate than said first insulation film so that said first insulation film is used as an etching stopper film in said selective removing step.

17. The method for fabricating a semiconductor device as claimed in claim 14, wherein said second insulation film is silicon nitride having a film thickness 1/3 to 2/3 times the film thickness of said second wiring layer, and said first insulation film is silicon oxide being etched with a lower etch rate than said second insulation film so that said first insulation film is used as an etching stopper film in said selective removing step.

18. The method for fabricating a semiconductor device as claimed in claim 14, wherein said second insulation film is silicon oxy-fluoride having a film thickness of 1/3 to 2/3 times the film thickness of said second wiring layer, and said first insulation film is silicon oxide being etched with a lower etch rate than said first insulation film so that said second insulation film is used as an etching stopper film in said selective removing step.

19. The method for fabricating a semiconductor device as claimed in claim 14, wherein the second wiring layer is provided by depositing a wiring metal on an area containing said opening and thereafter subjecting said wiring metal to surface polishing to remove said wiring metal outside said opening.

20. The method for fabricating a semiconductor device as claimed in claim 14, wherein said refractory metal pillar comprises a laminated structure of titanium, titanium nitride, and tungsten successively filled in said hole, and said wiring material is an aluminum alloy.

21. The method for fabricating a semiconductor device as claimed in claim 14, wherein said selective removing step partially exposes said side surface and said top surface of said refractory metal pillar.

22. A method for fabricating a semiconductor device, said method comprising the steps of:

forming a first insulation film on a first wiring layer formed on a semiconductor substrate;

forming a second insulation film to a predetermined thickness on said first insulation film;

forming a hole through said first and second insulation films to expose said first wiring layer at its bottom;

forming a refractory metal pillar structure by filling in said hole with a refractory metal;

forming a third insulation film to cover exposed surfaces of said pillar structure and said second insulation film;

selectively removing a portion of said third insulation film to form an opening exposing a top surface of said refractory metal pillar structure and a surface of said second insulation film adjacent to said top surface of said refractory metal pillar structure using a first etchant;

selectively removing a portion of said second insulation film exposed by said first etchant to form an opening exposing a side surface of said refractory metal pillar structure using a second etchant different from said first etchant, wherein a height of said side of said pillar exposed is made substantially equal to said predetermined thickness by etching said second insulation film with a higher etch rate than said first insulation film so that said first insulation film is used as an etching stopper film; and

filling in said opening with a conductive wiring material to form a second wiring layer.