IP Library Granted Patent US 12,438,044
Granted Patent B2
US 12,438,044 · App. 17/490,530 · Granted Oct 7, 2025

Methods and apparatus for seam reduction or elimination

Inventors: Yixiong Yang (Santa Clara, CA); Seshadri Ganguli (Sunnyvale, CA); Srinivas Gandikota (Santa Clara, CA); Yong Yang (Mountain View, CA); Jacqueline S. Wrench (San Jose, CA); Luping Li (Santa Clara, CA)
Assignee: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
H01L21/76846H01L21/28568H01L21/477H01L21/7685H01L21/76865H01L21/76867
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,438,044
App. No.
17/490,530
Granted
Oct 7, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

A method of forming a contact structure in a semiconductor device having a feature includes forming a barrier layer in the feature, wherein the barrier layer is TiN; and forming a metal layer in the feature and over the barrier layer, wherein the metal layer is at least one of aluminum (Al), ruthenium (Ru), or molybdenum (Mo).

Claims (6)

1. A method of forming a contact structure in a semiconductor device having a feature, comprising:

forming a conformal barrier layer over a top surface of the semiconductor device, along sidewalls and a bottom of the feature, wherein the conformal barrier layer is TIN;

forming a wetting layer over the conformal barrier layer by PVD deposition of a Ti layer over the conformal barrier layer, followed by nitridation of the Ti layer using a nitrogen containing precursor in the presence of a plasma to form the wetting layer wherein a lower portion of the wetting layer is Ti, and only an upper portion of the wetting layer comprises TIN; and

forming a metal layer comprising at least about 80% aluminum (Al) by weight over the wetting layer over the top surface, along the sidewalls, and the bottom of the feature by chemical vapor deposition at a temperature from about 100° C. to about 300° C. without annealing, wherein the metal layer disposed within the feature does not include a seam and/or voids.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the barrier layer is at least about 50% TiN by weight.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the metal layer consists essentially of aluminum (Al).

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 19, 2021
From: YANG, YIXIONG; GANGULI, SESHADRI; GANDIKOTA, SRINIVAS; YANG, YONG; WRENCH, JACQUELINE S.; LI, LUPING
To: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
Reel/Frame 057832/0285 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 63086994 · Oct 2, 2020
Related Publication 20220108916A1 · Apr 7, 2022
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