Apparatus for depositing seed layers

• US 7,682,496 B2
• Filed: 03/28/2006
• Issued: 03/23/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/02/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Uri Cohen
• Original Assignee: Seed Layers Technologies LLC (General Patent Corporation)
• Inventors: Cohen, Uri
• Primary Examiner(s): MOORE, KARLA A
• Application Number:
  US11/391,035
• Publication Number:
  US 20060166448A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,456 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 204/298.25
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/2855 by physical means, e.g. sputtering, evaporation H01L21/28518 - H01L21/28537 and H01L21/28568 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/28556 by chemical means, e.g. CVD, LPCVD, PECVD, laser CVD H01L21/28518 - H01L21/28537 and H01L21/28568 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/76843 formed in openings in a dielectric
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/76873 for electroplating
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2221/1089 Stacks of seed layers
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/528 Geometry or layout of the interconnection structure H01L27/0207 takes precedence; algorithms G06F30/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/53209 based on metals, e.g. alloys, metal silicides H01L23/53285 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/53238 Additional layers associated with copper layers, e.g. adhesion, barrier, cladding layers
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/53252 Additional layers associated with noble-metal 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

One embodiment of the present invention is an apparatus for depositing seed layers over a substrate, said substrate includes at least one opening surrounded by a field, the apparatus includes: (a) a CVD chamber adapted to deposit a CVD seed layer over the substrate; (b) a PVD chamber adapted to deposit a PVD seed layer over the substrate; and (c) a controller which includes recipe information, said recipe information includes deposition sequence and process parameters for operation of the deposition chambers, wherein the controller, in response to the recipe information, causes first the CVD chamber to deposit a CVD seed layer over the substrate and then causes the PVD chamber to deposit a PVD seed layer over the CVD seed layer, wherein (i) at least one of the seed layers comprises a material selected from a group consisting of Cu, Ag, or alloys comprising one or more of these metals, (ii) the CVD seed layer having a thickness of less than about 200 Å over the field, (iii) the PVD seed layer having a thickness from about 100 Å to about 2,000 Å over the field, (iv) the PVD seed layer is thicker than the CVD seed layer over the field, and (v) the controller causes the stopping of the deposition of the CVD and the PVD seed layers prior to filling the at least one opening, thereby leaving enough room for electroplating inside the at least one opening.

Claims

1. An apparatus for depositing two or more PVD seed layers over a substrate, the substrate including a patterned insulating layer which comprises at least one opening surrounded by a field, the at least one opening having sidewalls, top corners, and bottom, and the apparatus comprising:

one or more PVD chambers adapted to deposit PVD seed layers over the substrate; and

a controller which includes recipe information, said recipe information includes deposition sequence and process parameters for operation of the one or more PVD chambers, wherein the controller, in response to the recipe information, causes a PVD chamber to deposit in a single step a continuous PVD seed layer over the sidewalls and bottom of the at least one opening using a first set of deposition parameters, and causes a PVD chamber to deposit another PVD seed layer over the substrate, using a second set of deposition parameters, wherein (a) the second set of deposition parameters includes at least one deposition parameter which is different than in the first set of deposition parameters, (b) at least one of said seed layers comprises a material selected from a group consisting of Cu, Ag, or alloys comprising one or more of these metals, (c) said another PVD seed layer has no substantial overhangs over the top corners of the at least one opening, (d) the combined seed layers provide a low electrical resistance path over the field to enable uniform plating across the substrate, and (e) the controller causes the stopping of the deposition of the continuous PVD seed layer and the another PVD seed layer prior to filling the at least one opening, thereby leaving enough room for electroplating inside the at least one opening.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the one or more PVD chambers comprise:

a first PVD chamber adapted to deposit the continuous PVD seed layer over the sidewalls and bottom of the at least one opening;

and a second PVD chamber adapted to deposit the another PVD seed layer over the substrate.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the controller causes the deposition of said another PVD seed layer prior to the deposition of said continuous PVD seed layer.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said continuous PVD seed layer has no substantial overhangs over the top corners of the at least one opening.

5. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the controller causes the deposition of said continuous PVD seed layer prior to the deposition of said another PVD seed layer.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said continuous PVD seed layer has no substantial overhangs over the top corners of the at least one opening.

7. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein at least one of the PVD chambers comprises a chamber selected from a group consisting of a collimated sputtering chamber, a Hollow Cathode Magnetron (HCM) sputtering chamber, a Self Ionized Plasma (SIP) sputtering chamber, and an Ionized Metal Plasma (IMP) sputtering chamber.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said continuous PVD seed layer and said another PVD seed layer are deposited in the same PVD chamber.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the controller causes the deposition of said another PVD seed layer prior to the deposition of said continuous PVD seed layer.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said continuous PVD seed layer has no substantial overhangs over the top corners of the at least one opening.

11. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the controller causes the deposition of said continuous PVD seed layer prior to the deposition of said another PVD seed layer.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein said continuous PVD seed layer has no substantial overhangs over the top corners at the at least one opening.

13. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the PVD chamber comprises a chamber selected from a group consisting of a collimated sputtering chamber, a Hollow Cathode Magnetron (HCM) sputtering chamber, a Self Ionized Plasma (SIP) sputtering chamber, and an Ionized Metal Plasma (IMP) sputtering chamber.

14. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the combined seed layers have a combined thickness which is greater than the thickness of each of the individual PVD seed layers over the field.