Agere Systems Inc.

Darrell L Simpson

Sailesh Mansinh Merchant

Erik Cho Houge

Siddhartha Bhowmik

Michael J Antonell

Ryan Keith Maynard

Jennifer A Antonell

An interconnect structure of a semiconductor device includes a tungsten plug () deposited in a via or contact window (). A barrier layer () separates the tungsten plug () from the surface of a dielectric material () within which the contact window or via () is formed. The barrier layer () is a composite of at least two films. The first film formed on the surface of the dielectric material () within the via () is a tungsten silicide film (). The second film is a tungsten film () formed on the tungsten silicide film (). A tungsten plug () is formed on the tungsten film () to complete interconnect structure. The barrier layer () is deposited using a sputtering technique performed in a deposition chamber. The chamber includes tungsten silicide target () from which the tungsten silicide film () is deposited, and a tungsten coil () from which the tungsten film () is deposited.

Barrier layer for interconnect structures of a semiconductor wafer and method for depositing the barrier layer

A chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) process using a chemically active slurry having a polarity selected to affect the relative oxidation rates of respective crystalline planes of a polycrystalline surface being polished. The slurry polarity is controlled to equilibrate the material removal rates from the respective crystalline planes during the CMP process. A polar solute may be added to a base solvent to achieve the desired polarity. A CMP process for a tungsten film may utilize a water-based slurry containing an abrasive agent, an oxidizing agent, and a solute having a polarity less than that of water. The abrasive agent may be colloidal silica, the oxidizing agent may be hydrogen peroxide, and the solute may be benzene.

Chemical mechanical polishing of dual orientation polycrystalline materials

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Gotha, FL, United States of America

Darrell L Simpson