IP Library Granted Patent US 12685133
Granted Patent B2
US 12685133 · App. 18/352,299 · Granted Jul 14, 2026

Ruthenium oxide film and ruthenium liner for low-resistance copper interconnects in a device

Inventor: Shu-Cheng Chin (Hsinchu City, TW)
Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
H01L23/53238H01L21/76807H01L21/76846H01L21/76856H01L23/5226
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12685133
App. No.
18/352,299
Granted
Jul 14, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

Selective ruthenium and selective ruthenium oxide may be used in single damascene processes and/or dual damascene processes to form BEOL metallization layers and vias of an electronic device. A selective ruthenium liner may be formed to achieve a low contact resistance and a low sheet resistance for the BEOL metallization layers and vias, to promote adhesion between the various layers and materials in the BEOL metallization layers and vias, and/or to reduce or eliminate defects (such as voids and discontinuities) in the BEOL metallization layers and vias.

Claims (44)

1 . A device, comprising:

a dual damascene structure, included in one or more dielectric layers, comprising a via and a trench;

a ruthenium oxide film directly on sidewalls of the via and directly on sidewalls of the trench;

a ruthenium liner on the ruthenium oxide film; and

a copper layer on the ruthenium liner, wherein the ruthenium liner or the copper layer extends to a bottom surface of the via, and wherein the ruthenium liner is included on a bottom surface of the via between the bottom surface and the copper layer, wherein a thickness of the ruthenium liner on the bottom surface of the via is less than approximately 50% of a thickness of the ruthenium liner on the sidewalls of the via.

2 . The device of claim 1 , wherein a thickness of the ruthenium liner on the bottom surface of the via is greater than approximately 0 angstroms and less than approximately 10 angstroms.

3 . The device of claim 1 , wherein a thickness of the ruthenium liner on the bottom surface of the via is in a range between approximately 16 angstroms and approximately 48 angstroms.

4 . The device of claim 1 , wherein a thickness of the ruthenium liner on the bottom surface of the via is approximately equal to or greater than a thickness of the ruthenium liner on the sidewalls of the via.

5 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the ruthenium oxide film is directly on a bottom surface of the trench;

wherein the ruthenium liner is over the ruthenium oxide film on the bottom surface of the trench;

wherein a thickness of the ruthenium oxide film is in a range of approximately 2 angstroms to approximately 5 angstroms; and

wherein a thickness of the ruthenium liner is in a range of approximately 10 angstroms to approximately 35 angstroms.

6 . A device, comprising:

a metallization layer;

a dual damascene structure, in contact with the metallization layer, comprising a via;

a ruthenium oxide film on the dual damascene structure;

a ruthenium liner on the ruthenium oxide film; and

a copper layer on the ruthenium liner, wherein the ruthenium liner or the copper layer extends to a bottom surface of the via, and wherein the ruthenium liner is included on a bottom surface of the via between the bottom surface and the copper layer, wherein a thickness of the ruthenium liner on the bottom surface of the via is less than approximately 50% of a thickness of the ruthenium liner on the sidewalls of the via.

7 . The device of claim 6 , wherein the ruthenium oxide film is within the dual damascene structure.

8 . The device of claim 6 , wherein a bottom surface of the dual damascene structure is in contact with the metallization layer.

9 . The device of claim 6 , further comprising:

at least one of a dielectric layer or an etch stop layer,

wherein the dual damascene structure is within the at least one of the dielectric layer or the etch stop layer.

10 . The device of claim 9 , wherein the dual damascene structure is within the dielectric layer and the etch stop layer.

11 . The device of claim 9 , wherein the dielectric layer resides above the etch stop layer.

12 . The device of claim 9 , wherein the dual damascene structure is within the dielectric layer.

13 . The device of claim 9 , wherein the dual damascene structure is within the etch stop layer.

14 . A device, comprising:

a metallization layer;

a dual damascene structure comprising a via and a trench, wherein the via is in contact with the metallization layer;

a ruthenium oxide film on sidewalls of the via and on sidewalls of the trench; and

a ruthenium liner on the ruthenium oxide film, wherein the ruthenium liner extends to a bottom surface of the via, and wherein the ruthenium liner is included on a bottom surface of the via between the bottom surface and a copper layer, wherein a thickness of the ruthenium liner on the bottom surface of the via is less than approximately 50% of a thickness of the ruthenium liner on the sidewalls of the via.

15 . The device of claim 14 , further comprising:

an etch stop layer,

wherein the via is within the etch stop layer.

16 . The device of claim 15 , wherein the ruthenium liner is in contact with the metallization layer.

17 . The device of claim 15 , wherein the etch stop layer is over the metallization layer.

18 . The device of claim 15 , further comprising:

a dielectric layer,

wherein the via is within the etch stop layer and the dielectric layer.

19 . The device of claim 14 , further comprising:

a dielectric layer,

wherein the trench is within the dielectric layer.

20 . The device of claim 14 , wherein a thickness of the ruthenium oxide film over a bottom surface of the via is greater than 0 angstroms and less than approximately 5 angstroms.