Advanced Micro Devices Corporation

Peter H&uuml;bler

Volker Kahlert

Frank Koschinsky

Christian Zistl

Eckhard Langer

J&ouml;rg Hohage

Hartmut R&uuml;lke

A copper line that is formed in a patterned dielectric layer has a copper/silicon film formed on a surface thereof to substantially suppress an electromigration path through this surface. In an in situ process, the exposed copper surface is first cleaned by a reactive plasma ambient including nitrogen and ammonia and after a certain clean period, a gaseous compound comprising silicon, for example silane, is added to the reactive plasma ambient to form the copper/silicon film. Additionally, a capping layer may be deposited, wherein due to the copper/silicon film, any deposition technique or even spin-coating may be used.

Semiconductor device with a copper line having an increased resistance against electromigration and a method of forming the same

For determining the quality of interconnections in integrated circuits, especially in damascene applications, a method of monitoring voids is disclosed, wherein a barrier metal layer is directly deposited on a planarized metal to provide a large-area surface that is not required to be destroyed for further analysis of the interface between the metal and the barrier metal layer. The analysis may be carried out by employing an electron microscope operated in a back-scatter mode.

Interface void monitoring in a damascene process

In an in situ damascene metallization process employing a barrier layer between the metal and the dielectric, the generation of voids, especially at the bottom of vias, can be significantly reduced or even completely avoided by maintaining the surface temperature below a critical temperature during deposition of the barrier material.

Growing community of inventors

Coswig, Germany

Peter Hübler

Growing community of inventors

Coswig, Germany

Peter H&uuml;bler

Peter Hübler