Novellus Systems Incorporated

Other

William Crew

Yongsik Yu

Michael Carris

Karen Billington

Haiying Fu

Thomas W Mountsier

Xingyuan Tang

Atul Gupta

Robert Hepburn

Bart Jan Van Schravendijk

Bhadri N Varadarajan

James Samuel Sims

Copper diffusion barrier films having low dielectric constants are suitable for a variety of copper/inter-metal dielectric integration schemes. Copper diffusion barrier films in accordance with the invention are composed of one or more layers of silicon carbide, at least one of the silicon carbide layers having a composition of at least 40% carbon (C), for example, between about 45 and 60% carbon (C). The films' high carbon-content layer will have a composition wherein the ratio of C to Si is greater than 2:1; or &#x3e;3:1; or &#x3e;4:1; or &#x3e;5.1. The high carbon-content copper diffusion barrier films have a reduced effective k relative to conventional barrier materials.

Low-K SiC copper diffusion barrier films

A method for the ultraviolet (UV) treatment of carbon-containing low-k dielectric enables process-induced damage repair. The method is particularly applicable in the context of damascene processing. A method provides for forming a semiconductor device by depositing a carbon-containing low-k dielectric layer on a substrate and forming a trench in the low-k dielectric layer, the trench having sidewalls ending at a bottom. The trench is then exposed to UV radiation and, optionally a gas phase source of &#x2014;CHgroups, to repair damage to the carbon-containing low-k material of the trench sidewalls and bottom caused by the trench formation process (generally etching, ashing, and wet or dry cleaning). A similar treatment, with or without the gas phase source of &#x2014;CHgroups, may be applied to repair damage caused in a subsequent planarization operation.

UV treatment for carbon-containing low-k dielectric repair in semiconductor processing

The present invention provides a low dielectric constant copper diffusion barrier film composed, at least in part, of boron-doped silicon carbide suitable for use in a semiconductor device and methods for fabricating such a film. The copper diffusion barrier maintains a stable dielectric constant of less than 4.5 in the presence of atmospheric moisture.

Low-k b-doped SiC copper diffusion barrier films

Low-k SiC copper diffusion barrier films

Copper diffusion barrier films having a boron-doped silicon carbide layer with at least 25% boron by atomic weight of the layer composition have advantages for semiconductor device integration schemes. The films have an integration worthy etch selectivity to carbon doped oxide of at least 10 to 1, can adhere to copper with an adhesion energy of at least 20 J/m, and can maintain an effective dielectric constant of less than 4.5 in the presence of atmospheric moisture. The films are suitable for use in a wide range of VLSI and ULSI structures and devices.

Boron-doped SIC copper diffusion barrier films

Low-k B-doped SiC copper diffusion barrier films

The present invention provides a low dielectric constant copper diffusion barrier film suitable for use in a semiconductor device and methods for fabricating such a film. Some embodiments of the film are formed of a silicon-based material doped with boron. Other embodiments are formed, at least in part, of boron nitride. Some such embodiments include a moisture barrier film that includes oxygen and/or carbon. Preferred embodiments of the copper diffusion barrier maintain a stable dielectric constant of less than 4.5 in the presence of atmospheric moisture.

Film for copper diffusion barrier

Transistor architectures and fabrication processes generate channel strain without adversely impacting the efficiency of the transistor fabrication process while preserving the material quality and enhancing the performance of the resulting transistor. Transistor strain is generated is NMOS devices using a highly tensile post-salicide silicon nitride capping layer on the source and drain regions. The stress from this capping layer is uniaxially transferred to the NMOS channel through the source-drain regions to create tensile strain in NMOS channel.

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Portland, OR, United States of America

William Crew