Plasma treatment of low-K surface to improve barrier deposition
Methods and apparatus for processing using a remote plasma source are disclosed. The apparatus includes an outer chamber enclosing a substrate support, a remote plasma source, and a showerhead. A substrate heater can be mounted in the substrate support. A transport system moves the substrate support and is capable of positioning the substrate. The plasma system may be used to generate activated species. The activated species can be used to treat the surfaces of low-k and/or ultra low-k dielectric materials to facilitate improved deposition of diffusion barrier materials.
1. A method comprising:
providing a substrate having an inter-metal dielectric layer formed thereon;
exposing a surface of the inter-metal dielectric layer to activated species to treat the surface of the inter-metal dielectric layer,
wherein the activated species are generated using a plasma source,
wherein the activated species comprises at least one of Cl or F, and
wherein exposing the surface of the inter-metal dielectric layer to the activated species increases reactivity of the surface of the inter-metal dielectric toward one or more atomic layer deposition (ALD) precursors; and
after the exposing, depositing a diffusion barrier layer on the surface of the inter-metal dielectric layer using an atomic layer deposition (ALD) process and supplying the one or more atomic layer deposition (ALD) precursors,
wherein the one or more atomic layer deposition (ALD) precursors comprises at least one of aluminum or molybdenum,
wherein a nucleation delay for the ALD process is less than 5 cycles.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the inter-metal dielectric layer comprises at least one of a low-k layer or an ultra low-k layer.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein a gas used to generate the activated species comprises at least one of BCl 3 or NF 3 .
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the exposing is performed at a temperature between 25 C and 500 C.
5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the exposing is performed at a temperature between 100 C and 300 C.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the exposing is performed in an atmosphere comprising flowing argon at a rate between 10 sccm and 1000 sccm.
7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the argon is flowed at a rate between 250 sccm and 750 sccm.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the exposing is performed at a pressure between 0.05 Torr and 5 Torr.
9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the exposing is performed at a pressure between 0.05 Torr and 2 Torr.
10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the exposing is performed for a time between 0.25 minutes and 60 minutes.
11. The method of claim 1 , wherein nucleation delay for the ALD process is less than 3 cycles.
12. A method comprising:
providing a substrate having an inter-metal dielectric layer formed thereon,
wherein the inter-metal dielectric layer comprises one of a low-k layer or an ultra low-k layer;
exposing a surface of the inter-metal dielectric layer to activated species to treat the surface of the inter-metal dielectric layer,
wherein the activated species are generated using a plasma source,
wherein the activated species comprises at least one of Cl or F, and
wherein exposing the surface of the inter-metal dielectric layer to the activated species increases reactivity of the surface of the inter-metal dielectric toward one or more atomic layer deposition (ALD) precursors; and
after the exposing, depositing a diffusion barrier layer on the surface of the treated inter-metal dielectric layer using an atomic layer deposition (ALD) process and supplying the one or more atomic layer deposition (ALD) precursors,
wherein a nucleation delay for the ALD process is less than 5 cycles,
wherein the diffusion barrier layer comprises at least one of aluminum or molybdenum.
13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the exposing is performed for a time between 0.25 minutes and 60 minutes.
14. The method of claim 12 , wherein the exposing is performed at a temperature between 100 C and 500 C.