Back-end-of-line (BEOL) interconnect structure

1. A method of fabricating an interconnect structure on a wafer, the method comprising:

providing a dielectric layer on the wafer, the dielectric layer having a recess therein;

depositing a silicon (Si) layer in the recess;

forming an interconnect by providing a barrier layer and a conductive layer in the recess over the Si layer, wherein the Si layer has a density that substantially prevents the barrier layer from moving away from the conductive layer and towards the dielectric layer during subsequent processing of the interconnect structure;

planarizing the interconnect structure to cause portions of the Si layer, the barrier layer, and the conductive layer to be coplanar with a top surface of the dielectric layer;

forming a nitride layer in a first portion of the Si layer that is adjacent to the top surface; and

forming an oxide layer in a second portion of the Si layer that is adjacent to the first portion.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

increasing the density of the Si layer using a nitrogen plasma treatment; and

increasing the density of the Si layer using ultraviolet (UV) curing.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

forming the nitride layer in the first portion of the Si layer, wherein the first portion extends a depth of approximately 0 Å to 200 Å from the top surface, wherein the nitride layer has a thickness of approximately 5 Å to 100 Å in a direction that is parallel to the top surface, and wherein the nitride layer has a composition of Si 3 N x , where x is within a range of approximately 1 to 4.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

forming the oxide layer in the second portion of the Si layer, wherein the oxide layer has a thickness of approximately 5 Å to 100 Å, and wherein the oxide layer has a composition of SiO x , where x is within a range of approximately 1 to 2.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

providing the dielectric layer having the recess, wherein the recess is a trench including sidewalls that are vertical or substantially vertical; and

depositing the Si layer and the barrier layer in the recess, wherein the depositing of the Si layer and the barrier layer causes the sidewalls of the trench to be coated with the Si layer and the barrier layer.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

depositing the Si layer having a thickness of between approximately 5 Å and 100 Å, wherein the Si layer comprises amorphous silicon.

7. The method of claim 6 , further comprising:

depositing the Si layer comprising the amorphous silicon, wherein the amorphous silicon is deposited at a temperature of less than 500 degrees Celsius using a plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) process, an atomic layer deposition (ALD) process, or a physical vapor deposition (PVD) process.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

forming the nitride layer using a nitrogen plasma treatment; and

forming the oxide layer using ultraviolet (UV) curing.

9. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:

planarizing the interconnect structure using a chemical-mechanical planarization (CMP) technique;

depositing an etch stop layer on the planarized interconnect structure;

forming the nitride layer using the nitrogen plasma treatment, wherein the nitrogen plasma treatment is performed after the planarizing and is performed prior to the depositing of the etch stop layer; and

forming the oxide layer using the UV curing, wherein the UV curing is performed after the planarizing and is performed after the depositing of the etch stop layer.

10. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:

forming the nitride layer using the nitrogen plasma treatment, wherein the nitrogen plasma treatment includes exposing the interconnect structure to an NH 3 plasma or an N 2 plasma.

11. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:

exposing the interconnect structure to the NH 3 plasma or the N 2 plasma, wherein the nitrogen plasma treatment is performed using a plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) process at a temperature of approximately 350 degrees Celsius.

12. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:

forming the oxide layer using the UV curing, wherein the UV curing includes exposing the interconnect structure to ultraviolet radiation having a wavelength in a range of approximately 200 nm to approximately 400 nm.

13. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:

using the UV curing to form the oxide layer, wherein the UV curing is performed in the presence of a gas, and wherein the gas includes one or more of Helium, Argon, N 2 , O 2 , and O 3 .

14. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:

using the UV curing to form the oxide layer, wherein the UV curing is performed at a temperature within a range of approximately 200 degrees Celsius to approximately 500 degrees Celsius, at a pressure within a range of approximately 1 Torr to approximately 100 Torr, and for a length of time within a range of approximately 30 seconds to approximately 10 minutes.

15. An interconnect structure, the interconnect structure comprising:

a dielectric layer, the dielectric layer having a recess therein;

a silicon (Si) layer that is deposited in the recess; and

an interconnect including a barrier layer and a conductive layer that are provided in the recess over the Si layer, wherein the Si layer has a density that substantially prevents the barrier layer from moving away from the conductive layer and towards the dielectric layer during subsequent processing of the interconnect structure,

wherein the interconnect structure is planarized to cause portions of the Si layer, the barrier layer, and the conductive layer to be coplanar with a top surface of the dielectric layer, the interconnect structure further comprising:

a nitride layer that is formed in a first portion of the Si layer that is adjacent to the top surface; and

an oxide layer that is formed in a second portion of the Si layer that is adjacent to the first portion.

16. The interconnect structure of claim 15 , further comprising:

the Si layer, wherein the density of the Si layer is increased using a nitrogen plasma treatment and using ultraviolet (UV) curing.

17. The interconnect structure of claim 15 , wherein the first portion extends a depth of approximately 0 Å to approximately 200 Å from the top surface, wherein the nitride layer has a thickness of approximately 5 Å to approximately 100 Å in a direction that is parallel to the top surface, and wherein the nitride layer has a composition of Si 3 N x , where x is within a range of approximately 0 to 4.

18. The interconnect structure of claim 15 , wherein the oxide layer has a thickness of approximately 5 Å to approximately 100 Å, and wherein the oxide layer has a composition of SiO x , where x is within a range of approximately 1 to 2.

19. The interconnect structure of claim 15 , wherein the UV curing includes exposing the interconnect structure to ultraviolet radiation having a wavelength in a range of approximately 200 nm to approximately 400 nm.

20. The interconnect structure of claim 15 , wherein the recess is a trench including sidewalls that are vertical or substantially vertical, and wherein the depositing of the Si layer and the barrier layer causes the sidewalls of the trench to be coated with the Si layer and the barrier layer.

21. The interconnect structure of claim 15 , further comprising:

the Si layer, wherein the Si layer has a thickness of between approximately 5 Å and approximately 100 Å, and wherein the Si layer comprises amorphous silicon.

22. The interconnect structure of claim 21 , further comprising:

the amorphous silicon, wherein the amorphous silicon is deposited at a temperature of less than 500 degrees Celsius using a plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) process, an atomic layer deposition (ALD) process, or a physical vapor deposition (PVD) process.

23. The interconnect structure of claim 15 , wherein the nitride layer is formed using a nitrogen plasma treatment, and wherein the oxide layer is formed using ultraviolet (UV) curing.

24. The interconnect structure of claim 23 , wherein the nitrogen plasma treatment includes exposing the interconnect structure to an NH 3 plasma or an N 2 plasma.