Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

Semitool, Inc.

Polyset Company, Inc.

US Government as Represented by the Secretary of the Army

Shyam P Murarka

David J Duquette

Ahila Krishnamoorthy

Toh-Ming Lu

Ramkrishna Ghoshal

Pei-I Wang

Kaushik Chanda

Ramanath Ganapathiraman

Sabrina L Lee

Steven Robert Soss

Ronald J Gutmann

Joseph M Steigerwald

Kevin E Mello

Structures employing siloxane epoxy polymers as diffusion barriers adjacent conductive metal layers are disclosed. The siloxane epoxy polymers exhibit excellent adhesion to conductive metals, such as copper, and provide an increase in the electromigration lifetime of metal lines. In addition, the siloxane epoxy polymers have dielectric constants less then 3, and thus, provide improved performance over conventional diffusion barriers.

Siloxane epoxy polymers as metal diffusion barriers to reduce electromigration

The present invention provides a method for forming a diffusion barrier layer, a diffusion barrier in an integrated circuit and an integrated circuit. The method for forming a diffusion barrier involves the following steps: 1) preparing a silicon substrate; 2) contacting the silicon substrate with a composition comprising self-assembled monolayer subunits and a solvent; and, 3) removing the solvent. The diffusion barrier layer includes a self-assembled monolayer. The integrated circuit includes a silicon substrate, a diffusion barrier layer and a metal deposited on the diffusion barrier layer. The diffusion barrier layer in the integrated circuit is covalently attached to the silicon substrate and includes a self-assembled monolayer.

Diffusion barriers comprising a self-assembled monolayer

Semiconductor devices employing siloxane epoxy polymers as low-&#x3ba; dielectric films are disclosed. The devices include a semiconductor substrate, one or more metal layers or structures and one or more dielectric films, wherein at least one dielectric film in the devices is a siloxane epoxy polymer. Use of siloxane epoxy polymers is advantageous, in part, because the polymers adhere well to metals and have dielectric constants as low as 1.8. Thus, the disclosed semiconductor devices offer much better performance than devices fabricated using conventional dielectric materials. Furthermore, the siloxane epoxy polymer dielectrics are fully curable at low temperatures, exhibit low leakage currents, and remain stable at temperatures greater than 400&#xb0; C. making them particularly attractive for use in the semiconductor industry

Siloxane epoxy polymers for low-k dielectric applications

A metallized structure for use in a microelectronic circuit is set forth. The metallized structure comprises a dielectric layer, an ultra-thin film bonding layer disposed exterior to the dielectric layer, and a low-Me concentration, copper-Me alloy layer disposed exterior to the ultra-thin film bonding layer. The Me is a metal other than copper and, preferably, is zinc. The concentration of the Me is less than about 5 atomic percent, preferably less than about 2 atomic percent, and even more preferably, less than about 1 atomic percent. In a preferred embodiment of the metallized structure, the dielectric layer, ultra-thin film bonding layer and the copper-Me alloy layer are all disposed immediately adjacent one another. If desired, a primary conductor, such as a film of copper, may be formed exterior to the foregoing layer sequence. The present invention also contemplates methods for forming the foregoing structure as well as electroplating baths that may be used to deposit the copper-Me alloy layer.

Metallization structures for microelectronic applications and process for forming the structures

Copper alloy electroplating bath for microelectronic applications

A partially ionized beam (PIB) deposition technique is used to heteroepitally deposit a thin film of CoGe.sub.2 (001) on GaAs (100) substrates 14. The resulting epitaxial arrangement is CoGe.sub.2 (001) GaAs (100). The best epitaxial layer is obtained with an ion energy 1100 eV to 1200 eV and with a substrate temperature of approximately 280.degree. Centigrade. The substrate wafers are treated only by immersion in HF:H.sub.2 O 1:10 immediately prior to deposition of the epitaxial layer. Contacts grown at these optimal conditions display ohmic behavior, while contacts grown at higher or lower substrate temperatures exhibit rectifying behavior. Epitaxial formation of a high melting point, low resistivity cobalt germanide phase results in the formation of a stable contact to n-GaAs.

Ohmic contact to Gallium Arsenide using epitaxially deposited Cobalt

A system for performing chemical mechanical planarization for a semiconductor wafer includes a chemical mechanical polishing system including a chemical mechanical polishing slurry. The system also includes a device for measuring the electrochemical potential of the slurry during processing which is electrically connected to the slurry, and a device for detecting the end point of the process, based upon the electrochemical potential of the slurry, which is responsive to the electrochemical potential measuring device. Accurate in situ control of a chemical mechanical polishing process is thereby provided.

Systems for performing chemical mechanical planarization and process for

Growing community of inventors

Clifton Park, NY, United States of America

Shyam P Murarka