Plasma Modified Conductive Layer Adhesion in Semiconductor Interconnects
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Solution Overview
Problem
The challenge in semiconductor manufacturing lies in forming reliable semiconductor devices at increasingly smaller sizes, where the complexity of processing and manufacturing increases due to decreasing feature sizes, making it difficult to achieve reliable fabrication.
Innovation Solution
A plasma operation is used to modify the upper portion of a conductive layer in an opening, forming a modified region that functions as an adhesion or barrier layer, allowing for improved adhesion and preventing oxidation, thereby facilitating the deposition of a conductive plug without the need for additional layers, which maintains the aspect ratio of the opening and enhances the quality and reliability of the semiconductor device structure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If feature sizes continue to decrease to increase functional density, then production efficiency increases and costs decrease, but manufacturing complexity increases and reliability becomes difficult to achieve
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the physical-chemical state of the conductive layer surface through plasma treatment, transforming it from a non-reactive state to a reactive state with improved adhesion properties. This parameter change allows reliable bonding at smaller feature sizes without compromising device reliability
Solution Approach 2:
The plasma-modified region acts as an intermediary layer between the conductive layer and the conductive plug, facilitating reliable adhesion. This intermediary region resolves the contradiction by providing a transition zone that maintains reliability even as feature sizes decrease
2Reliability
If additional adhesion or barrier layers are deposited to improve reliability, then adhesion and oxidation prevention improve, but the aspect ratio of the opening decreases and manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of adding global layers throughout the structure, the patent applies plasma treatment locally only to the upper portion of the conductive layer within the opening. This local modification provides the necessary adhesion improvement without adding overall structural complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the adhesion and barrier functions from separate deposited layers and integrates them into the conductive layer itself through plasma modification. This eliminates the need for additional layers while maintaining the required functionality
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The modified region improves adhesion and prevents oxidation, ensuring the conductive plug fills the opening without voids, thereby enhancing the quality and reliability of the semiconductor device structure, even at smaller sizes.
Implementation Method 1
A plasma operation is used to modify the upper portion of a conductive layer in an opening, forming a modified region that functions as an adhesion or barrier layer
Data Source
AI summary
Structures and formation methods of a semiconductor device structure are provided. The method includes forming a dielectric layer over a semiconductor substrate and forming an opening in the dielectric layer to expose a conductive element. The method also includes forming a conductive layer over the conductive element and modifying an upper portion of the conductive layer using a plasma operation to form a modified region. The method further includes forming a conductive plug over the modified region.