Process flow for fabrication of cap metal over top metal with sinter before protective dielectric etch

1. A method of forming a semiconductor device, comprising:

forming an active component in a semiconductor substrate;

forming an interconnect layer on the semiconductor substrate, the interconnect layer including a top copper structure laterally surrounded by a dielectric material of the interconnect layer, the top copper structure having a surface that is flush with the dielectric material;

forming a protective dielectric layer on the surface of the top copper structure;

applying a first thermal process to the semiconductor substrate while the protective dielectric layer completely covers the surface of the top copper structure, wherein the first thermal process includes a first thermal profile selected to passivate the active component while the protective dielectric layer at least partially prevents movement in the top copper structure during application of the first thermal process;

after applying the first thermal process, forming a bond pad opening in the protective dielectric layer to expose a portion of the surface, the bond pad opening including a sidewall that is perpendicular to the surface, wherein the sidewall extends to a first height with respect to the surface;

forming a bond pad cap in the bond pad opening, the bond pad cap being in contact with the surface of the top copper structure, and including a portion that is perpendicular to the surface, wherein the portion extends to a second height with respect to the surface, the second height being equal to or less than the first height, and wherein one or more sputter processes are used to form the bond pad cap on the surface of the top copper structure; and

applying a second thermal process to the semiconductor substrate after forming the bond pad cap, wherein the second thermal process includes a second thermal profile less than the first thermal profile, the second thermal profile selected to increase an electrical contact between the top copper structure and the bond pad cap while reducing movement in the top copper structure.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second thermal profile of the second thermal process is insufficient to passivate the active component.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first thermal process includes heating the semiconductor substrate to a sinter temperature for a sinter time, wherein a product of the sinter time, in minutes, and an Arrhenius factor of the sinter temperature is greater than 0.0027 minutes, the Arrhenius factor of the sinter temperature being determined by an expression:

Arrhenius factor=exp(− E A /( k ×(375 +T s )));

where:

exp is the exponential function;

EA=0.8×10 −19 joules, corresponding to 0.5 electron volts;

k=1.38×10 −23 joules/° C.; and

T s is the sinter temperature in ° C.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first thermal process includes heating the semiconductor substrate to a temperature of at least 400° C. for a time of at least 15 minutes.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first thermal process includes heating the semiconductor substrate to a temperature of at least 350° C. for a time of at least 30 minutes.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first thermal process includes heating the semiconductor substrate to a temperature of at least 300° C. for a time of at least 68 minutes.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein forming the protective dielectric layer includes forming a first sublayer over the top copper structure, and includes forming a second sublayer on the first sublayer.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the first sublayer includes silicon oxynitride and the second sublayer includes silicon dioxide.

9. The method of claim 7 , wherein forming the protective dielectric layer includes forming an etch stop sublayer over the top copper structure, and forming the first sublayer on the etch stop sublayer.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein forming the bond pad cap includes:

forming a cap metal layer over the protective dielectric layer and on the top copper structure in the bond pad opening, the cap metal layer including platinum; and

removing the cap metal layer from over the protective dielectric layer outside the bond pad opening by using a chemical mechanical polish process.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein forming the cap metal layer includes:

depositing a barrier sublayer on the top copper structure, the barrier sublayer formed by a first sputter process, and including titanium, tungsten, titanium nitride, or tantalum nitride;

depositing an intermediate sublayer on the barrier sublayer, the intermediate sublayer formed by a second sputter process, and including nickel or palladium; and

depositing a bonding sublayer on the intermediate sublayer, the bonding sublayer formed by a third sputter process and including platinum.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein forming the bond pad cap includes:

forming a cap metal layer over the protective dielectric layer and on the top copper structure in the bond pad opening, the cap metal layer including aluminum or gold; and

removing the cap metal layer from over the protective dielectric layer outside the bond pad opening by using an etch process.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein forming the cap metal layer includes:

depositing a barrier sublayer on the top copper structure, the barrier sublayer formed by a first sputter process, and including titanium, tantalum, tungsten, titanium nitride, or tantalum nitride;

depositing an intermediate sublayer on the barrier sublayer, the intermediate sublayer formed by a second sputter process, and including nickel or palladium; and

depositing a bonding sublayer on the intermediate sublayer, the bonding sublayer formed by a third sputter process and including aluminum or gold.

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein the protective dielectric layer includes silicon carbide or aluminum oxide.

15. The method of claim 9 , wherein the etch stop sublayer includes silicon nitride, and wherein removing the protective dielectric layer from the bond pad opening in the protective dielectric layer includes:

etching the first and second sublayers of the protective dielectric layer by a first reactive ion etching (RIE) process using fluorine at a first ion energy; and

etching the etch stop sublayer by a second RIE process using fluorine at a second ion energy that is less than the first ion energy.

16. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second thermal process includes heating the semiconductor substrate at about 200° C. for 30 minutes to 2 hours in nitrogen or argon ambient.

17. A method of forming a semiconductor device, comprising:

forming an active component in a semiconductor substrate;

forming an interconnect layer on the semiconductor substrate, the interconnect layer including a copper structure laterally surrounded by a dielectric material of the interconnect layer, the copper structure having a surface flush with the dielectric material;

forming a protective dielectric layer on the copper structure;

heating the semiconductor substrate in a first operation while the protective dielectric layer covers the copper structure, wherein the first operation comprises a first thermal profile that includes heating the semiconductor substrate to a temperature of at least 300° C. for a time of at least 68 minutes, the first thermal profile selected to passivate the active component while the protective dielectric layer at least partially prevents movement in the copper structure during application of the first operation;

after the first operation, removing a portion of the protective dielectric layer to form a bond pad opening in the protective dielectric layer, the bond pad opening exposing a portion of the copper structure, and including a sidewall that is perpendicular to the surface, wherein the sidewall extends to a first height with respect to the surface;

forming a bond pad cap in the bond pad opening, the bond pad cap being in contact with the copper structure and including a portion that is perpendicular to the surface, wherein the portion extends to a second height with respect to the surface, the second height being equal to or less than the first height, and wherein one or more sputter processes are used to form the bond pad cap on the surface of the copper structure; and

heating the semiconductor device after forming the bond pad cap in a second operation having a second thermal profile that is less than the first thermal profile of the first operation, before forming a bond to the bond pad cap, the second thermal profile selected to increase an electrical contact between the copper structure and the bond pad cap while reducing movement in the copper structure.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the second thermal profile of the second operation is insufficient to passivate the active component.

19. A method of forming a semiconductor device, comprising:

forming an active component in a semiconductor substrate;

forming an interconnect layer on the semiconductor substrate, the interconnect layer including a copper structure laterally surrounded by a dielectric material of the interconnect layer, the copper structure having a surface that is flush with the dielectric material;

forming a protective dielectric layer on the copper structure;

applying a first thermal process to the semiconductor substrate in an ambient comprising argon or helium while the protective dielectric layer covers the copper structure, wherein the first thermal process includes a first thermal profile selected to passivate the active component while the protective dielectric layer at least partially prevents movement in the copper structure during application of the first thermal process;

after applying the first thermal process, removing a portion of the protective dielectric layer to form a bond pad opening in the protective dielectric layer, the bond pad opening exposing a portion of the copper structure and including a sidewall that is perpendicular to the surface, wherein the sidewall extends from the surface to a first height;

forming a bond pad cap in the bond pad opening, the bond pad cap being in contact with the copper structure, and including a portion that is perpendicular to the surface, wherein the portion extends form the surface to a second height that is equal to or less than the first height, and wherein one or more sputter processes are used to form the bond pad cap on the surface of the copper structure; and

applying a second thermal process to the semiconductor substrate after forming the bond pad cap, the second thermal process having a second thermal profile that is less than the first thermal process, before forming a bond to the bond pad cap, the second thermal profile selected to increase an electrical contact between the copper structure and the bond pad cap while reducing movement in the copper structure.