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:
May. 18, 2004
Filed:
Jan. 15, 2002
Edward Barth, Ridgefield, CT (US);
John A. Fitzsimmons, Poughkeepsie, NY (US);
Stephen M. Gates, Ossining, NY (US);
Thomas H. Ivers, Hopewell Junction, NY (US);
Sarah L. Lane, Wappingers Falls, NY (US);
Jia Lee, Ossining, NY (US);
Ann McDonald, New Windsor, NY (US);
Vincent McGahay, Poughkeepsie, NY (US);
Darryl D. Restaino, Modena, NY (US);
International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY (US);
Abstract
An advanced back-end-of-line (BEOL) metallization structure is disclosed. The structure includes a diffusion barrier or cap layer having a low dielectric constant (low-k), where the cap layer is formed of silicon nitride by a plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PE CVD) process. The metallization structure also includes an inter-layer dielectric (ILD) formed of a carbon-containing dielectric material having a dielectric constant of less than about 4, and a continuous hardmask layer overlying the ILD which is preferably formed of silicon nitride or silicon carbide. A method for forming the BEOL metallization structure is also disclosed. The method includes a pre-clean or pre-activation step to improve the adhesion of the cap layer to the underlying copper conductors. The pre-clean or pre-activation step comprises exposing the copper surface to a reducing plasma including hydrogen, ammonia, nitrogen and/or noble gases.