1619 results about "Metal interconnect" patented technology

A method for forming a metal interconnect on a substrate is provided. The method includes depositing a refractory metal-containing barrier layer having a thickness less than about 20 angstroms on at least a portion of a metal layer by alternately introducing one or more pulses of a metal-containing compound and one or more pulses of a nitrogen-containing compound. The method also includes depositing a seed layer on at least a portion of the barrier layer, and depositing a second metal layer on at least a portion of the seed layer. The barrier layer provides adequate barrier properties and allows the grain growth of the metal layer to continue across the barrier layer into the second metal layer thereby enhancing the electrical performance of the interconnect.

A method of forming an interconnect for a semiconductor device using triple hard layers, comprises: forming a first hard layer serving as an etch stop layer on a metal interconnect-formed dielectric layer; forming a second hard layer on the first hard layer; forming a dielectric layer on the second hard layer; forming a third hard layer on the dielectric layer; forming a hole through the third and second hard layers, the dielectric layer, and the first hard layer; and filling the hole with metal to establish an interconnect. The second and third hard layers are each made of carbon-doped silicon oxide formed from a source gas and a redox gas, while controlling the carbon content in the second hard layer as a function of a flow rate of the redox gas.

An electropolishing apparatus for polishing a metal layer formed on a wafer (31) includes an electrolyte (34), a polishing receptacle (100), a wafer chuck (29), a fluid inlet (5, 7, 9), and at least one cathode (1, 2, 3). The wafer chuck (29) holds and positions the wafer (31) within the polishing receptacle (100). The electrolyte (34) is delivered through the fluid inlet (5, 7, 9) into the polishing receptacle (100). The cathode (1, 2, 3) then applies an electropolishing current to the electrolyte to electropolish the wafer (31). In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, discrete portions of the wafer (31) can be electropolished to enhance the uniformity of the electropolished wafer.

Protective caps residing at an interface between copper lines and dielectric diffusion barrier layers are used to improve various performance characteristics of interconnects. The caps, such as cobalt-containing caps or manganese-containing caps, are selectively deposited onto exposed copper lines in a presence of exposed dielectric using CVD or ALD methods. The deposition of the capping material is affected by the presence of carbon-containing contaminants on the surface of copper, which may lead to poor or uneven growth of the capping layer. A method of removing carbon-containing contaminants from the copper surface prior to deposition of caps involves contacting the substrate containing the exposed copper surface with a silylating agent at a first temperature to form a layer of reacted silylating agent on the copper surface, followed by heating the substrate at a higher temperature to release the reacted silylating agent from the copper surface.

A method of formation of a microelectromechanical system (MEMS) resonator or filter which is compatible with integration with any analog, digital, or mixed-signal integrated circuit (IC) process, after or concurrently with the formation of the metal interconnect layers in those processes, by virtue of its materials of composition, processing steps, and temperature of fabrication is presented. The MEMS resonator or filter incorporates a lower metal level, which forms the electrodes of the MEMS resonator or filter, that may be shared with any or none of the existing metal interconnect levels on the IC. It further incorporates a resonating member that is comprised of at least one metal layer for electrical connection and electrostatic actuation, and at least one dielectric layer for structural purposes. The gap between the electrodes and the resonating member is created by the deposition and subsequent removal of a sacrificial layer comprised of a carbon-based material. The method of removal of the sacrificial material is by an oxygen plasma or an anneal in an oxygen containing ambient. A method of vacuum encapsulation of the MEMS resonator or filter is provided through means of a cavity containing the MEMS device, filled with additional sacrificial material, and sealed. Access vias are created through the membrane sealing the cavity; the sacrificial material is removed as stated previously, and the vias are re-sealed in a vacuum coating process.

A method of forming an interconnect structure comprising: forming a sacrificial inter-metal dielectric (IMD) layer over a substrate, wherein the sacrificial IMD layer comprising a carbon-based film, such as amorphous carbon, advanced patterning films, porous carbon, or any combination thereof; forming a plurality of metal interconnect lines within the sacrificial IMD layer; removing the sacrificial IMD layer, with an oxygen based reactive process; and depositing a non-conformal dielectric layer to form air gaps between the plurality of metal interconnect lines. The metal interconnect lines may comprise copper, aluminum, tantalum, tungsten, titanium, tantalum nitride, titanium nitride, tungsten nitride, or any combination thereof. Carbon-based films and patterned photoresist layers may be simultaneously removed with the same reactive process. Highly reactive hydrogen radicals processes may be used to remove the carbon-based film and simultaneously pre-clean the metal interconnect lines prior to the deposition of a conformal metal barrier liner.

Plasma damage in ultra low k dielectric materials during formation of a dual damascene metal interconnect structure is reduced by providing a protective spacer on sidewalls of a line trench. A densified trench bottom region may be additionally formed directly beneath an exposed horizontal surface of the line trench. The protective spacer and/or the densified trench bottom region protects an ultra low k intermetal dielectric layer from plasma damage during a plasma strip process that is used to remove a disposable via fill plug employed in the dual damascene metal interconnect structure.

A capped chip is provided which includes a chip and a cap member, the chip having a front surface and a plurality of bond pads exposed at the front surface, the cap member having a bottom surface facing the front surface of the chip and having a top surface opposite the front surface. A plurality of through holes extend from the bottom surface of the cap member to the top surface. The capped chip assembly further includes a plurality of metallic interconnects extending from the bond pads at least partially through the through holes, the metallic interconnects including stud bumps joined to the bond pads, the stud bumps contacting and engaging at least one of (i) the top surface of the cap member surrounding the through holes and (ii) inner surfaces of the through holes.

A metal interconnect comprising cobalt and method of forming a metal interconnect comprising cobalt are described. In an embodiment, a metal interconnect comprising cobalt includes a dielectric layer disposed on a substrate, an opening formed in the dielectric layer such that the substrate is exposed. The embodiment further includes a seed layer disposed over the substrate and a fill material comprising cobalt formed within the opening and on a surface of the seed layer.

A package structure includes a first dielectric layer, semiconductor device(s) attached to the first dielectric layer, and an embedding material applied to the first dielectric layer so as to embed the semiconductor device therein, the embedding material comprising one or more additional dielectric layers. Vias are formed through the first dielectric layer to the at least one semiconductor device, with metal interconnects formed in the vias to form electrical interconnections to the semiconductor device. Input/output (I/O) connections are located on one end of the package structure on one or more outward facing surfaces thereof to provide a second level connection to an external circuit. The package structure interfits with a connector on the external circuit to mount the package perpendicular to the external circuit, with the I/O connections being electrically connected to the connector to form the second level connection to the external circuit.

Processes for forming porous low k dielectric materials from low k dielectric films containing a porogen material include exposing the low k dielectric film to ultraviolet radiation. In one embodiment, the film is exposed to broadband ultraviolet radiation of less than 240 nm for a period of time and intensity effective to remove the porogen material. In other embodiments, the low k dielectric film is exposed to a first ultraviolet radiation pattern effective to increase a crosslinking density of the film matrix while maintaining a concentration of the porogen material substantially the same before and after exposure to the first ultraviolet radiation pattern. The low k dielectric film can be then be processed to form a metal interconnect structure therein and subsequently exposed to a second ultraviolet radiation pattern effective to remove the porogen material from the low k dielectrics film and form a porous low k dielectric film.

Various embodiments provide semiconductor devices including a package structure and methods of forming the semiconductor devices. In one embodiment, the package structure can include a through-hole at least partially filled by one or more layers of material(s) to form a through-hole interconnect between semiconductor devices in the package structure. The through-hole can be filled by an insulating layer, a diffusion barrier layer, a metal interconnect layer, and/or a protective layer having a total thickness from the sidewall of the through-hole of less than or equal to the radius of the through-hole.

Alkaline aqueous cleaning compositions and processes for cleaning post-chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) residue, post-etch residue and/or contaminants from a microelectronic device having said residue and contaminants thereon. The alkaline aqueous cleaning compositions include amine, passivating agent, and water. The composition achieves highly efficacious cleaning of the residue and contaminant material from the microelectronic device while simultaneously passivating the metal interconnect material.

Disclosed is a semiconductor device with a flowable insulation layer formed on a capacitor and a method for fabricating the same. Particularly, the semiconductor device includes: a capacitor formed on a predetermined portion of a substrate; an insulation layer formed by stacking a flowable insulation layer and an undoped silicate glass layer on a resulting substrate structure including the substrate and the capacitor; and a metal interconnection line formed on the insulation layer. The method includes the steps of: forming a capacitor on a predetermined portion of a substrate; forming an insulation layer by stacking a flowable insulation layer and an undoped silicate glass layer on a resulting substrate structure including the substrate and the capacitor; and forming a metal interconnection line on the insulation layer.

A resistive random access memory device formed on a semiconductor substrate comprises an interlayer dielectric having a via formed therethrough. A chemical-mechanical-polishing stop layer is formed over the interlayer dielectric. A barrier metal liner lines walls of the via. A conductive plug is formed in the via. A first barrier metal layer is formed over the chemical-mechanical-polishing stop layer and in electrical contact with the conductive plug. A dielectric layer is formed over the first barrier metal layer. An ion source layer is formed over the dielectric layer. A dielectric barrier layer is formed over the ion source layer, and includes a via formed therethrough communicating with the ion source layer. A second barrier metal layer is formed over the dielectric barrier layer and in electrical contact with the ion source layer. A metal interconnect layer is formed over the barrier metal layer.

A static random access memory (SRAM) device and a method for manufacturing the same are disclosed. In the SRAM device including a flip-flop circuit including two access transistors and a pair of inverters, connection lines for connecting the inputs and outputs of the inverters, and a word line, power supply lines and bit lines are formed of a metal interconnection. The resistance of interconnection can be reduced and the SRAM device manufacturing process can be performed along with CMOS standard logic manufacturing process.

An integrated circuit (IC) includes a substrate having a top side having active circuitry thereon including a plurality of metal interconnect levels including a first metal interconnect level and a top metal interconnect level, and a bottom side. At least one TSV array includes a plurality of TSVs. The TSVs are positioned in rows including a plurality of interior rows and a pair of exterior rows and a plurality of columns including a plurality of interior columns and a pair of exterior columns. At least a portion of the TSVs in the array are electrically connected TSVs that are coupled to a TSV terminating metal interconnect level selected from the plurality of metal interconnect levels. At least one of the exterior rows or exterior columns include a lower number of electrically connected TSVs compared to a maximum number of electrically connected TSVs in the interior rows and interior columns, respectively.

One aspect of the invention provides a consistent metal electroplating technique to form void-less metal interconnects in sub-micron high aspect ratio features on semiconductor substrates. One embodiment of the invention provides a method for filling sub-micron features on a substrate, comprising reactive precleaning the substrate, depositing a barrier layer on the substrate using high density plasma physical vapor deposition; depositing a seed layer over the barrier layer using high density plasma physical vapor deposition; and electro-chemically depositing a metal using a highly resistive electrolyte and applying a first current density during a first deposition period followed by a second current density during a second period.

Plating accelerator is applied selectively to a substantially-unfilled wide (e.g., low-aspect-ratio feature cavity. Then, plating of metal is conducted to fill the wide feature cavity and to form an embossed structure in which the height of a wide-feature metal protrusion over the metal-filled wide-feature cavity is higher than the height of metal over field regions. Most of the overburden metal is removed using non-contact techniques, such as chemical wet etching. Metal above the wide feature cavity protects the metal-filled wide-feature interconnect against dishing, and improved planarization techniques avoid erosion of the metal interconnect and dielectric insulating layer. In some embodiments, plating of metal onto a substrate is conducted to fill narrow (e.g., high-aspect-ratio feature cavities) in the dielectric layer before selective application of plating accelerator and filling of the wide feature cavity.