Sputtering target and method for fabricating the same

1. A sputtering target comprising:

a target base of copper; and

a protection layer formed on a surface-to-be-sputtered of the target base from a metal which is more oxidation resistant than copper and which is more adherable than copper oxide to shielding mounted in a chamber of a sputtering system between the target and a substrate, to inhibit copper oxide from forming at the target and adhering to the shielding, the protection layer not being formed in an outer circumferential vicinity of the surface-to-be-sputtered of the target base, or being formed thinner in the outer circumferential vicinity of the surface-to-be-sputtered of the target base than a remainder thereof.

2. A sputtering target according to claim 1 , wherein the protection layer is formed of aluminum, zinc, tin, nickel, magnesium, titanium, zirconium, vanadium, molybdenum or cobalt.

3. A sputtering target according to claim 1 , further comprising vacuum packaging receiving the target base therein.

4. A sputtering target according to claim 1 , wherein the protection layer has a thickness in the range of 0.05 μm to 1000 μm.

5. A sputtering method for depositing copper on a substrate by using a sputtering target, comprising the steps of:

forming a target base of copper, and a protection layer on a surface-to-be-sputtered of the target base from metal which is more oxidation resistant than copper and which is more adherable than copper oxide to shielding mounted in a chamber of a sputtering system between the target and the substrate, to inhibit copper oxide from forming at the target and adhering to the shielding, the protection layer not being formed in an outer circumferential vicinity of the surface-to-be-sputtered of the target base, or being formed thinner in the outer circumferential vicinity of the surface-to-be-sputtered of the target base than a remainder thereof;

pre-sputtering the sputtering target to remove the protection layer; and

sputtering the target base to deposit copper on the substrate.

6. A sputtering method according to claim 5 , wherein the substrate comprises a semiconductor substrate, and an insulation film is formed on the semiconductor substrate with interconnection layer grooves formed therein.

7. A sputtering target according to claim 5 , wherein the protection layer is selected to have a thickness in the range of 0.05 μm to 1000 μm.

8. A sputtering target comprising:

a target base of copper; and

an aluminum protection layer formed on a surface-to-be-sputtered of the target base, the protection layer not being formed in an outer circumferential vicinity of the surface-to-be-sputtered of the target base, or being formed thinner in the outer circumferential vicinity of the surface-to-be-sputtered of the target base than a remainder thereof.

9. A sputtering target according to claim 8 , further comprising vacuum packaging receiving the target base therein.

10. A sputtering target according to claim 8 , wherein the protection layer has a thickness in the range of 0.05 μm to 1000 μm.

11. A sputtering method for depositing copper on a substrate by using a sputtering target, comprising the steps of:

forming a target base of copper, and an aluminum protection layer on a surface-to-be-sputtered of the target base, the protection layer not being formed in an outer circumferential vicinity of the surface-to-be-sputtered of the target base, or being formed thinner in the outer circumferential vicinity of the surface-to-be-sputtered of the target base than a remainder thereof;

pre-sputtering the sputtering target to remove the protection layer; and sputtering the target base to deposit copper on the substrate.

12. A sputtering method according to claim 11 , wherein the substrate comprises a semiconductor substrate, and an insulation film is formed on the semiconductor substrate with interconnection layer grooves formed therein.

13. A sputtering target according to claim 11 , wherein the protection layer is selected to have a thickness in the range of 0.05 μm to 1000 μm.

14. A sputtering target comprising:

a target base of copper; and

a protection layer formed on a surface-to-be-sputtered of the target base from a metal which is more oxidation resistant than copper, the protection layer not being formed in an outer circumferential vicinity of the surface-to-be-sputtered of the target base, or being formed thinner in the outer circumferential vicinity of the surface-to-be-sputtered of the target base than a remainder thereof.

15. A sputtering target according to claim 14 , wherein the protection layer is formed of aluminum, zinc, tin, nickel, magnesium, titanium, zirconium, vanadium, molybdenum or cobalt.

16. A sputtering target according to claim 14 , further comprising vacuum packaging receiving the target base therein.

17. A sputtering target according to claim 14 , wherein the protection layer has a thickness in the range of 0.05 μm to 1000 μm.

18. A sputtering method for depositing copper on a substrate by using a sputtering target, comprising the steps of:

forming a target base of copper, and a protection layer on a surface-to-be-sputtered of the target base from metal which is more oxidation resistant than copper, the protection layer not being formed in an outer circumferential vicinity of the surface-to-be-sputtered of the target base, or being formed thinner in the outer circumferential vicinity of the surface-to-be-sputtered of the target base than a remainder thereof;

pre-sputtering the sputtering target to remove the protection layer; and

sputtering the target base to deposit copper on the substrate.

19. A sputtering method according to claim 18 , wherein the substrate comprises a semiconductor substrate, and an insulation film is formed on the semiconductor substrate with interconnection layer grooves formed therein.

20. A sputtering target according to claim 18 , wherein the protection layer is selected to have a thickness in the range of 0.05 μm to 1000 μm.