Copper conductive line with redundant liner and method of making

• US 6,433,429 B1
• Filed: 09/01/1999
• Issued: 08/13/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 09/01/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: GlobalFoundries, Inc.
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Stamper, Anthony K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Williams, Alexander O.
• Application Number:
  US09/388,132
• Time in Patent Office: 1,077 Days
• Field of Search: 257/734, 257/758, 257/701, 257/710, 257/751, 257/761-766, 257/750, 257/628, 257/638, 257/653, 257/654, 438/675, 438/633, 438/653, 438/627, 438/637, 438/685, 438/442, 438/396
• US Class Current: 257/751
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/76846 Layer combinations
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/53238 Additional layers associated with copper layers, e.g. adhesion, barrier, cladding layers
• 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

Interconnections including copper conductor lines, vias and Damascene lines comprise an insulator or dielectric having openings therein, a first adhesion promoting conductive barrier liner material on the walls and base of the opening, a first conductive layer on the first adhesion material layer, the first conductive layer having a predetermined cross-sectional area and having electromigration resistance, a second adhesion promoting/conductive barrier layer on the first conductive layer and a soft low resistant metal such as copper filling the remainder of the opening forming the line or via. These interconnections have enhanced operating and electromigration life particularly if copper is missing or partially missing in the copper interconnections due to the copper deposition process.

Claims

1. A copper conductor metal line or via including Damascene metal lines having high electromigration resistance and operating life comprising:

an insulator or dielectric having an opening therein in the form of metal lines, vias and/or Damascene lines;

a first adhesion promoting/conductive barrier layer liner material in the opening;

a first metal or metal-metal alloy conductive electromigration resistant layer on the first adhesion promoting conductive barrier layer liner material layer;

a second adhesion promoting/conductive barrier liner layer on the first metal or metal-metal alloy conductive electromigration resistant layer; and

a soft low resistance central core of metal forming the line or via.

2. The copper conductor of claim 1 wherein the central core of metal is copper.

3. The copper conductor of claim 2 wherein the first and second adhesion promoting conductive barrier layer liners are tantalum, tungsten and nitrides thereof.

4. The copper conductor of claim 3 wherein the first metal or metal-metal alloy conductive electromigration resistant layer is Ag, Cu, Al, Al alloy thereof, CuIn, CuSn or AlCu.

5. A multilayer electronic component having interconnected metallization including copper lines, vias and/or Damascene lines, the electronic component comprising:

an insulator or dielectric having openings therein in the form of metal lines or vias or Damascene lines;

a first adhesion promoting/conductive barrier liner material layer in the openings;

a first metal or metal-metal alloy conductive electromigration resistant layer on the first adhesion promoting conductive barrier layer liner material layer;

a second adhesion promoting/conductive barrier liner layer on the first metal or metal-metal alloy conductive electromigration resistant layer; and

a soft low resistance central core of metal forming the line or via.

6. The multilayer electronic component of claim 5 wherein the central core of metal is copper.

7. The copper conductor of claim 6 wherein the first and second adhesion promoting conductive barrier layer liners are tantalum, tungsten and nitrides thereof.

8. The copper conductor of claim 7 where the first metal or metal-metal alloy conductive electromigration resistant layer is Ag, Cu, Al, Al alloy thereof, CuIn, CuSn or AlCu.

9. A method for making a copper conductor line, via and/or Damascene line having high electromigration resistance comprising:

forming an insulator or dielectric on a substrate;

forming an opening in the form of metal lines, vias and/or Damascene lines in the insulator;

applying a first adhesion promoting/conductor barrier liner material layer in the opening;

applying a first metal or metal-metal alloy conductive electromigration resistant layer on the first adhesion promoting conductive barrier layer liner material layer;

forming a second adhesion promoting/conductive barrier liner layer on the first metal or metal-metal alloy conductive electromigration resistant layer; and

applying a soft low resistance metal on the second adhesion promoting/barrier layer filling the opening forming the line or via.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the soft low resistance metal is copper.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the first and second adhesion promoting conductive barrier layer liners are tantalum, tungsten and nitrides thereof.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the first metal or metal-metal alloy conductive electromigration resistant layer is Ag, Cu, Al, Al alloy thereof, CuIn, CuSn or AlCu.

17. An electronic component made using the method of claim 9.

13. A method for making a multilayer electronic component having copper conductor lines, vias and/or Damascene metal lines with high electromigration resistance comprising:

forming the multilayer electronic component layer by layer with dielectric layers;

forming openings in the dielectric layer in the form of lines, vias and/or Damascene metal lines;

applying a first adhesion promoting/conductive barrier layer liner material layer in the opening;

applying a first metal or metal-metal alloy conductive electromigration resistant layer on the first adhesion promoting conductive barrier layer liner material layer;

applying a second adhesion promoting/conductive barrier liner layer on the first metal or metal-metal alloy conductive layer; and

applying a soft low resistant metal filling the opening and forming the line or via.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the soft low resistance metal is copper.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the first and second adhesion promoting conductive barrier layer liners are tantalum, tungsten and nitrides thereof.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the first metal or metal-metal alloy conductive electromigration resistant layer is Ag, Cu, Al, Al alloy thereof, CuIn, CuSn or AlCu.

18. An electronic component made using the method of claim 13.