Method for preventing wire bending during metal filling process

Abstract

The present invention relates to methods for preventing wire bowing during metal fill processes, and in particular provides methods and apparatus for reducing wire bowing when depositing metals such as tungsten, molybdenum, ruthenium, or cobalt into features on a substrate , periodically exposing features to nitrogen, oxygen, or ammonia during atomic layer deposition, chemical vapor deposition, or sequential chemical vapor deposition in order to reduce interactions between metals deposited on feature sidewalls. The method is suitable for deposition into V-shaped features.

Description

technical field [0001] The present invention relates generally to semiconductor processing, and more particularly to methods for preventing wire bending during metal filling processes. Background technique [0002] Deposition of tungsten-containing materials is an essential part of many semiconductor manufacturing processes. These materials can be used for horizontal interconnects, vias between adjacent metal layers, contacts between metal layers and devices on silicon substrates, and high aspect ratio features. In a conventional tungsten deposition process on a semiconductor substrate, the substrate is heated in a vacuum chamber to the processing temperature and a very thin portion of a tungsten film is deposited, which acts as a seed or nucleation layer. Thereafter, the remainder of the tungsten film (bulk layer) is deposited on the nucleation layer by simultaneously exposing the substrate to the two reactants. The bulk layer is usually deposited faster than the nucleati...

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

However, as devices shrink and more complex patterning schemes are used in industry, the deposition of thin tungsten films becomes a challenge

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