IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,610,758
Granted Patent B2
US 12,610,758 · App. 17/960,979 · Granted Apr 21, 2026

Dielectric on dielectric selective deposition using aniline passivation

Inventors: Keith T. Wong (Mountain View, CA); Srinivas D. Nemani (Saratoga, CA); Ellie Y. Yieh (San Jose, CA); Andrew C. Kummel (San Diego, CA); Yunil Cho (San Diego, CA); James Huang (San Diego, CA)
Assignees: Applied Materials, Inc.; Regents of the University of California
H01L21/0228H01L21/02068H01L21/02123H01L21/02304H01L21/02312H01L21/67017
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,610,758
App. No.
17/960,979
Granted
Apr 21, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A method includes forming a conductive material on a first dielectric layer, exposing the conductive material to aniline to produce a passivated surface of the conductive material, and after exposing the conductive material to aniline, forming a second dielectric layer on the first dielectric layer using a deposition process. The deposition process is a water-free and plasma-free deposition process, and the second dielectric layer does not form on the passivated surface of the conductive material.

Claims (31)

1 . A method comprising:

forming a conductive material within at least one trench formed in a first dielectric layer;

exposing, for less than or equal to about 60 minutes at a temperature of less than or equal to about 350° C., the conductive material to aniline to produce a passivated surface of the conductive material; and

after exposing the conductive material to aniline, forming a second dielectric layer on the first dielectric layer by performing a pulsed chemical vapor deposition (CVD) process using a set of process parameters, wherein the pulsed CVD process is a water-free and plasma-free deposition process, wherein the second dielectric layer does not form on the passivated surface of the conductive material, and wherein the set of process parameters comprises:

a temperature less than or equal to about 350° C.;

a number of deposition precursor pulses ranging from about 50 pulses to about 250 pulses; and

a deposition precursor pulse length ranging from about 0.1 second to about 4 seconds.

2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising, prior to exposing the conductive material to aniline, performing a precleaning process to reduce a native oxide on a surface of the conductive material.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the conductive material comprises a conductive line associated with a metallization level of a device, and wherein the first dielectric layer is an interlevel dielectric (ILD) layer for the device.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the first dielectric layer comprises at least one of: silicon dioxide, a carbon-doped silicon oxide, or silicon nitride.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the conductive material comprises a transition metal.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the second dielectric layer comprises a metal oxide.

7 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

forming a third dielectric layer over the second dielectric layer and the conductive material; and

forming a second conductive material on the third dielectric layer.

8 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the second conductive material comprises a via, and wherein the first dielectric layer is an interlevel dielectric (ILD) layer.

9 . A system comprising at least one chamber, the at least one chamber being configured to:

expose, for less than or equal to about 60 minutes at a temperature of less than or equal to about 350° C., a conductive material to aniline to produce a passivated surface of the conductive material, wherein the conductive material is formed within at least one trench formed in a first dielectric layer; and

after exposing the conductive material to aniline, form a second dielectric layer on the first dielectric layer by performing a pulsed chemical vapor deposition (CVD) process using a set of process parameters, wherein the pulsed CVD process is a water-free and plasma-free deposition process, wherein the second dielectric layer does not form on the passivated surface of the conductive material, and wherein the set of process parameters comprises:

a temperature less than or equal to about 350° C.;

a number of deposition precursor pulses ranging from about 50 pulses to about 250 pulses; and

a deposition precursor pulse length ranging from about 0.1 second to about 4 seconds.

10 . The system of claim 9 , wherein the at least one chamber is further configured to, prior to exposing the conductive material to aniline, perform a precleaning process to reduce a native oxide on a surface of the conductive material.

11 . The system of claim 9 , further comprising a deposition precursor store and a purge gas store each operatively coupled to the at least one chamber.

12 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the deposition precursor store maintains a deposition precursor selected from the group consisting of: hafnium tert-butoxide, titanium isopropoxide, aluminum isopropoxide, aluminum-tri-sec-butoxide, tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS), tetrabutyl orthosilicate (TBOS), or tetramethyl orthosilicate (TMOS).

13 . The system of claim 9 , wherein the first dielectric layer comprises at least one of: silicon dioxide, a carbon-doped silicon oxide, or silicon nitride.

14 . The system of claim 9 , wherein the conductive material comprises a transition metal.

15 . The system of claim 9 , wherein the second dielectric layer comprises a metal oxide.

16 . The system of claim 9 , wherein the at least one chamber is further configured to:

form a third dielectric layer over the second dielectric layer and the conductive material; and

form a second conductive material on the third dielectric layer.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 14, 2022
From: WONG, KEITH T.; NEMANI, SRINIVAS D.; YIEH, ELLIE Y.
To: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
Reel/Frame 061426/0233 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 14, 2022
From: KUMMEL, ANDREW C.; CHO, YUNIL; HUANG, JAMES
To: THE REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA
Reel/Frame 061426/0363 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20240120195A1 · Apr 11, 2024
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