Selective refractory metal and nitride capping
First Claim
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1. A method of forming a capping layer on copper lines of a semiconductor device, the method comprising:
- (a) providing a partially fabricated semiconductor device having a surface comprising exposed surfaces of the copper lines and dielectric around the copper lines, (b) creating a nucleation refractory metal layer over at least the exposed surfaces of the copper lines;
(c) depositing a bulk refractory metal layer over at least the nucleation refractory metal layer created in (b); and
(d) nitriding at least an upper portion of the bulk refractory metal layer deposited in (c) to form a refractory metal nitride layer effective for reducing electromigration of the copper line and for blocking diffusion of copper from the copper conductive lines.
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Abstract
A method for creating a refractory metal and refractory metal nitride cap effective for reducing copper electromigration and copper diffusion is described. The method includes depositing a refractory metal nucleation layer and nitriding at least the upper portion of the refractory metal layer to form a refractory metal nitride. Methods to reduce and clean the copper lines before refractory metal deposition are also described. Methods to form a thicker refractory metal layer using bulk deposition are also described.
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Citations
55 Claims
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1. A method of forming a capping layer on copper lines of a semiconductor device, the method comprising:
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(a) providing a partially fabricated semiconductor device having a surface comprising exposed surfaces of the copper lines and dielectric around the copper lines, (b) creating a nucleation refractory metal layer over at least the exposed surfaces of the copper lines;
(c) depositing a bulk refractory metal layer over at least the nucleation refractory metal layer created in (b); and
(d) nitriding at least an upper portion of the bulk refractory metal layer deposited in (c) to form a refractory metal nitride layer effective for reducing electromigration of the copper line and for blocking diffusion of copper from the copper conductive lines. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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30. A method of forming a capping layer on copper lines of a semiconductor device, the method comprising:
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(a) providing a partially fabricated semiconductor device having a surface comprising exposed surfaces of the copper lines and dielectric around the copper lines;
(b) creating a nucleation refractory metal layer over at least the exposed surfaces of the copper lines;
(c) depositing a bulk refractory metal layer over at least the nucleation refractory metal layer created in (b). - View Dependent Claims (31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47)
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48. A method of forming a capping layer on copper lines of a semiconductor device, the method comprising:
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(a) providing a partially fabricated semiconductor device having a surface comprising exposed surfaces of the copper lines and dielectric around the copper lines;
(b) creating a refractory metal layer over at least the exposed surfaces of the copper lines; and
(c) nitriding at least an upper portion of the refractory metal layer deposited in (c) to form a refractory metal nitride layer effective for reducing electromigration of the copper line and for blocking diffusion of copper from the copper conductive lines, wherein the exposed surfaces of the copper lines comprise copper oxide and wherein the method further comprises reducing the copper oxide before creating the refractory metal layer. - View Dependent Claims (49, 50, 51, 52, 53)
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54. A method of forming a capping layer on copper lines of a semiconductor device, the method comprising:
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(a) providing a partially fabricated semiconductor device having a surface comprising exposed surfaces of the copper lines and dielectric around the copper lines;
(b) creating a nucleation refractory metal layer over at least the exposed surfaces of the copper lines; and
(c) nitriding at least an upper portion of the nucleation refractory metal layer deposited in (b) to form a refractory metal nitride layer effective for reducing electromigration of the copper line and for blocking diffusion of copper from the copper conductive lines. - View Dependent Claims (55)
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Specification