Simultaneous Liner and Metal Conductor Formation via Anneal Reflow
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Solution Overview
Problem
As integrated circuit dimensions shrink, conventional lithography struggles to create smaller structures, and the liner material used in semiconductor devices increases the cross-sectional area, reducing conductivity due to its non-conductive nature and physical thickness.
Innovation Solution
A method where a substrate with a dielectric layer is patterned with conductive line trenches, and a metal fill is achieved through an anneal and reflow process, simultaneously forming a liner alloy at the metal-dielectric interface, minimizing the physical thickness of the liner and maximizing the conductive cross-section.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a liner material is deposited prior to metal deposition to prevent diffusion, then diffusion prevention is improved, but the liner material takes up increasing cross-sectional area as dimensions shrink, reducing conductivity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the liner formation and metal fill operations into a single anneal and reflow process. The liner is formed in-situ at the metal-dielectric interface during the same thermal process that forms the metal conductor, eliminating the need for separate liner deposition steps and reducing total liner thickness.
Solution Approach 2:
The liner material is formed self-organizingly during the anneal and reflow process. The liner forms automatically at the metal-dielectric interface through thermodynamic driving forces during the thermal process, without requiring separate deposition steps or additional materials.
2Ease of manufacture
If conventional separate deposition processes are used for liner and metal, then process control is simplified, but the liner occupies more cross-sectional area reducing effective conductive area
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines liner formation and metal fill into a single anneal and reflow process step. This integrated approach reduces the number of separate deposition operations while simultaneously minimizing liner thickness and maximizing the effective conductive cross-sectional area of the metal layer.
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
This approach reduces the physical thickness of the liner, enhancing conductivity by allocating more cross-section to the metal, thereby improving the performance of conductive lines in smaller feature sizes.
Implementation Method 1
A liner which is an alloy of the first metal and a selected element is formed at the interfaces of the metal layer and a surface of the dielectric and is created simultaneously with the metal fill by the anneal and reflow process
Implementation Method 2
the metal fill is created by an anneal and reflow process
Implementation Method 3
the metal fill is created by an anneal and reflow process
Data Source
AI summary
An integrated circuit device having a substrate including a dielectric layer is patterned with a set of conductive line trenches. Each conductive line trench has parallel vertical sidewalls and a horizontal bottom. A first metal fills a first portion of the set of conductive line trenches, wherein the metal fill is created by an anneal and reflow process. A liner which is an alloy of the first metal and a selected element is formed at the interfaces of the metal layer and a surface of the dielectric and is created simultaneously with the metal fill by the anneal and reflow process. A second metal layer fills a remainder portion of the set of conductive line trenches.