IP Library Granted Patent US 10,665,462
Granted Patent B2
US 10,665,462 · App. 15/926,022 · Granted May 26, 2020

Copper alloy sputtering target and semiconductor element wiring

Inventors: Takeo Okabe (Ibaraki, JP); Hirohito Miyashita (Ibaraki, JP)
Assignee: JX NIPPON MINING & METALS CORPORATION
H01L21/2855C22C9/01C22C9/02C23C14/185C23C14/3414H01L21/76873H01L2924/0002
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,665,462
App. No.
15/926,022
Granted
May 26, 2020
Kind
B2
Abstract

A first copper alloy sputtering target comprising 0.5 to 4.0 wt % of Al and 0.5 wtppm or less of Si and a second copper alloy sputtering target comprising 0.5 to 4.0 wt % of Sn and 0.5 wtppm or less of Mn are disclosed. The first and/or the second alloy sputtering target can further comprise one or more elements selected from among Sb, Zr, Ti, Cr, Ag, Au, Cd, In and As in a total amount of 1.0 wtppm or less. A semiconductor element wiring formed by the use of the above targets is also disclosed. The above copper alloy sputtering target allows the formation of a wiring material for a semiconductor element, in particular, a seed layer being stable, uniform and free from the occurrence of coagulation during electrolytic copper plating and exhibits excellent sputtering film formation characteristics.

Claims (15)

1. A semiconductor element, comprising:

a substrate providing a wiring groove;

a diffusion barrier layer coating said wiring groove, said diffusion barrier layer being a film of Ta, a Ta alloy, or a nitride thereof;

a seed layer made of copper alloy deposited via sputtering deposition on said diffusion barrier layer, said seed layer being made of a copper alloy containing 0.5 to 4.0 wt % of Al and an amount of Si content of 0.19 wtppm or more and 0.5 wtppm or less to improve oxidation resistance; and

a layer of copper electrodeposited on said seed layer to provide wiring.

2. A semiconductor element according to claim 1 , wherein said copper alloy seed layer further contains one or more additional elements selected from the group consisting of Sb, Zr, Ti, Cr, Ag, Au, Cd, In and As.

3. A method of making a semiconductor element, comprising the steps of:

forming a copper alloy seed layer via sputtering deposition on a diffusion barrier layer coating a wiring groove on a substrate, the sputtering deposition of the seed layer being performed with a sputtering target made of a copper alloy containing 0.5 to 4.0 wt % of Al and 0.5 wtppm or less of Si and having an average crystal grain size of 0.1 to 60 μm and an average crystal grain size variation of within ±20%; and

electroplating a layer of copper on the seed layer to form copper wiring;

said copper alloy seed layer being made of a copper alloy containing 0.5 to 4.0 wt % of Al and an amount of Si content of 0.19 wtppm or more and 0.5 wtppm or less to improve oxidation resistance; and

said diffusion barrier layer being a film of Ta, a Ta alloy, or a nitride thereof.

4. A method according to claim 3 , wherein said copper alloy seed layer contains both Al and Sn, and wherein a total amount of Al and Sn contained in said copper alloy is 0.5 to 4.0 wt %.

5. A method according to claim 3 , wherein said copper alloy seed layer further contains one or more additional elements selected from the group consisting of Sb, Zr, Ti, Cr, Ag, Au, Cd, In and As.

6. A method according to claim 3 , wherein said amount of Si in said copper alloy seed layer is 0.19 wtppm or more and 0.41 wtppm or less.

7. A semiconductor element according to claim 1 , wherein said copper alloy seed layer contains 0.5 to 4.0 wt % of Al and an amount of Si content of 0.19 wtppm or more and 0.41 wtppm or less to improve oxidation resistance.

Assignments (6)
CHANGE OF ADDRESS Recorded Aug 11, 2021
From: JX NIPPON MINING & METALS CORPORATION
To: JX NIPPON MINING & METALS CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 057453/0937 →
CHANGE OF ADDRESS Recorded Aug 11, 2021
From: JX NIPPON MINING & METALS CORPORATION
To: JX NIPPON MINING & METALS CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 057160/0114 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Feb 26, 2020
From: NIPPON MINING HOLDINGS, INC.
To: JX NIPPON MINING & METALS CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 052020/0867 →
MERGER Recorded Jun 19, 2019
From: NIPPON MINING & METALS COMPANY, LIMITED
To: NIPPON MINING HOLDINGS, INC.
Reel/Frame 051493/0923 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Jun 7, 2019
From: NIKKO MATERIALS CO., LTD.
To: NIPPON MINING & METALS CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 049412/0452 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 7, 2018
From: OKABE, TAKEO; MIYASHITA, HIROHITO
To: NIKKO MATERIALS CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 045732/0913 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2002-337341 · Nov 21, 2002 · national
Continuity (3)
Division 12367581 · Feb 9, 2009
Division 10530438
Related Publication 20180211841A1 · Jul 26, 2018