Plated copper interconnect structure
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A semiconductor device comprising:
- a semiconductor substrate;
a dielectric interlayer formed on a level above the semiconductor substrate, which dielectric interlayer has an upper surface and an opening therein filled with conductive material forming an interconnect pattern, wherein the interconnect pattern comprises;
a seed layer comprising an alloy containing a refractory metal and one or more of nickel, cobalt, silver, gold, platinum, rhodium or copper deposited in the opening; and
a copper or copper-base alloy electroplated or electrolessly plated on the seed layer in the opening.
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Abstract
A high conductivity interconnect structure is formed by electroplating or electroless plating of Cu or a Cu-base alloy on a seed layer comprising an alloy of a catalytically active metal, such as Cu, and a refractory metal, such as Ta. The seed layer also functions as a barrier/adhesion layer for the subsequently plated Cu or Cu-base alloy. Another embodiment comprises initially depositing a refractory metal barrier layer before depositing the seed layer.
798 Citations
37 Claims
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1. A semiconductor device comprising:
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a semiconductor substrate; a dielectric interlayer formed on a level above the semiconductor substrate, which dielectric interlayer has an upper surface and an opening therein filled with conductive material forming an interconnect pattern, wherein the interconnect pattern comprises; a seed layer comprising an alloy containing a refractory metal and one or more of nickel, cobalt, silver, gold, platinum, rhodium or copper deposited in the opening; and a copper or copper-base alloy electroplated or electrolessly plated on the seed layer in the opening. - View Dependent Claims (2)
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3. A semiconductor device comprising:
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a semiconductor substrate; a dielectric interlayer formed ona level above the semiconductor substrate, which dielectric interlayer has an upper surface and an opening therin filled with conductive material forming an interconnect pattern, wherein the interconnect pattern comprises; a seed layer comprising an alloy containing about 0.5 at. % to about 99.5 at. % copper and a refractory metal; and a copper or copper-base alloy electroplated or electroless plated on the seed layer in the opening. - View Dependent Claims (4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A semiconductor device comprising:
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a semiconductor substrate; a dielectric interlayer formed on a level above the semiconductor substrate, which dielectric interlayer has an upper surface and an opening therein filled with conductive material forming an interconnect pattern, wherein the interconnect pattern comprises; a seed layer comprising an alloy containing a refractory metal and one or more of nickel, cobalt, silver, gold, palladium, platinum, rhodium or copper deposited in the opening; and a copper or copper-base alloy electroplated or electrolessly plated on the seed layer in the opening, further comprising a silicon nitride barrier layer formed on the electroless plated or electroplated copper or copper-base alloy.
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11. A semiconductor device comprising:
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a semiconductor substrate; a dielectric interlayer formed on a level above the semiconductor substrate, which dielectric interlayer has an upper surface and an opening therein filled with conductive material forming an interconnect pattern, wherein the interconnect pattern comprises; a seed layer comprising an alloy containing a refractory metal and one or more of nickel, cobalt, silver, gold, palladium, platinum, rhodium or copper deposited in the opening; and a copper or copper-base alloy electroplated or electrolessly plated on the seed layer in the opening, further comprising an etch stop layer on the upper surface of the dielectric interlayer.
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12. A method of manufacturing a semiconductor substrate, which method comprises:
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forming a dielectric interlayer, comprising an upper surface, on a level above a semiconductor substrate; forming an opening in the dielectric interlayer extending to the upper surface; depositing a seed layer, comprising an alloy of a refractory metal and one or more of nickel, cobalt, silver, gold, platinum, rhodium or copper, in the opening and on the upper surface of the dielectric interlayer; and electroplating or electroless plating copper or a copper-base alloy on the seed layer in the opening and forming a layer on the upper surface of the dielectric interlayer. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14)
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15. A method of manufacturing a semiconductor substrate, which method comprises:
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forming a dielecric interlayer, comprising an upper surface, on a level above a semiconductor substrate; forming an opening in the dielectric interlayer extending to the upper surface; depositing a seed layer comprising an alloy containing of about 0.5 at. % to about 99.5 at. % copper and a refractory metal, in the opening and on the upper surface of the dielectric interlayer; and electroplating or electroless plating copper or a copper-base alloy on the seed layer in the opening and forming a layer on the upper surface of the dielectric interlayer. - View Dependent Claims (16, 19, 20, 22, 24, 25, 28, 29)
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17. A method of manufacturing a semiconductor substrate, which method comprises:
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forming a dielectric interlayer, comprising an upper surface, on a level above a semiconductor substrate; forming an opening in the dielectric interlayer extending to the upper surface; depositing a barrier layer containing a refractory metal, alloy or compound thereof, in the opening and on the upper surface of the dielectric interlayer; depositing a seed layer, comprising an alloy of a refractory metal and one or more of nickel, cobalt, silver, gold, palladium, platinum, rhodium or copper, on the barrier layer in the opening and on the upper surface of the dielectric interlayer; and electroplating or electroless plating copper or a copper-base alloy on the seed layer in the opening and forming a layer on the upper surface of the dielectric interlayer. - View Dependent Claims (18)
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21. A method of manufacturing a semiconductor substrate, which method comprises:
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forming a dielectric interlayer, comprising an upper surface, on a level above a semiconductor substrate; forming an etch stop layer on the upper surface of the dielectric interlayer; forming an opening in the dielectric interlayer extending to the upper surface; depositing a seed layer, comprising an alloy of a refractory metal and one or more of nickel, cobalt, silver, gold, palladium, platinum, rhodium or copper, in the opening and on the etch stop layer on the upper surface of the dielectric interlayer; and electroplating or electrolyze plating copper or a copper-base alloy on the seed layer in the opening and forming a layer on the upper surface of the dielectric interlayer.
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23. A method of manufacturing a semiconductor substrate, which method comprises:
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forming a dielectric interlayer, comprising an upper surface, on a level above a semiconductor substrate; forming an etch stop layer on the upper surface of the dielectric interlayer; forming an opening in the dielectric interlayer extending to the upper surface; depositing a seed layer, comprising an alloy of a refractory metal and one or more of nickel, cobalt, silver, gold, palladium, platinum, rhodium or copper, in the opening and on the etch stop layer of on the surface of the dielectric interlayer; and electroplating or electroless plating copper or a copper-base alloy on the seed layer in the opening and forming a layer on the upper surface of the dielelctric interlayer.
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26. A semiconductor device comprising:
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a semiconductor substrate; a dielectric interlayer formed on a level above the semiconductor substrate, which dielectric interlayer has an upper surface and an opening therein filled with conductive material forming an interconnect pattern, wherein the interconnect pattern comprises a multilayer structure comprising; (a) a layer of a refractory metal having an upper surface; (b) an intermediate layer comprising the refractory metal and one or more elements selected from the group consisting of Ni, Co, Ag, Au, Pd, Pt, Rh and Cu, wherein the concentration of the refractory metal decreases across the intermediate layer from the upper surface of the refractory metal layer from 100% to 0% and the concentration of one or more of Ni, Co, Ag, Au, Pd, Pt, Rh or Cu increases from 0% to 100% from the upper surface of the intermediate layer; and (c) a layer containing one or more Ni, Co, Ag, Au, Pd, Pt, Rh or Cu. - View Dependent Claims (27)
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30. A semiconductor device comprising:
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a semiconductor substrate; a dielectric interlayer formed on a level above the semiconductor substrate, which dielectric interlayer has an upper surface and an opening therein filled with conductive material forming an interconnect pattern, wherein the interconnect pattern comprises; a seed layer comprising an alloy containing a refractory metal and one or more of nickel, cobalt, silver, gold, palladium, platinum, rhodium or copper deposited in the opening; and a copper or copper-base alloy electroplated or electrolessly plated on the seed layer in the opening, wherein the dielectric interlayer comprises an oxide. - View Dependent Claims (31)
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32. A method of manufacturing a semiconductor substrate, which method comprises:
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forming a dielectric interlayer, comprising an upper surface, on a level above a semiconductor substrate; forming an opening in the dielectric interlayer extending to the upper surface; depositing a seed layer, comprising an alloy of a refractory metal and one or more of nickel, cobalt, silver, gold, palladium, platinum, rhodium or copper, in the opening and on the upper surface of the dielectric interlayer; and electroplating or electroless plating copper or a copper-base alloy on the seed layer in the opening and forming a layer on the upper surface of the dielectric interlayer, wherein the dielectric interlayer comprises an oxide. - View Dependent Claims (33)
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34. A semiconductor device comprising:
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a semiconductor substrate; a dielectric interlayer formed on a level above the semiconductor substrate, which dielectric interlayer has an upper surface and an opening therein filled with conductive material forming an interconnect pattern, wherein the interconnect pattern comprises; a seed layer comprising an alloy containing a refractory metal and one or more of nickel, cobalt, silver, gold, palladium, platinum, rhodium or copper deposited in the opening; and a copper or copper-base alloy electroplated or electrolessly plated on the seed layer in the opening, wherein the copper or copper-based alloy is electroplated or electroless plated directly on the seed layer in the opening.
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35. A method of manufacturing a semiconductor substrate, which method comprises:
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forming a dielectric interlayer, comprising an upper surface, on a level above a semiconductor substrate; forming an opening in the dielectric interlayer extending to the upper surface; depositing a seed layer, comprising an alloy of a refractory metal and one or more of nickel, cobalt, silver, gold, palladium, platinum, rhodium or copper, in the opening and on the upper surface of the dielectric interlayer; and electroplating or electroless plating copper or a copper-base alloy on the seed layer in the opening and forming a layer on the upper surface of the dielectric interlayer, comprising electroplating or electroless plating copper or a copper-based alloy directly on the seed layer in the opening.
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36. A semiconductor device comprising:
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a semiconductor substrate; a dielectric interlayer formed on a level above the semiconductor substrate, which dielectric interlayer has an upper surface and an opening therein filled with conductive material forming an interconnect pattern, wherein the interconnect pattern comprises; a seed layer comprising an alloy containing a refractory metal and one or more of nickel, cobalt, silver, gold, palladium, platinum, rhodium or copper deposited in the opening; and a copper or copper-base alloy electroplated or electrolessly plated on the seed layer in the opening, wherein the refractory metal comprises tantalum or tungsten.
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37. A method of manufacturing a semiconductor substrate, which method comprises:
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forming a dielectric interlayer, comprising an upper surface, on a level above a semiconductor substrate; forming an opening in the dielectric interlayer extending to the upper surface; depositing a seed layer, comprising an alloy of a refractory metal and one or more of nickel, cobalt, silver, gold, palladium, platinum, rhodium or copper, in the opening and on the upper surface of the dielectric interlayer; and electroplating or electroless plating copper or a copper-base alloy on the seed layer in the opening and forming a layer on the upper surface of the dielectric interlayer, wherein the refractory upper surface of the dielectric interlayer, wherein the refractory metal comprises tantalum or tungsten.
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Specification