The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Dec. 29, 1992
Filed:
Dec. 27, 1990
Huei-Min Ho, Milpitas, CA (US);
Yi-Ching Lin, Sunnyvale, CA (US);
Intel Corporation, Santa Clara, CA (US);
Abstract
Two methods for substantially improving the integrity of a TiN barrier layer are disclosed. The first method allows an atmospheric anneal in a conventional semiconductor furnace. The atmospheric anneal substantially seals the exposed TiN surface preventing subsequent metal layers from migrating through the barrier layer. The second method involves a reaction within a plasma reactor using a plasma gas. The plasma gas reacts with titanium within the TiN film to form a desired titanium compound. The gas is adsorbed onto the TiN grains at the grain boundaries within the TiN film thus filling the grain boundaries and thus substantially preventing subsequent metal layers from migrating though the TiN barrier layer. The second method allows the deposition of TiN, the plasma reaction, and subsequent metal depositions to take place on the same equipment using the same evacuation cycle.