Interconnect structures and methods of formation

1. A method of forming an interconnect, comprising:

depositing a silicon-aluminum oxynitride (SiAlON) layer atop a first layer of a substrate, wherein the first layer comprises a first feature filled with a first conductive material by one of;

sputtering an aluminum target and sputtering a silicon target;

sputtering a silicon-aluminum target using a process gas comprising nitrogen (N2), oxygen (O2), and argon (Ar); or

sputtering a silicon aluminum oxynitride (SiAlON) target using a process gas comprising argon (Ar);

depositing a dielectric layer over the silicon-aluminum oxynitride (SiAlON) layer; and

forming a second feature in the dielectric layer and the silicon-aluminum oxynitride (SiAlON) layer to expose the first conductive material.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein depositing the silicon-aluminum oxynitride (SiAlON) layer comprises:

sputtering the aluminum target; and

sputtering the silicon target.

3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising:

simultaneously sputtering the aluminum target and the silicon target in a process chamber using a process gas comprising oxygen (O 2 ), nitrogen (N 2 ) and argon (Ar).

4. The method of claim 2 , further comprising:

sputtering the aluminum target in a first process chamber using a first process gas;

transferring the substrate to a second process chamber; and

sputtering the silicon target in the second process chamber using a second process gas.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the first process gas comprises nitrogen (N 2 ) and argon (Ar) and the second process gas comprises one of: oxygen (O 2 ) and argon (Ar); or oxygen (O 2 ), nitrogen (N 2 ), and argon (Ar).

6. The method of claim 4 , wherein the first process gas comprises oxygen (O 2 ) and argon (Ar) and the second process gas comprises one of: nitrogen (N 2 ) and argon (Ar); or oxygen (O 2 ), nitrogen (N 2 ), and argon (Ar).

7. The method of claim 4 , wherein the first process gas comprises oxygen (O 2 ), nitrogen (N 2 ), and argon (Ar) and the second process gas comprises one of: oxygen (O 2 ), nitrogen (N 2 ), and argon (Ar); nitrogen (N 2 ) and argon (Ar); oxygen (O 2 ) and argon (Ar); or only argon (Ar).

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein depositing the silicon-aluminum oxynitride (SiAlON) layer further comprises sputtering the silicon-aluminum target using the process gas comprising nitrogen (N 2 ), oxygen (O 2 ), and argon (Ar).

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein nitrogen is provided at a flow rate of up to about 100 sccm, oxygen is provided at a flow rate of about 1 sccm to about 4 sccm, and argon is provided at a flow rate of up to about 25 sccm.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein depositing the silicon-aluminum oxynitride (SiAlON) layer further comprises sputtering the silicon aluminum oxynitride (SiAlON) target using the process gas comprising argon (Ar).

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the silicon-aluminum oxynitride (SiAlON) layer is deposited to a thickness of about 40 to about 80 angstroms.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein forming the second feature in the dielectric layer and the silicon-aluminum oxynitride (SiAlON) layer further comprises:

depositing a photoresist layer atop the dielectric layer;

patterning the photoresist layer;

etching the dielectric layer to a top surface of the silicon-aluminum oxynitride (SiAlON) layer; and

etching the silicon-aluminum oxynitride (SiAlON) layer to expose the first conductive material.

13. The method of claim 12 , further comprising etching the dielectric layer using a fluorine-containing gas.

14. The method of claim 12 , further comprising etching the silicon-aluminum oxynitride (SiAlON) layer using a wet etch process.

15. The method of claim 1 , further comprising depositing a second conductive material to fill the second feature.

16. A method of forming an interconnect, comprising:

depositing a silicon-aluminum oxynitride (SiAlON) layer atop a first layer of a substrate, wherein the first layer comprises a first feature filled with a first conductive material, wherein the silicon-aluminum oxynitride (SiAlON) layer is deposited to a thickness of about 40 to about 80 angstroms;

depositing a dielectric layer over the silicon-aluminum oxynitride (SiAlON) layer; and

forming a second feature in the dielectric layer and the silicon-aluminum oxynitride (SiAlON) layer to expose the first conductive material.

17. A method of forming an interconnect, comprising:

depositing a silicon-aluminum oxynitride (SiAlON) layer atop a first layer of a substrate, wherein the first layer comprises a first feature filled with a first conductive material;

depositing a dielectric layer over the silicon-aluminum oxynitride (SiAlON) layer; and

forming a second feature in the dielectric layer and the silicon-aluminum oxynitride (SiAlON) layer to expose the first conductive material by:

depositing a photoresist layer atop the dielectric layer;

patterning the photoresist layer;

etching the dielectric layer to a top surface of the silicon-aluminum oxynitride (SiAlON) layer; and

etching the silicon-aluminum oxynitride (SiAlON) layer to expose the first conductive material.

18. A method of forming an interconnect, comprising:

depositing a silicon-aluminum oxynitride (SiAlON) layer atop a first layer of a substrate, wherein the first layer comprises a first feature filled with a first conductive material;

depositing a dielectric layer over the silicon-aluminum oxynitride (SiAlON) layer;

forming a second feature in the dielectric layer and the silicon-aluminum oxynitride (SiAlON) layer to expose the first conductive material; and

depositing a second conductive material to fill the second feature.