Applied Materials, Inc.

Applied Matrials, Inc.

Ismail T Emesh

Roey Shaviv

Mehul B Naik

Xikun Wang

Serdar Aksu

John W Lam

Chris Pabelico

Dimitrios Argyris

Xianmin Tang

Joung Joo Lee

Bencherki Mebarki

Jianxin Lei

Ben-Li Sheu

Wenting Hou

Robert C Linke

Callie A Schieffer

Implementations of the disclosure may include methods of electroplating features formed on a semiconductor device, such as the trenches and vias formed by single or dual Damascene processes using a cobalt plating bath. The cobalt electroplating bath may contain 'additive packages' or 'additive systems' that include a combination of additives in certain ratios that facilitate the metal filling of high aspect ratio sub-micrometer features. Implementations of the disclosure provide new cobalt plating bath methods and chemistries and that include alkyl modified imidazoles, imidazolines, and imidazolidines suppressor compounds.

Enhanced plating bath and additive chemistries for cobalt plating

Methods and apparatus for forming an interconnect, including: depositing a first barrier layer upon a top surface of a via and a top surface of a trench; filling the via with a first metal, wherein the first metal completely fills the via and forms a metal layer within the trench; etching the metal layer within the trench to expose dielectric sidewalls of the trench, a top surface of the via, and a dielectric bottom of the trench; depositing a second barrier layer upon the dielectric sidewalls, top surface of the via, and the dielectric bottom of the trench; and filling the trench with a second metal different than the first metal.

Methods and apparatus for hybrid feature metallization

Embodiments of methods and apparatus for filling a feature disposed in a substrate are disclosed herein. In some embodiments, a method for filling a feature disposed in a substrate includes (a) depositing a metal within the feature to a first predetermined thickness in a first process chamber; (b) depositing the metal within the feature to a second predetermined thickness in a second process chamber; (c) etching the metal deposited in (b) to remove an overhang of the metal at a top of the feature in a third process chamber different than the first and second process chambers; and (d) subsequent to (c), filling the feature with the metal in a fourth process chamber different than the first and third process chambers.

Methods and apparatus for filling a feature disposed in a substrate

A method for at least partially filling a feature on a workpiece generally includes obtaining a workpiece including a feature depositing a first conformal conductive layer in the feature, and thermally treating the workpiece to reflow the first conformal conductive layer in the feature.

Semiconductor reflow processing for feature fill

Methods for asymmetric deposition of a material on a structure formed on a substrate are provided herein. In some embodiments, a method for asymmetric deposition of a material includes forming a plasma from a process gas comprising ionized fluorocarbon (CxFy) particles, depositing an asymmetric fluorocarbon (CxFy) polymer coating on a first sidewall and a bottom portion of an opening formed in a first dielectric layer using angled CxFy ions, depositing a metal, metallic nitride, or metallic oxide on a second sidewall of the opening, and removing the CxFy polymer coating from the first sidewall and the bottom portion of the opening to leave an asymmetric deposition of the metal, metallic nitride, or metallic oxide on the structure.

Methods for asymmetric deposition of metal on high aspect ratio nanostructures

In one embodiment of the present disclosure, a microfeature workpiece includes at least two features of two different sizes disposed in a dielectric, wherein a width of a first feature is less than or equal to 17 nm and wherein the first feature is filled with cobalt or nickel, and wherein a width of a second feature is greater than 20 nm and wherein the second feature is filled with a stack layer of cobalt or nickel and copper.

Co or Ni and Cu integration for small and large features in integrated circuits

A method for forming metallization in a workpiece includes electrochemically depositing a second metallization layer on the workpiece comprising a nonmetallic substrate having a dielectric layer disposed over a substrate and a continuous first metallization layer disposed on the dielectric layer and having at least one microfeature comprising a recessed structure, wherein the first metallization layer at least partially fills a feature on the workpiece, where the first metallization layer is a cobalt or nickel metal layer, and wherein the second metallization layer is a cobalt or nickel metal layer that is different from the metal of the first metallization layer, electrochemically depositing a copper cap layer after filling the feature, and annealing the workpiece to diffuse the metal of the second metallization layer into the metal of the first metallization layer.

Methods for producing interconnects in semiconductor devices

In accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure, a method for depositing metal on a reactive metal film on a workpiece includes electrochemically depositing a metallization layer on a seed layer formed on a workpiece using a plating electrolyte having at least one plating metal ion, a pH range of about 6 to about 11 and applying a cathodic potential in the range of about &#x2212;1 V to about &#x2212;6 V. The workpiece includes a barrier layer disposed between the seed layer and a dielectric surface of the workpiece, the barrier layer including a first metal having a standard electrode potential more negative than 0 V and the seed layer including a second metal having a standard electrode potential more positive than 0 V.

Method for electrochemically depositing metal on a reactive metal film

In accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure, a method for depositing metal on a reactive metal film on a workpiece includes electrochemically depositing a metallization layer on a seed layer formed on a workpiece using a plating electrolyte having at least one plating metal ion, a pH range of about 1 to about 6, and applying a cathodic potential in the range of about &#x2212;0.5 V to about &#x2212;4 V. The workpiece includes a barrier layer disposed between the seed layer and a dielectric surface of the workpiece, the barrier layer including a first metal having a standard electrode potential more negative than 0 V and the seed layer including a second metal having a standard electrode potential more positive than 0 V.

In one embodiment of the present disclosure, a method for depositing metal in a feature on a workpiece is provided. The method includes electrochemically depositing a second metal layer on a first metal layer on a workpiece having at least two features of two different sizes in a dielectric layer, wherein the second metal layer is a copper layer and wherein the first metal layer includes a metal selected from the group consisting of cobalt and nickel, wherein the first metal layer completely fills the smallest feature but does not completely fill the largest feature.

In one embodiment of the present disclosure, a method for electrochemical deposition on a workpiece includes (a) obtaining a workpiece including a feature; (b) depositing a first conductive layer in the feature; (c) moving the workpiece to an integrated electrochemical deposition plating tool configured for hydrogen radical H* surface treatment and electrochemical deposition; (d) treating the first conductive layer using a hydrogen radical H* surface treatment in a treatment chamber of the plating tool to produce a treated first conductive layer; and (e) maintaining the workpiece in the same plating tool and depositing a second conductive layer in the feature on the treated first conductive layer in an electrochemical deposition chamber of the plating tool.

Systems and methods for electrochemical deposition on a workpiece including removing contamination from seed layer surface prior to ECD

An electrochemical process for applying a conductive film onto a substrate having a seed layer includes placing the substrate into contact with an electrochemical plating bath containing cobalt or nickel, with the plating bath having pH of 4.0 to 9.0. Electric current is conducted through the bath to the substrate. The cobalt or nickel ions in the bath deposit onto the seed layer. The plating bath may contain cobalt chloride and glycine. The electric current may range from 1-50 milli-ampere per square cm. After completion of the electrochemical process, the substrate may be removed from the plating bath, rinsed and dried, and then annealed at a temperature of 200 to 400 C to improve the material properties and reduce seam line defects. The plating and anneal process may be performed through multiple cycles.

Electrochemical plating methods

A method for producing interconnects on a workpiece includes obtaining a workpiece substrate having a feature, depositing a conductive layer in the feature, to partially or fully fill the feature, depositing a copper fill to completely fill the feature if the feature is partially filled by the conductive layer, applying a copper overburden, thermally treating the workpiece, and removing the overburden to expose the substrate and the metalized feature.

Growing community of inventors

Santa Clara, CA, United States of America

Ismail T Emesh