Hybrid copper interconnect structure and method of fabricating same

• US 8,901,744 B2
• Filed: 08/06/2013
• Issued: 12/02/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/27/2011
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: GlobalFoundries, Inc.
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Yang, Chih-Chao, Horak, David V., Koburger, Charles W. III, Ponoth, Shom
• Primary Examiner(s): Thai, Luan C
• Application Number:
  US13/960,410
• Publication Number:
  US 20130320545A1
• Time in Patent Office: 483 Days
• Field of Search: 257/774, 257/E21.585, 438/675, 438/672, 438/674, 438/618
• US Class Current: 257/774
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/76841 Barrier, adhesion or liner layers
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/76843 formed in openings in a dielectric
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/76847 the layer being positioned within the main fill metal
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/76877 Filling of holes, grooves or trenches, e.g. vias, with conductive material
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/76882 Reflowing or applying of pressure to better fill the contact hole
• 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

A hybrid interconnect structure containing copper regions that have different impurities levels within a same opening is provided. In one embodiment, the interconnect structure includes a patterned dielectric material having at least one opening located therein. A dual material liner is located at least on sidewalls of the patterned dielectric material within the at least one opening. The structure further includes a first copper region having a first impurity level located within a bottom region of the at least one opening and a second copper region having a second impurity level located within a top region of the at least one opening and atop the first copper region. In accordance with the present disclosure, the first impurity level of the first copper region is different from the second impurity level of the second copper region.

Claims

1. An interconnect structure comprising:

a patterned dielectric material having at least one opening located therein;

a dual material liner located at least on sidewalls of the patterned dielectric material within the at least one opening;

a first copper region containing a first impurity level located within a bottom region of said at least one opening; and

a second copper region containing a second impurity level located within a top region of said at least one opening and atop the first copper region, wherein said first impurity level of said first copper region is less than the second impurity level of said second copper region.

2. The interconnect structure of claim 1, wherein said second impurity level of the second copper region has an amount of impurities of 100 ppm or greater, and the first impurity level of said first copper region has an amount of impurities of less than 20 ppm.

3. The interconnect structure of claim 2, wherein said impurities within said second impurity level of said second region of copper comprises at least one of carbon, chloride, oxygen and sulfur.

4. The interconnect structure of claim 2, wherein said impurities within the second impurity level of second copper region comprises from 150 ppm to 400 ppm carbon, from 150 ppm to 400 ppm chloride, from 150 ppm to 400 ppm oxygen, and from 150 ppm to 400 ppm sulfur.

5. The interconnect structure of claim 2, wherein said first level of impurity of said first copper region includes at least one of carbon and oxygen.

6. The interconnect structure of claim 1, wherein said first copper region is present in a via opening, and second copper region is present in an overlying line opening.

7. The interconnect structure of claim 1, further comprising a liner layer separating the first copper region from the second copper region.

8. An interconnect structure comprising:

a patterned dielectric material having at least one opening located therein;

a first copper region containing a first impurity level located within a bottom region of said at least one opening; and

a second copper region containing a second impurity level located within a top region of said at least one opening and atop the first copper region, wherein said first impurity level of said first copper region is less than the second impurity level of said second copper region.

9. The interconnect structure of claim 8, wherein said second impurity level of the second copper region has an amount of impurities of 100 ppm or greater, and the first impurity level of said first copper region has an amount of impurities of less than 20 ppm.

10. The interconnect structure of claim 9, wherein said impurities within said second impurity level of said second region of copper comprises at least one of carbon, chloride, oxygen and sulfur.

11. The interconnect structure of claim 9, wherein said impurities within the second impurity level of second copper region comprises from 150 ppm to 400 ppm carbon, from 150 ppm to 400 ppm chloride, from 150 ppm to 400 ppm oxygen, and from 150 ppm to 400 ppm sulfur.

12. The interconnect structure of claim 9, wherein said first level of impurity of said first copper region includes at least one of carbon and oxygen.

13. The interconnect structure of claim 8, wherein said first copper region is present in a via opening, and second copper region is present in an overlying line opening.

14. The interconnect structure of claim 8, further comprising a liner layer separating the first copper region from the second copper region.

15. A method of fabricating an interconnect structure comprising:

forming a patterned dielectric material having at least one opening located therein;

forming a dual material liner at least on sidewalls of the patterned dielectric material within the at least one opening;

providing a first copper region containing a first impurity level within a bottom region of said at least one opening; and

providing a second copper region containing a second impurity level within a top region of said at least one opening and atop the first copper region, wherein said first impurity level of the first copper region is different from the second impurity level of the second copper region.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein said first impurity level of said first copper region is greater than the second impurity level of said second copper region, and wherein said first copper region is formed by electroplating copper, and said second copper region is formed by physical vapor deposition and copper reflow.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein said copper reflow is performed at a temperature of 150°

C. or greater in an inert ambient or in a forming gas.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein said first impurity level of said first copper region is less than the second impurity level of said second copper region, and wherein said first copper region is formed by physical vapor deposition and copper reflow, and said second copper region is formed by electroplating copper.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein said copper reflow is performed at a temperature of 150°

C. or greater in an inert ambient or in a forming gas.

20. The method of claim 15, further comprising forming a barrier liner between the first copper region and the second copper region.