Enhanced diffusion barrier for interconnect structures

• US 8,742,581 B2
• Filed: 02/25/2013
• Issued: 06/03/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/21/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Alsephina Innovations Inc. (Quarterhill Inc. (f/k/a Wi-LAN Inc.))
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Yang, Chih-Chao, Edelstein, Daniel C., Molis, Steven E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Reema
• Application Number:
  US13/776,016
• Publication Number:
  US 20130168863A1
• Time in Patent Office: 463 Days
• Field of Search: 257/751, 257/752, 438/627, 438/629, 438/642, 438/643
• US Class Current: 257/751
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/3105 After-treatment
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/76826 by contacting the layer with gases, liquids or plasmas
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/76828 thermal treatment
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/76831 in via holes or trenches, e.g. non-conductive sidewall liners
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/76846 Layer combinations
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/76855 After-treatment introducing at least one additional element into the layer
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/76867 characterized by methods of formation other than PVD, CVD or deposition from a liquids PVD H01L21/2855; CVD H01L21/28556; deposition from liquids H01L21/288
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/52 Arrangements for conducting electric current within the device in operation from one component to another , i.e. interconnections, e.g. wires, lead frames optical interconnections G02B6/00
• 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

Alternative methods of fabricating an interconnect structure in which an enhanced diffusion barrier including an in-situ formed metal nitride liner formed between an interconnect dielectric material and an overlying metal diffusion barrier liner are provided. In one embodiment, at least one opening is formed into an interconnect dielectric material. A nitrogen enriched dielectric surface layer is formed within exposed surfaces of the interconnect dielectric material utilizing thermal nitridation. A metal diffusion barrier liner is the formed. During and/or after the formation of the metal diffusion barrier liner, a metal nitride liner forms in-situ in a lower region of the metal diffusion barrier liner. A conductive material is then formed on the metal diffusion barrier liner. The conductive material, the metal diffusion barrier liner and the metal nitride liner that are located outside of the at least one opening are removed to provide a planarized structure.

Claims

1. An interconnect structure comprising:

an interconnect dielectric material comprising at least one opening located therein, wherein said interconnect dielectric material has nitrogen enriched dielectric surfaces within said at least one opening and spanning an entirety of an uppermost horizontal surface of said interconnect dielectric material; and

a conductive material located within the at least one opening, said conductive material is separated from the interconnect dielectric material by a diffusion barrier comprising at least an in-situ formed metal nitride liner and an overlying metal diffusion barrier liner, wherein an uppermost surface of said conductive material, uppermost surfaces of said in-situ formed metal nitride liner and uppermost surfaces of said metal diffusion barrier liner are coplanar with an uppermost surface of said nitrogen enriched dielectric surface spanning the entirety of the uppermost horizontal surface of said interconnect dielectric material.

2. The interconnect structure of claim 1, further comprising a second metal nitride located between the in-situ formed metal nitride liner and the overlying metal diffusion barrier liner.

3. The interconnect structure of claim 2, wherein said in-situ formed metal nitride liner and the second metal nitride liner comprise the same metal, but with a different nitrogen content.

4. The interconnect structure of claim 1, wherein said the in-situ formed metal nitride liner is located on a nitrogen enriched dielectric surface of said interconnect dielectric material within said at least one opening.

5. The interconnect structure of claim 1, wherein said in-situ formed metal nitride liner has a graded nitrogen content.

6. The interconnect structure of claim 1, wherein said nitrogen enriched dielectric surfaces have a higher nitrogen content than a remaining portion of the interconnect dielectric material.

7. The interconnect structure of claim 1, wherein said nitrogen enriched dielectric surfaces extend into said interconnect dielectric material to a depth of 0.5 nm to 20 nm.

8. The interconnect structure of claim 1, wherein said interconnect dielectric material has a dielectric constant of about 4.0 or less.

9. The interconnect structure of claim 1, wherein said in-situ formed metal nitride liner is U-shaped and is continuously present in said at least one opening.

10. The interconnect structure of claim 1, wherein said overlying metal diffusion barrier liner is U-shaped and is continuously present in said at least one opening.

11. The interconnect structure of claim 1, wherein said in-situ formed metal nitride liner and said overlying metal diffusion barrier liner comprise a same metal.

12. The interconnect structure of claim 11, wherein said same metal is selected from the group of Ta, Ti, Ru, RuTa, Co and W.

13. The interconnect structure of claim 1, wherein said conductive material comprises Cu.

14. The interconnect structure of claim 11, wherein said same metal is selected from the group of Ti, Ru, RuTa, Co and W.

15. The interconnect structure of claim 3, wherein said in-situ formed metal nitride liner has a higher nitrogen content than said second metal nitride liner.

16. An interconnect structure comprising:

an interconnect dielectric material comprising at least one opening located therein, wherein said at least one opening has vertical sidewalls and a bottom wall and said interconnect dielectric material has nitrogen enriched dielectric surfaces present entirely at said vertical sidewalls and said bottom wall of said at least one opening; and

a conductive material located within the at least one opening, said conductive material is separated from the interconnect dielectric material by a diffusion barrier comprising, from bottom to top, an in-situ formed metal nitride liner, another metal nitride and a metal diffusion barrier liner.

17. The interconnect structure of claim 16, wherein said in-situ formed metal nitride liner and the another metal nitride liner comprise the same metal, but with a different nitrogen content.

18. The interconnect structure of claim 16, wherein said in-situ formed metal nitride liner has a higher nitrogen content than said another metal nitride liner.

19. The interconnect structure of claim 18, wherein said same metal is selected from the group of Ta, Ti, Ru, RuTa, and Co.