Apparatus and method for electrolytically depositing a metal on a microelectronic workpiece
DCFirst Claim
1. A process for applying a metal to a microelectronic workpiece, the microelectronic workpiece including an exteriorly disposed surface having a plurality of micro-recessed structures that are defined by sidewalls, the microelectronic workpiece further including a barrier layer deposited on at least a portion of the exteriorly disposed surface of the microelectronic workpiece and on at least substantial portions of the walls of the plurality of micro-recessed structures, the process comprising the steps of:
- (a) forming an ultra-thin metal seed layer exterior to the barrier layer using a first deposition process, the seed layer having a thickness of less than or equal to about 500 Angstroms;
(b) repairing the ultra-thin seed layer by depositing an additional metal using a second deposition process that is different from the first deposition process to provide a repaired seed layer that is suitable for subsequent electroplating, the repaired seed layer having a thickness at all points on sidewalls of substantially all micro-recessed structures distributed within the workpiece that is equal to or greater than about 10% of the nominal thickness of the enhanced seed layer over the exteriorly disposed surface of the workpiece;
(c) electroplating a metal onto the repaired seed layer using a third deposition process using processing parameters that are different from processing parameters used in the second deposition process.
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Abstract
A process for applying a metallization interconnect structure to a semiconductor workpiece having a barrier layer deposited on a surface thereof is set forth. The process includes the forming of an ultra-thin metal seed layer on the barrier layer. The ultra-thin seed layer having a thickness of less than or equal to about 500 Angstroms. The ultra-thin seed layer is then enhanced by depositing additional metal thereon to provide an enhanced seed layer. The enhanced seed layer has a thickness at all points on sidewalls of substantially all recessed features distributed within the workpiece that is equal to or greater than about 10% of the nominal seed layer thickness over an exteriorly disposed surface of the workpiece.
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Citations
64 Claims
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1. A process for applying a metal to a microelectronic workpiece, the microelectronic workpiece including an exteriorly disposed surface having a plurality of micro-recessed structures that are defined by sidewalls, the microelectronic workpiece further including a barrier layer deposited on at least a portion of the exteriorly disposed surface of the microelectronic workpiece and on at least substantial portions of the walls of the plurality of micro-recessed structures, the process comprising the steps of:
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(a) forming an ultra-thin metal seed layer exterior to the barrier layer using a first deposition process, the seed layer having a thickness of less than or equal to about 500 Angstroms;
(b) repairing the ultra-thin seed layer by depositing an additional metal using a second deposition process that is different from the first deposition process to provide a repaired seed layer that is suitable for subsequent electroplating, the repaired seed layer having a thickness at all points on sidewalls of substantially all micro-recessed structures distributed within the workpiece that is equal to or greater than about 10% of the nominal thickness of the enhanced seed layer over the exteriorly disposed surface of the workpiece;
(c) electroplating a metal onto the repaired seed layer using a third deposition process using processing parameters that are different from processing parameters used in the second deposition process. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. In a manufacturing line including a plurality of apparatus for the manufacture of micro-sized metal structures on a microelectronic workpiece, one or more apparatus of the plurality of apparatus being used for applying metal to a surface of the microelectronic workpiece, the one or more apparatus comprising:
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means for applying a conductive ultra-thin seed layer to a surface of the microelectronic workpiece using a first deposition process, the ultra-thin seed layer having a thickness of less than 500 Angstroms;
means for electrochemically repairing the conductive ultra-thin seed layer using a second deposition process that differs from the first deposition process to thereby provide repaired seed layer that is suitable for subsequent electroplating;
means for electroplating a metal onto the repaired seed layer to a predetermined thickness representing a bulk portion of the micro-sized metal structure. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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30. A process for applying a metal to a surface of a microelectronic workpiece pursuant to forming one or more micro-sized metal structures thereon, the microelectronic workpiece including a barrier layer deposited on at least a portion of the surface of the microelectronic workpiece, the process comprising the steps of:
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(a) forming an ultra-thin metal seed layer on the barrier layer, the ultra-thin metal seed layer having a thickness of less than 500 Angstroms;
(b) subjecting the microelectronic workpiece to a first electrochemical copper deposition process in an alkaline electrolytic bath having copper ions complexed with a complexing agent such that additional copper is deposited on the ultra-thin metal seed layer to repair the seed layer so that is suitable for subsequent electrochemical deposition;
(c) subjecting the microelectronic workpiece to a second electrochemical copper deposition process using processing parameters that differ from processing parameters used in the first electrochemical copper deposition process. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46)
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47. A process for applying a metal to a microelectronic workpiece pursuant to forming a micro-sized metal structure on a surface of the microelectronic workpiece, the process comprising:
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(a) forming a metal seed layer on a surface of the workpiece using a first deposition process, the metal seed layer being generally unsuitable for bulk deposition of a metal that is to be used to form the micro-sized metal structure;
(b) repairing the seed layer by depositing additional metal on the seed layer using a second deposition process that differs from the first deposition process to thereby provide a repaired seed layer that is suitable for subsequent bulk deposition of a metal that is to be used to form the micro-sized metal structure;
(c) subjecting the microelectronic workpiece to a third deposition process using processing parameters that differ from processing parameters used in the second deposition process to deposit a bulk amount of the metal that is used to form the micro-sized metal structure. - View Dependent Claims (48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60)
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61. In a manufacturing line including a plurality of apparatus for the manufacture of microelectronic circuits or components, one or more apparatus of the plurality of apparatus being used for applying interconnect metallization in a damascene process to a surface of a microelectronic workpiece used to form the microelectronic circuits or components, the one or more apparatus comprising:
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means for applying a metal seed layer to a surface of the microelectronic workpiece using a physical vapor deposition process, the metal seed layer being generally unsuitable for bulk electrochemical deposition of the interconnect metallization;
means for electrochemically repairing the metal seed layer to render it suitable for subsequent electrochemical application of a metal to a predetermined thickness representing a bulk portion of the interconnect metallization.
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62. A process for applying a metal to a microelectronic workpiece, the process comprising the steps of:
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(a) forming a metal seed layer using a first deposition process, the first deposition process physically anchoring the metal seed layer to an underlying layer, the metal seed layer having physical characteristics that render it generally unsuitable for bulk electrolytic deposition of a metal thereon;
(b) repairing the seed layer by electrochemically depositing an additional metal on the seed layer using a second deposition process that is different from the first deposition process to form a repaired seed layer;
(c) electrolytically depositing a metal on the repaired seed layer under conditions in which the deposition rate of the electrolytic deposition process is substantially greater than the deposition rate of the process used to repair the seed layer.
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63. A process for filling a micro-recessed structure disposed in a surface of a microelectronic workpiece with a metal, the microelectronic workpiece including a barrier layer deposited on at least a portion of the upper surface thereof and on surfaces of the plurality of micro-recessed structures, the process comprising the steps of:
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(a) forming a metal seed layer on the barrier layer using a physical vapor deposition process, the metal seed layer having physical characteristics that render it generally unsuitable for bulk, electrolytic deposition of a metal thereon;
(b) repairing the seed layer by electrolytically depositing additional metal on the ultra-thin metal seed layer using an alkaline electroplating solution to thereby form a repaired seed layer;
(c) substantially filling the micro-recessed structures with a metal in an electrolytic deposition process using an acidic electroplating solution.
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64. A process for applying a metal to a microelectronic workpiece, the microelectronic workpiece including a surface in which are disposed a plurality of micro-recessed structures, the process comprising the steps of:
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(a) forming an ultra-thin metal seed layer on the surface of the microelectronic workpiece, including the walls of the plurality of micro-recessed structures, the ultra-thin metal seed layer being formed using a first deposition process;
(b) enhancing the ultra-thin seed layer by depositing an additional metal using a second deposition process that is different from the first deposition process to provide an enhanced seed layer, the additional metal being formed from a metal comprising the same metal used to form the ultra-thin seed layer; and
(c) electroplating a metal onto the enhanced seed layer so as to fill the micro-recessed structures.
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Specification