International Business Machines Corporation

Chin-Chao Yang

Lawrence Alfred Clevenger

Cyril Cabral, Jr

Timothy Joseph Dalton

Terry Allen Spooner

Kwong Hon Wong

Sunfei Fang

Patrick William Dehaven

Chester T Dziobkowski

Tsong-Lin Tai

A novel interlevel contact via structure having low contact resistance and improved reliability, and method of forming the contact via. The method comprises steps of: etching an opening through an interlevel dielectric layer to expose an underlying metal (Copper) layer surface; and, performing a low energy ion implant of an inert gas (Nitrogen) into the exposed metal underneath; and, depositing a refractory liner into the walls and bottom via structure which will have a lower contact resistance due to the presence of the proceeding inert gas implantation. Preferably, the inert Nitrogen gas reacts with the underlying exposed Copper metal to form a thin layer of CuN.

Method of forming low resistance and reliable via in inter-level dielectric interconnect

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Beacon, NY, United States of America

Chin-Chao Yang