IP Library Granted Patent US 8,232,209
Granted Patent B2
US 8,232,209 · App. 13/025,979 · Granted Jul 31, 2012

Processes for forming electronic devices including polishing metal-containing layers

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,232,209
App. No.
13/025,979
Granted
Jul 31, 2012
Kind
B2
Abstract

A process of forming an electronic device can include providing a workpiece. The workpiece can include a substrate, an interlevel dielectric overlying the substrate, a refractory-metal-containing layer over the interlevel dielectric, and a first metal-containing layer over the refractory-metal-containing layer. The first metal-containing layer can include a metal element other than a refractory metal element. The process further includes polishing the first metal-containing layer and the refractory-metal-containing layer as a continuous action to expose the interlevel dielectric. In one embodiment, the metal element can include copper, nickel, or a noble metal. In another embodiment, polishing can be performed using a selectivity agent to reduce the amount of the interlevel dielectric removed.

Claims (32)

1. A process of forming an electronic device comprising:

providing a workpiece comprising a substrate, an interlevel dielectric overlying the substrate, a refractory-metal-containing layer over the interlevel dielectric, and a first metal-containing layer over the refractory-metal-containing layer, wherein the first metal-containing layer includes a metal element other than a refractory metal element; and

polishing the first metal-containing layer and the refractory-metal-containing layer as a continuous action to expose the interlevel dielectric, wherein polishing the first metal-containing layer and the refractory-metal-containing layer is performed using a selectivity agent, wherein the selectivity agent improves a selectivity of a removal rate of the first metal-containing layer or the refractory-metal-containing layer to a removal rate of the interlevel dielectric;

wherein the selectivity agent comprises a polypyrrole, a polythiophene, a polyfuran, or poly(4-ethylpyridine-1-oxide).

2. The process of claim 1 , further comprising polishing the interlevel dielectric to remove no more than approximately 90 nm of the interlevel dielectric.

3. The process of claim 2 , wherein the interlevel dielectric includes an oxide layer at a surface in contact with the refractory-metal-containing layer.

4. The process of claim 3 , wherein the refractory-metal-containing layer comprises a refractory metal nitride, a refractory metal silicon nitride, or any combination thereof.

5. The process of claim 1 , wherein the first metal-containing layer comprises a copper, nickel, a noble metal, or any combination thereof.

6. The process of claim 1 , wherein the refractory-metal-containing layer comprises tantalum nitride, tantalum silicon nitride, titanium nitride, titanium silicon nitride, or any combination thereof.

7. The process of claim 1 , wherein polishing the first metal-containing layer and the refractory-metal-containing layer is performed such that the workpiece remains in contact with a same polishing pad and using a same polishing fluid throughout polishing the first metal-containing layer and the refractory-metal-containing layer.

8. The process of claim 7 , further comprising polishing the interlevel dielectric such that the workpiece remains in contact with the same polishing pad and using the same polishing fluid.

9. The process of claim 8 , wherein polishing the interlevel dielectric removes approximately 2 nm to approximately 4 nm of the interlevel dielectric.

10. The process of claim 1 , wherein the selectivity agent comprises a polypyrrole.

11. The process of claim 1 , wherein polishing the first metal-containing layer is performed using a polishing fluid that includes the selectivity agent, wherein the selectivity agent is in a range of approximately 0.25 to approximately 0.95 weight percent of the polishing fluid.

12. The process of claim 1 , wherein the refractory-metal-containing layer comprises a refractory metal nitride, a refractory metal silicon nitride, or any combination thereof, and the selectivity agent improves the selectivity of the removal rate of the refractory-metal-containing layer to the removal rate of the interlevel dielectric.

13. The process of claim 1 , further comprising monitoring the polishing to detect an endpoint corresponding to when the refractory-metal-containing layer is removed.

14. The process of claim 13 , wherein monitoring comprises detecting a significant reduction in friction that occurs after an initial delay period has expired.

15. The process of claim 1 , the selectivity agent improves a selectivity of the removal rate of the first metal-containing layer to the removal rate of the interlevel dielectric.

16. The process of claim 1 , the selectivity agent improves a selectivity of the removal rate of the refractory-metal-containing layer to the removal rate of the interlevel dielectric.

17. A process of forming an electronic device comprising:

forming an oxide layer over a substrate, wherein the substrate includes a conductive region;

patterning the oxide layer to define an opening exposing the conductive region;

forming a barrier layer over the oxide layer and within the opening, wherein the barrier layer includes a refractory metal element;

forming a seed layer over the barrier layer, wherein the seed layer includes copper;

plating a copper-containing layer over the seed layer;

polishing the copper-containing layer, the seed layer, and the barrier layer to expose the oxide layer, wherein:

polishing the copper-containing layer, the seed layer, and the barrier layer and polishing the oxide layer is performed using a same polishing pad and a same polishing fluid;

polishing is performed using a selectivity agent, wherein the selectivity agent improves a selectivity of a removal rate of the barrier layer to a removal rate of the oxide layer, wherein the selectivity agent comprises a polypyrrole, a polythiophene, a polyfuran, or poly(4-ethylpyridine-1-oxide); and

polishing the oxide layer to remove no more than 20 nm of the oxide layer.

18. The process of claim 17 , the selectivity agent improves another selectivity of a removal rate of the copper-containing layer to the removal rate of the interlevel dielectric.

19. The process of claim 17 , further comprising monitoring the polishing the copper-containing layer, the seed layer, and the barrier layer to detect an endpoint corresponding to the barrier layer is removed, wherein detecting comprising determining that a significant reduction in friction occurs after an initial delay period has expired.

20. The process of claim 17 , wherein the selectivity agent comprises a polythiophene.

Assignments (7)
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE 8647899 PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 035240 FRAME 0429. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE SECURITY INTERST. Recorded Nov 3, 2020
From: CYPRESS SEMICONDUCTOR CORPORATION; SPANSION LLC
To: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC.
Reel/Frame 058002/0470 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 2, 2017
From: CYPRESS SEMICONDUCTOR CORPORATION
To: MONTEREY RESEARCH, LLC
Reel/Frame 044094/0669 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Sep 28, 2017
From: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC.
To: CYPRESS SEMICONDUCTOR CORPORATION; SPANSION LLC
Reel/Frame 044052/0280 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 28, 2017
From: CYPRESS SEMICONDUCTOR CORPORATION
To: MONTEREY RESEARCH, LLC
Reel/Frame 044051/0244 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 2, 2015
From: SPANSION, LLC
To: CYPRESS SEMICONDUCTOR CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 036051/0256 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Mar 21, 2015
From: CYPRESS SEMICONDUCTOR CORPORATION; SPANSION LLC
To: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC.
Reel/Frame 035240/0429 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Aug 23, 2012
From: SPANSION LLC; SPANSION INC.; SPANSION TECHNOLOGY INC.; SPANSION TECHNOLOGY LLC
To: BARCLAYS BANK PLC
Reel/Frame 028837/0076 →