IP Library › Granted Patent US 10,847,463
Granted Patent B2
US 10,847,463 · App. 16/102,533 · Granted Nov 24, 2020

Seed layers for copper interconnects

Inventors: Zhiyuan Wu (San Jose, CA); Meng Chu Tseng (Saratoga, CA); Mehul B. Naik (San Jose, CA); Ben-Li Sheu (Sunnyvale, CA)
Assignee: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
H01L23/53238H01L21/76846H01L21/76873H01L21/76876H01L2221/1089H01L2924/01029H01L2924/01044
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,847,463
App. No.
16/102,533
Granted
Nov 24, 2020
Kind
B2
Abstract

Methods for forming a copper seed layer having improved anti-migration properties are described herein. In one embodiment, a method includes forming a first copper layer in a feature, forming a ruthenium layer over the first copper layer in the feature, and forming a second copper layer on the ruthenium layer in the feature. The ruthenium layer substantially locks the copper layer there below in place in the feature, preventing substantial physical migration thereof.

Claims (38)

1. A method of forming an interconnect structure, comprising:

positioning a substrate in a first processing chamber, the substrate comprising a patterned surface having openings formed in a material layer thereof;

depositing, in the first processing chamber, a tantalum nitride layer on the material layer to line the openings;

positioning the substrate in a second processing chamber; and

forming a seed layer on the tantalum nitride layer without removing the substrate from the second processing chamber, comprising:

alternating sequentially exposing the substrate to a first reactive precursor comprising a copper-containing organometallic and a second reactive precursor comprising hydrogen to form a first copper layer;

alternating sequentially exposing the substrate to a third reactive precursor comprising a ruthenium-containing organometallic and a fourth reactive precursor comprising hydrogen to form a ruthenium layer on the first copper layer; and

alternating sequentially exposing the substrate to the first reactive precursor and the second reactive precursor to form a second copper layer on the ruthenium layer,

wherein the first processing chamber and the second processing chamber are connected together by a transfer chamber, the first copper layer has a first thickness between 0.5 nm and 5 nm, the ruthenium layer has a second thickness between 1 angstrom and 10 angstroms, the second cooper layer has a third thickness between 1 nm and 20nm, the tantalum nitride layer has a fourth thickness between 1 nm and 5 nm.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising sequentially forming a plurality of alternating first copper and ruthenium layers before forming the second copper layer.

3. A method of forming a interconnect structure, comprising:

positioning a substrate in a first processing chamber, the substrate comprising a patterned surface having openings formed in a material layer thereof;

depositing, in the first processing chamber, a tantalum nitride layer on the material layer to line the openings, wherein the tantalum nitride layer is deposited to a first thickness of between 1 nm and 5 nm;

positioning the substrate in a second processing chamber;

forming a seed layer on the tantalum nitride layer without removing the substrate from the second processing chamber, comprising:

(a) depositing a first copper layer on the substrate by alternating sequentially exposing the patterned substrate to a first reactive precursor comprising a copper-containing organometallic and a second reactive precursor comprising hydrogen, wherein the first copper layer is deposited to a second thickness of between 0.5 nm and 20 nm;

(b) depositing a ruthenium layer on the first copper layer by alternating sequentially exposing the substrate to a third reactive precursor comprising a ruthenium-containing organometallic and a fourth reactive precursor comprising hydrogen, wherein the ruthenium layer is deposited to a third thickness of between 1 angstrom and 10angstroms; and

(c) repeating (a) and (b); and

depositing a second copper layer on the seed layer, wherein the second copper layer is deposited to a fourth thickness between 1 nm and 20 nm, wherein the first processing chamber and the second processing chamber are connected together by a transfer chamber.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the material layer comprises a dielectric layer.

5. The method of claim 3 , wherein depositing the second copper layers comprises sequentially exposing the patterned substrate to a first reactive precursor comprising a copper-containing organometallic and a second reactive precursor comprising hydrogen.

6. The method of claim 3 , wherein depositing the second copper layers comprises a PVD process, and wherein depositing the ruthenium layer comprises sequentially exposing the patterned substrate to a first reactive precursor comprising a ruthenium-containing, organometallic and a second reactive precursor comprising hydrogen.

7. A method of forming an interconnect structure, comprising:

positioning a substrate in a first processing chamber, the substrate comprising a patterned surface having openings formed in a material layer thereof;

depositing, in the first processing chamber, a tantalum nitride layer on the material layer to line the openings;

positioning the substrate in a second processing chamber:

forming a seed layer on the tantalum nitride layer, comprising:

sequentially forming a plurality of alternating first copper and ruthenium layers; and

forming a second copper layer on a ruthenium layer of the plurality of alternating first copper and ruthenium layers, wherein

the first copper layers, the ruthenium layers, and the second copper layer are sequentially deposited in the second processing chamber without removing the substrate therefrom,

forming the first and second copper layers comprises alternating sequentially exposing the substrate to a first reactive precursor comprising a copper-containing organometallic and a second reactive precursor comprising hydrogen, and

forming the ruthenium layer comprises alternating sequentially exposing the substrate to a third reactive precursor comprising a ruthenium-containing organometallic and a fourth reactive precursor comprising hydrogen.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein

the tantalum nitride layer has a first thickness of between 1 nm and 5 nm,

one or more of the first copper layer are deposited to a second thickness of between 0.5 nm and 5 nm;

one or more of the ruthenium layer are deposited to a third thickness of between 1 angstrom and 10 angstroms; and

the second copper layer is deposited to a fourth thickness between 1 nm and 20 nm.

9. The method of claim 7 , wherein the first processing chamber and the second processing chamber are connected together by a transfer chamber.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 6, 2019
From: WU, ZHIYUAN; TSENG, MENG CHU; NAIK, MEHUL B.; SHEU, BEN-LI
To: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
Reel/Frame 050924/0301 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 62548604 · Aug 22, 2017
Related Publication 20190067201A1 · Feb 28, 2019